Dog Community

Best Want to Handle Neighbor's Barking Dog?

Posted : 12/29/2006 12:32:44 PM

I am a dog owner and dog lover. I've had two GR and now have a TT. I've never let any of them bark for more than 2 or 3 minutes at a time while outside in the yard.

My neighbors across the street have a Border Collie. If the kids are outside playing on the driveway (which they are every chance they get...skateboarding and having fun) the dog is just doing what comes natural to her...herding them by chasing them and barking at them. Constantly. The entire time they are out there. It can go on for more than an hour at a time.

It is incredibly annoying. Should I a) call the neighbor directly and politely let them know it's bothering me (I don't know that I have the nerve to do this and I am afraid it would leave bad feelings), b) leave an anonymous but polite note in their mailbox about it (they are surrounded by houses and I know for a fact that I am not the only neighbor bothered by it), or c) something else I haven't thought of?

I don't want to call the police on them, even though the township does have a 15-minute limit on barking dogs. And I don't want to have every quiet moment in my home being disturbed by their dog. How on earth do they not hear it? The minute my dog starts to bark I bring him in.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

rwbeagles

Posted : 12/29/2006 12:54:23 PM

Hmm does your ordinance apply during daylight hours? That would be odd...usually daytime barking is not regulated nor is general construction noise or music etc etc. They tend to stick to when normal schedules dictate people would be sleeping. I'd check just to be sure.

OTHERWISE...lol. I don't know. For me barking is annoying but if it's during the day then I don't think I'd really say much. If I can sleep at night...that's a blessing! I think I'd rather the dog bark than poop on my lawn haha!

Hmm...maybe if you walk by politely (like your out for a nice quiet walk) when the parents are visible and say...

"Is that a Border Collie? she is cute, and she sure does like to bark, doesn't she? I can hear her clear over at my house...", "It's a wonder she doesn't get hoarse hahaha!..." kinda innocent and wide eyed like...then continue on walking? Passive aggressive in the extreme...I know.

If you do the note thing...and you find the ordinance is in effect all day and all night then I'd simply photocopy the ordinance and leave one in their mailbox.

dubilpie

Posted : 12/29/2006 1:03:42 PM

We have neighbors with a barking lab. Drives us all nuts, I never let my dogs bark for more than 2-3 minutes, I always call them in when they bark. I have left notes in the mailbox on several occasions, did us no good. Finally someone called the police and they came. They were really good for about a month taking the dog in when it barked, they are starting to slip again, I'm hoping someone calls on them again. Totally inconsiderate. When they are out, the dog constantly barks in the house. In the nice weather we had to keep our windows shut, but now that it is cold, we can only hear it when we go outside. There are a lot of dogs around here, and that is the only one who is a barker. I think the poor boy is bored, he is hyper and doesn't get the exercise he needs.

DPU

Posted : 12/29/2006 1:23:09 PM

I like what rwbeagles says to do.

I am very conscious of how loud the bark of my 3 Great Danes are and I wonder if anyone thinks its annoying. When I come home from work the dogs hear the car coming, go to the second floor and start barking. Its loud whether the window is open or closed and the sound carries far. My neighbor tells me they know when I come home. A neighbor on the next block takes the barking cue to come over and play with the dogs. He knows they are out. I don#%92t how to correct this since I am not present while the dogs are doing this behavior. Maybe you can use a less subtle approach by talking with your neighbor about training methods and some techniques on how to change the barking behavior.

lisa baker

Posted : 12/29/2006 1:24:40 PM

i have never let my dogs bark but before we move one of my neighbors had a dog that was constantly barking while she was outside. suzie drove my neighbors (her owners) nuts but i could just tune it out. her mom owner would just shake her head and ask how i could put up with it..

tammygirl06

Posted : 12/29/2006 1:26:35 PM

I don't have any advice unfortunately but did want to share that there is a noise ordinance in the city of Orangburg, SC where I live. It applies to dogs, music, and other excessive noise that goes on for some time whether it be day or night. Being a police dispatcher for the city believe me I hear it all and we do actually send an officer to the residence where for example the dog is barking and have them speak to the owners. I do know that if you did decide to call the police you should be able to just say a concerned citizen it calling, at least that's usually what people say when they make those types of complaints to our agency. Hope this helped some and good luck

Karin Rex

Posted : 12/29/2006 2:51:23 PM

ORIGINAL: rwbeagles

Hmm does your ordinance apply during daylight hours?

