I would have never given away my dog because of a complaining neighbor....unless I really was negligent and leaving him out for long periods to yap!
And I think I might complain to them now....and remind them that you gave your dog away because of them!
Linda C

I don't mind the new little dog next door at all. I'm just amused.

You are not a bad person -- you are a very tolerant person. I would either have grinded (ground?)my teeth down to nubs by now or be over there pounding on their door complaining big time.

I love dogs, but right now one doesn't fit my lifestyle. I am not one bit tolerant of barking dogs or dogs that poop in my yard, even if the owner picks up. Go poop and pick up in your own yard.

We have a yapping doxie in our neighborhood, but far enough away from me so it's not too bad. The nearby neighbors are going nuts. I think the big "showdown" is coming soon.

Am I a bad person?

Hardly! I think you care more about your neighborhood relationships. I would be sorely tempted to mention their barking dog however...

Bless you for not minding the yappy dog. I love dogs but have no use for those that don't shut up.

Even if the yapping doesn't bother you I say you come up with something smart to say while wearning a charming smile. Maybe something like, "Ironic how you end up with a dog that yaps more than the one you drove me to give away, isn't it?"

The new dog isn't all that loud from my house and doesn't bark constantly so I'm not bothered. I'm just enjoying the fact that his kids and wife now have a dog making noises he can't get away from!

He is rather full of himself in a king-of-my-castle way and was on my porch every time the dog stepped out for a few minutes to potty and he was trying to watch the game. She was yappy and I made an effort to keep her inside. I lost patience when he came over all blustery one Saturday afternoon when my kids and their friend were in the pool with the dog having fun. Yes, the dog was barking but everyone was having a good time and the dog was comical jumping in and out of the pool. And it was a hot Saturday afternoon and I knew it wouldn't last long. I told him to give me a break and closed the door. A few days later he had a uniformed cop on my porch at 10 minutes past noise curfew and I had just brought the dog in from her night potty trip. Must have called in a favor, he works for the city.

I found a nice home for the dog in the country with an elderly widower. He had a fenced acre and no close neighbors and came recommended by a breeder of Rat Terriers, which was what she was. I think she really needed to be an only dog anyway. At last report she was doing well and had him trained to give her table food.

As for the neighbor, his wife is a sweetie and he has kids too. The boys' frisbies, balls, etc. end up in my yard regularly. I either walk them over or toss them back. We didn't speak for several years until the fence started falling down between us and he had to come knocking to discuss it.

I took note of the fact that for a year or more we had a terrible rental neighbor across the street with at least 10 junker cars parked in the vicinity at all times. The neighbor worked on them and had a gang of buddies there at all hours, revving engines repeatedly and playing music. And not a one of the cars that actually ran had a quiet muffler. As far as I could tell he never said a word to THEM about noise! They were a lot scarier than a middle-aged single mom.

So don't mind me if I see the little yappy dog as evidence of karmic justice. :)

Actually, I think you are...saintly and show a lot of restraint! You are much more tolerant and accommodating than I could ever be.

Speaking of which, Cathy, how are your new neighbors?

OMG, don't get me started! I'll have to take pictures for you all. It's been a nightmare with up to 8 trucks in a day, rolling in about 7am and kicking up dust that covers my lanai everyday. They haven't moved in yet but what little interface we have had with them, they come off as arrogant and braggarts.

Okay, it could be a lot worse but I had to vent.

Wow, they aren't done yet?

Maybe when the stress of construction and writing checks is over they will be less icky?

I had to complain to the city about the house down the hill from me (the next block down). I HAD to -- multiple small yappy dogs were left on the back deck all day and into the evening - yapping the whole time at anything and everything.

My senior citizen neighbors said the dogs had been at it for years but they did not complain - they are the long-suffering, stoic types!

My town has a form you can fill out online so I did that, and guess what? The dogs are not kept out on the deck all day anymore and it's been so nice and peaceful. I think the city sends a warning letter out. And they've got to have had complaints out the wazoo about these tiny terrors.

There are many dogs around and I hear a bark or two now and then, but that incessant yapping is beyond what a neighbor should have to bear.

Cathy, I'm so sorry you have to go through this. I'm fairly sensitive to noise I think - I would be going nuts in your position. Any holidays planned?

:-)

Poor Cathy. Bad enough they are destroying the beautiful piece of land next to you but to be crabby too? Horrible.