Dog barking when I go past, neighbour does nothing

Walk on the other side of the road?

We have a barking dog at the house adjoining the bottom of the garden. It is quite aggressive, barks and growls whenever we are working down the garden. It makes us jump and gives us an awful fright when it starts up. After a word with the neighbours they do call it in but nevertheless it is quite disconcerting especially as I’m scared of dogs.

Simple solution - ignore and walk on .

The dog is guarding his property. Just walk on by .
It's what dogs do . My dogs bark when they hear someone when they are in my back garden but I always go out to see why they're barking and tell them it's OK and be quiet .

Ask the neighbour if you can be introduced to the dog, give it a stroke, talk to it, find out its name. Next time you walk past speak to it and use its name.

I was bitten by a dog when I was a child and am still quite weary of them but find that if they recognise you they bark less aggressively.

Talk to the dog! Mine can be a bit barky but they never bark at the neighbour who talks quietly while she walks past.

Coronation I can understand that if you have been attackedby a dog, this dog must worry you. I was attacked by a, thankfully, muzzled dog, who still left me badly bruised, so I can understand how you feel, but it is difficult to suggest a strategy otherthan not going past the house when neighbour and dog are in the garden or crossing the road.

Looking at it objectively, most barking dogs are friendly and it would not occur to most people especially dog ownrs, that someone would find a barking dog frightening.

You could talk to your neijghbour, tellthem about you attack and explain that you now instinctively find barking dogs frightening, so couldthey call their dog, if it starts barking when you go by.

The dog is guarding his property , doing what many dogs do and sees you as an intruder. I would be more upset if it barked all day and disturbed me. Maybe talk to it in a friendly sort of way ? Some respond, some don’t but it’s worth a try.

Have you considered striking up a conversation with the neighbour when they’re in the garden with the barking dog?
A cheery ‘hello’ or ‘good morning’ wouldn’t hurt would it? If the dog sees you and the neighbour interacting then it will get to know you and probably wouldn’t bark……..you might even be met with a wagging tail eventually - from the dog, not the neighbour of course 😂

Thanks everybody for taking the time to post. I feel supported knowing others find if difficult, but will just hope the dog gets used to me.

Drives me nuts! The owner comes out and starts shrieking at them to be quiet, which makes not difference at all and just adds to the noise!

Many years ago now I used to walk past a house whilst taking my children to school where a large dog would suddenly hurl itself against the fence barking ferociously, we couldn’t walk on the other side of the road because was a dual carriageway. But when the fence looked like it was moving due to the weight of the dog we had to take a longer more circuitous route that added ten minutes to our journey. Can vividly remember how I would jump when the dog did this, I mentioned it once to my ACs and they didn’t remember it thank goodness.

It has taken me a year to befriend a dog in the nearest village.
I dont see it very often,
It was a rescue dog. That may have made a difference.
Last week it "smiled" at me for the first time! Well |I think it smiled anyway.

I personally would see it as a challenge to befriend it.
But I am not everyone.

I try to learn the dog's name (or just call him Buddy) and say hello in a friendly tone. They will eventually get used to you.

It's too bad the owner is so complacent, but perhaps he has given up trying to train his dog.

My friendly terrier always barks if someone comes up the drive. I don't try to stop him as he's doing his job, ie letting me know there's someone approaching the house. Our house is well away from the road so he only barks at visitors and he can stay in the courtyard safely and visitors can wait on the other side of the gates until someone comes to deal with them. He also barks if anyone drives down the main drive, I don't see it as a problem.

I get barked at nearly every time I use a narrow passage between houses to get out of my cul de sac.

There is no question of crossing to put a distance between me and the dog. I can hear the dog jumping up against the fence too. The fence is quite high so I can't see the dog, I just hope it is strong enough to withstand the battering it regularly receives.

I've been attacked by dogs before so I know my fear is probably higher than other people's.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to comment. I don't think it's a banned dog, and at the moment the dog is too small to jump over the fence. But the neighbour says nothing despite being in the garden. I think it's the neighbours attitude which bothers me but recognise currently it isn't a council matter. They live on a corner, so crossing the road adds a good few minutes onto my journey. I'm also reluctant to do this as the neighbour will see what I'm doing !!

I suppose I'm more frustrated with the owner for not caring and being irresponsible.

Lob a piece of steak over the fence, he'll become your best friend

I wouldn't worry too much if the dog is unable to get out. I have this problem on my walks sometimes with a dog that barks and growls behind the fence and follows me along to the end of its garden.
It is a bit intimidating but I just walk past quickly.

I understand your concerns but unless this is a huge property in grounds then it doesn’t take a few minutes to walk past.

Some dogs do bark at anything. How big is this dog? Are you in danger of being bitten as you walk by? In that case it is a council/police matter.

Are you saying the neighbour is always in the garden when this happens and does nothing to call the dog back?

Can you not cross the road and walk on the other side?

Our neighbour's dog does this all the time. They just let it out into the front and leave it, and it yaps its head off at anyone and everything which passes. No-one bothers.
If the dog in question can't actually get out of the garden, I'm not sure there is very much you can actually do about it, I'm afraid.

Can you walk on the other side of the road and then cross back again?