Good question. I don't know, actually. But I will check. Thanks for your suggestions. (And everybody else as well.)

Karin Rex

Posted : 12/29/2006 2:55:59 PM

ORIGINAL: DPU

I like what rwbeagles says to do.

I am very conscious of how loud the bark of my 3 Great Danes are and I wonder if anyone thinks its annoying.

It's good that you're conscious of it at least. I don't mind the dog barking in the morning when the children are passing to go to the bus stop because it only lasts 10-15 minutes or so and I know it will be over. It's when she barks for more than a half-hour or so that it drives me nutso. I don't know how the kids themselves tolerate it as they are right there in the fray. Most of all I don't know how the parents don't hear it, or if they do, how they are able to ignore it. We have loads of dogs in this neighborhood and that's the only one that does this.

fuzzy_dogs_mom

Posted : 12/29/2006 3:10:40 PM

We don't have much of a problem with barking dogs, construction noise, music, etc. But a few years ago the police went to a womans house in the middle of the night, woke her up and arrested her for snoring too loud. [8|] Seems her next door neighbor could her her through a shared wall. It must have been a really slow night for the DPD ....

Joyce

Mookies Mom

Posted : 12/29/2006 3:13:25 PM

Our neighbors have a hound and a beagle that bark continually. Since their fence is 8 ft away from our br window and DH's office, its 100% annoying. In the last month we've had to call them 3 times after midnight to bring the dogs indoors. A couple of times, I've had to get dressed and walk over there and bang on the door to get them to bring the dogs in at 2am. The story is always..."oh the batteries for the collars wore out" or "i didn't realize they were out" blah, blah, blah. It is so infuriating. Once I called the city and got a copy of the noise ordinance pertaining to the dogs and mailed it to them, highlighting the parts I most wanted them to read.

I've never called the police on them....I figure its better to handle that kind of thing myself. I always try to be nice about it, so no one can accuse me of being b*****y. I guess the old saying applies "you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar."

rwbeagles

Posted : 12/29/2006 3:23:08 PM

LMAO...knocking on someone's door at 2am in Texas.....hmm...no thanks. I am far too cowardly for that. I'd let the Po-po handle that one.

J M

Posted : 12/29/2006 7:35:03 PM

I wouldn't worry about it leaving bad feelings.

Evidently your neighbors don't worry about your feelings....should you actually be worrying about theirs?

CoCo Chanel

Posted : 12/29/2006 9:07:06 PM

this is great advice. and a realization to me that I should nip my puppy before it becomes habitual.

when we're out taking a walk, she doesnt bark at all at people...she loves strangers... but when she's in my fenced in back yard and she cant really see who is out there, and someone is walking by right outside of it, she starts barking.

i take her inside right away, as I cant stand a barking dog. and she likes to be inside right away to make sure no strangers are coming to visit that she might miss licking them to death. lol

Karin Rex

Posted : 12/30/2006 10:25:48 AM

ORIGINAL: JM

I wouldn't worry about it leaving bad feelings.

Evidently your neighbors don't worry about your feelings....should you actually be worrying about theirs?

Another good question. However, while this may be true, I just can't be that way. It would make me too uncomfortable. I just wish I knew the right thing to say. It would have to be something that didn't make me sound like a shrew or them sound like idiots...something polite, innocuous, yet effective. All ideas are welcome! [

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spiritdogs

Posted : 12/30/2006 11:02:00 AM

Maybe you could tell them that other neighbors have mentioned to you that they are thinking of calling the cops on her. Then, "help" by sharing some books on barking with her:
The Bark Stops Here by Terri Ryan
Help! I'm Barking and I Can'f Shut Up by Suzanne Hetts
As a last resort, you could suggest a citronella no-bark collar (there's no shock, just a squirt of citronella), and tell her about the website:
www.premierpet.com.
Then, you are acting as an "ally", not a complainant. [

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