I can't take my neighbors dog anymore. Please help!!!

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I can't take my neighbors dog anymore. Please help!!!

Posted : 8/2/2010 2:53:23 PM

I have 2 cocker spaniels named Abe and Kenny. Kenny is the more dominant of the 2 dogs and tends to bark more at other dogs. Abe is really quirky and sometimes woofs when hears something and barks at the birds that fly aroudn outside and the doorbell.

A couple of years ago our next door neighbor got a male bassett hound. He was the only dog for a little while but then they got a black lab. The bassett hound barks ALL THE TIME. It's a deep loud bark that can be heard throughout my entire house. It sometimes wakes one of us up. I can't even walk into my back yard without him barking at me. My husband can't grill food in the backyard without the bassett barking at him. My dogs who most of the time ignore the barking.

Sometimes Kenny is a problem b/c he and the lab will run back and forth along the fence and bark at each other so then the bassett gets involved and starts barking. My husband and I have discouraged that behavior by going outside with the dogs when they go to the bathroom. If Kenny is starting anything, he gets a stern vocal warning and he gets sprayed with a water bottle. Both our dogs HATE that so it stops bad behavior immediately. This has greatly reduced Kenny's involvment in the problem.

I know the owners do not pay enough attention to their dogs which is why I believe they bark so much. I think they are bored and want play time with someone. I never see the owners or their 2 sons outside interaction with the dogs except to give them food and that is putting the food on the porch and walking back inside. They do have a covered porch on the side of their home closest to my house so that is where the dogs are always are which is why the barking bothers us and hte neighbors on the other side of us. It doesn't matter the heat, rain, and snow, the dogs are never inside their home and they have never come out and tried to discourage the barking. I looked over the fence a couple of weeks ago and saw that the bassett had several mats of fur on his back. He has long hair and it didn't look like he had been groomed in a long time. We called animal control a couple of weeks ago but I don't know if anything was done. We live on a "street" but there is a "place" one block over with the same name. Many times people go down the wrong street. I wouldn't be surprised if animal control either didn't come (they don't have a good reputation of doing their job) or went to the wrong street.

I don't know what to do at this point. I end up yelling at the dog to shut up out of frustration. I don't want a bad relationship with my neighbors b/c they are nice people. They just aren't responsible dog owners in my opinion. I haven't talked to them about it yet b/c I know it wouldn't be the most pleasant of conversations. But surely they have to know that the barking is bothersome to others?!?

I need this to be settled soon. I can't take this anymore.....

shamrockmommy

Posted : 8/2/2010 3:11:19 PM

We went through a situation like that a few years ago with a german shepherd who would literally bark all day and all night. I do not know when she slept!

First thing- I went over and talked to the owners, they were apologetic and said they would keep her inside more. This lasted about a day. In all I went over and spoke with them SEVEN times. Each time they got more and more defensive.

Next step, WHILE the dog was barking, I had a police officer come over, witness the loud barking and then filed a complaint. They get fined and a maximum of 3 warnings before a/c will remove the dog. The humans got the dog a bark collar and it stopped the barking but the poor thing just paced and paced then.

It was enough to drive me insane that constant barkbarkbarkbarkbark! over and over. Good luck!

calliecritturs

Posted : 8/2/2010 6:22:07 PM

"HI!!!!!" (waving at you because you haven't been here in an age & 10!!)

Scritches and ear scratches to Abe and Kenny!!

The unfortunate thing is that you waited until you were on your last nerve before saying anything.

I tend to try to "confront" in ways that will accomplish the most. And going to yourn neighbor when you are upset isn't going to accomplish much.

They're "used" to it -- they think it deters crime (it doesn't -- it just provides noise cover so someone CAN break in undetected cos the dogs are ALWAYS outside).

So if it were me, I'd write them a letter. Tell them you're writing simply because you are serious but you don't want to back them into a corner over this. BUT ...

=== do some research === call your local animal control and police dept. Find out what the LAW is where you live. Here in my area in central FL if a dog barks **continuously** for 7 minutes (and it has to be documented) then you get a 'warning' from a code officer. But 3 warnings and they'll confiscate your dor PERIOD.

Find out what it is *there* for absolute SURE. Then say in the letter something like this:

"Like I said, I don't want to corner you but both my husband and I are simply lfrazzled by the barking. WE have taken to going outside with ours to ensure that they don't bark repeatedly. But we can't enjoy our own yard because of the barking.

If I complain to the City they ______________________________ (insert whatever your city/village/incorporated area response is)

If I complain to the police they ______________________________ (again -- tell them what WILL happen).

They seem to be nice dogs -- just bored. That's not uncommon when dogs are simply "outdoor dogs". But unfortunately you have two that are *major* barkers.

I'd rather not implement reporting you to any city/county entity. But at least after dark and before 9:00 a.m. I honestly am going to have to ask you to either create a kennel inside for them or do soemthing to train them not to bark constantly. "

keep a copy

when you post it on their door, literally write out a sworn statement that you DID that and what day/time it was and go have that sworn statement notarized (most bank empoyees are notary publics and so are most cops).

Yeah, I'm serious -- I'm a legal secretary and you *Must* begin to make a paper trail that you have in writing given them notice that it bothers you and you expect it to CEASE.

**Most** city code (county/village/town, etc.) will have various laws on the book to protect your "quiet enjoyment of your property". Meaning -- this is how they fine someone for a noise or nuisance problem ... same thing with dogs.

If you send it certified they probably won't even go get it or open it -- that's why I'm saying "post" it on their door (NOT in the mailbox -- that's a federal mail offense) and begin to make yourself heard.