Question

Advice please  I'm in rented accommodation and between myself and the neighbour is a hedge about 8ft high, I like the fact it's private but what can I do to mask the stench of dogs coming through? Is there any kind of barrier even if it only minimises it, bad enough now but I'm dreading summer! Thank you

Answer 1

They're not the type to have a word with

Comments

@swihart100 maybe a note threw the door?  

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@mechanism69 I'm too scared for that! They'd know it was me, they've got cameras

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@swihart100 oohheerr, , , not good then. lotsa nice smelling flowers along hedge then . good luck

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@mechanism69 lol, that's why I asked about masking the smell. Thanks

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@swihart100 That's a shame that you're scared to do that, or have a word with them. Last summer all we could smell out the back , just through the hedge from our patio area , was dog-shit , it was stinking, i could actually see it when i managed to get a look through the hedge, . that was the area their 3 dogs shit in. I mentioned to them , our neighbours who we get on well with, about the smell of 'sewers' when we were having bbq's etc, and asked if they had smelled anything. the problem went away, they must've known it was their dogs.  

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Pop a letter in the post box. 50p for a stamp and no drama  

Answer 2

What is the smell? Dog muck or the actual dogs? How many dogs?  

Comments

@cockpit855 3 dogs, labs, I'm not sure if it's poo or pee, I just know it stinks bad and is worse in the summer

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Report them for not cleaning up.  

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@cockpit855 Absolutely report them it's a public health hazard x

Answer 3

Plant a bed of lavendar in front of hedge?  

Answer 4

Lavender is quite strong if you like the smell

Answer 5

No barrier will mask the smell coming over you could try heavily scented plants lavender, stock day and night scented , jasmine

Answer 6

Sweet pea flowers vine up and through hedges, their powerful scent will help greatly

Answer 7

If they aren’t cleaning up after the Dogs speak to them or push a note through saying your concerned it’s going to attract flies when the weather warms up so could they clean it up regularly please    x

Answer 8

If it’s bad now it’s going to be hell come summer. Get environmental health around to smell it now and they tell them to sort it.  

Answer 9

Speak to the neighbours x

Answer 10

Contact environmental health

Answer 11

Not that easy to talk to unfortunately  

Answer 12

If it's just from dogs weeing keep hosing it down as much as you can.  

Answer 13

There are repellents you can buy, I use them in my front bed to stop the cats. If you spread them around the base on a regular basis it may work.  

Comments

@pelf2 I would be very interested to know what you use as cat repellent as they think my garden is a loo.  

Answer 14

I've had dogs my whole life and I've never come across 'dog stench' outside. The garden must be covered in poo, are you able to get photos? I'm more concerned over the dogs welfare.  

Comments

@werbel I can't even see over the hedge, I'm five ft. I just know that they're in the paved area on the other side

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Can you get your arm through the bush with your phone and record? So you can see what's going on?  

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@werbel not really, there's chicken wire and nettles in the middle. The hedge is also 4ft in thickness

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@swihart100 oh, well perhaps report it to the RSPCA anyway, that definately sounds like animal neglect.  

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They are possibly shoveling the dog shit under the hedge, yuk. Can you not see through the hedge to see if that's the case. I would certainly tell them if it was.  

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@werbel me too I’ve always had dogs and never had a smell. I’d call environmental health or dog warden  

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I feel for you, we had a neighbour who had German shepherds, they had two lots of puppies a year, they weren't I'll treated but very smelly, especially in hot weather, dried poo and wee, when he washed it the water went into the surrounding soil very smelly on hot days.  

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@rudderpost891 when I read you response I thought bet that's the problem. 8 foot hedge yep. A frie d of mine threw her dogs poo over her fence onto a cliff wild grown area and eventually obviously it became to hum. I did tell her it was becoming smelly it did not affect neighbours or anyone as it was too steep and noone walked there. Her garden was lovely but in the summer it smelled. We have dogs and we walk them morning and night but if they ever poo in the garden we collect immediately and put in poo bags and take to an official bin. If the wee we douse with a nice disinfectant. I think they are throwing it under the hedge. I would check if it is the case go see and ask them to remove it and refrain please. If not possible or no joy environmental health advice.  

Answer 15

Did you live there last summer or did they not have dogs then

Comments

I only ask because our dog wees out on the slabs all year (poos picked up daily) , but because we are out there in the summer we will disinfect down more , maybe they don’t know how bad it is in the winter

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Yes, it was horrendous last year as the dogs were always out, but I'm trying to get my garden sorted so I can sit out there this year

Answer 16

Are you sure it's their dogs and not a problem with the sewer or another source? mabe it's fertiliser, that smells awful. it seems hard to imagine that dog smells would linger in the open air for any length of time, you'd have to be up to your knees in dog crap.  

Answer 17

We have the very same problem and have had for 15 years. I spray diluted zoflora along the base of hedge and in the middle if I can reach. Huge pots with smelly flowers (as you will need to move for hedge cutting) then in summer I use the long garden incense sticks when I sit out. The dogs are lovely but unfortunately not walked xx

Answer 18

Should be able to see from a bedroom/bathroom window with a bit of luck  

Answer 19

Electric fence

Answer 20

Why don’t you go have a word with the neighbor and mention the strong smell from their garden? The dogs could be in a kennels your side of hedge They might not even be aware that it’s happening We all get nose blind from time to time

Comments

@zwiebel408 hurrah a normal person suggestion!  

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@zwiebel408 they're not approachable

Answer 21

If you’re in rented accommodation then report it to your landlord and get a visit from the Councils Environmental Team ❤️ I’m a dog lover but this is unacceptable both for you and the dogs on the other side xx

Answer 22

Strange that you can “smell dog” do you mean dog poop or wet dog smell? I’ve never experienced this and I own 3 dogs but they are also bathed regularly

Answer 23

Report it to the council. god knows what conditions those dogs are living with if you can smell it in your garden

Answer 24

I would gladly let my neighbor talk to me. if my dogs were smelling the place up I'd like to know. washing the grass down, making sure dogs are walked more so they are going to the loo outside on walks not at home.  

Answer 25

We bleach the concrete area where our dogs wee, our neighbour moans about the bleach smell but never the dog wee smell  

Comments

@federal39375 what! Leave it week see if they moan after  

Answer 26

Buy some Jeyes Fluid and dilute it a bit and spray or toss it along the soil under the hedge , I like the smell some people don’t but if they say they don’t like it , say it’s only to mask the smell before I involve the environmental health , that might do the trick .  

Answer 27

Definitely contact the council or the rspca so they can check to make sure the animals are being well looked after & the owners are coping OK with their pets. If it smells outside I dread to think what the smell is like inside! If after they have been its just a dog smell then u could plant night scented stock in pots & lavender or herbs or honey suckle most of those are smelly in a nice way

Answer 28

Report to local council environmental health you go not need to put up with that

Answer 29

Agreeing with others that if the smell is so bad you can't enjoy your garden, it's an animal cruelty or environmental health issue not a "spray something in the hedge" issue.  

Answer 30

Artificial grass stinks with dogs.  

Answer 31

I had this problem and finely got rid of them you must report it to the council they take photos at different times it can take a while and keep at the council ask them to report it to their landlord and also RSPCA I also got my local Mp involved it did work after about three months they also had a new born baby in that house two large dogs never once did I see them taking the dogs for a walk you see I was trying to sell my house at the time finely did once they had moved

Answer 32

Report to the RSPCA the animals may be suffering.  

Answer 33

Thank you everyone for your views/comments