To be throughly hacked off by our neighbours' dogs barking?

[DaisyMOO]

We had new neighbours move in next door about 4 months ago. Since they arrived the dogs have barked a lot, at all times of day but particularly early in the morning and early evenings, sometimes for over an hour at a time. Often they let them out last thing at night and we have 5 or 10 minutes of barking at about 11pm which frequently wakes one or more of the children.

I really really hate confrontation and I wonder if I'm just being a bit intolerant, but it is driving me crazy! Would you say anything? And if so can I get away with writing a note because they haven't been terribly friendly when we have spoken to them about other things in the past?

[paulaplumpbottom]

Don't write a note. I think if you write a note they might not take it as seriously. I would speak to them but try not to sound angry. Politely explain that your children are being woken by the dogs. If they get nasty or refuse to do anything about it then explain that you'll contact the authorities.

[BellaLasagne]

Oh God I sympathise, so am bumping this for you.

We've got one each side that aren't too bad but the one opposite is really loud and goes mad each night about 11pm also when one of them comes home from work. I don't speak to them much but when I mentioned it they just said what a briliant guard dog he is!

Grrrrrrr

[singingmum]

You have my sympathy.My neighbours had 3 G.sheperds and 2 akitas.The barking caused me to get to the point where I yelled at them to learn how to look after their animals(they were rarely there).They have after many complaints gotten rid of the akitas but still think it's ok to have 3 shepereds in a two bed home with small garden.
Very annoying!!!

[BellaLasagne]

P.S. When they went on holiday last year they left it at home alone with a freind popping round every day to feed it. What the friend didn't know was that after she'd locked it in the house for the night it would escape through the cat flap and bark all night.

We called the RSPCA because we thought it'd been left alone, we didn't know about the friend until afterwards. The RSPCA were very good, came out and did quite a few follow up calls but it hasn't stopped it barking at night

[Nbg]

Hmmm, its tough one.
Our dog used to bark if he was left over a certain amount of time and it wasnt realy barking it was more of a cry.

But I know my BIL's dogs bark when they go out. I dont know why they do it but its as soon as the door is opened for them and they just start.

If its getting too bad, if you feel brave enough, have a word and explain nicely that it is waking your children up on an evening, is there anything they could do?
If not, maybe contact your local council and see what they suggest.
The last thing you want though is a neighbour feud.

[nailpolish]

i really hate dogs, they are jsut a nuisance (IMO)

in my last flat next door ahd a dog (springer spaniel) who ws locked in a dog cage all day long while his owner was at work

this dog HOWLED for ten hours a day

THEN he got another springer who also got locked in the same cage and HOWLED too

drove me round the bend

their flat also STUNK to high heaven of dog piss

i ended up moving

sympathies

[DaisyMOO]

I should add that they are barking in the garden - they do bark ion the house too but they're detatched so we don't hear that as much. BTW in all the time they've been there I have never seen them take the dogs for a single walk

[Nbg]

Thats probably why they are barking then DM
Boredom.

[Mossie]

X posts if they don't get walked they are probably barking to release all the pent up energy, poor things.

I might be wrong then, perhaps they don't have a decent bone in their bodies if they're not prepared to look after their pets properly.

[DaisyMOO]

Sorry, I should clarify - they're only barking in the garden when the neighbours are actually there. During the day when they're both usually at work it isn't really a problem, it's just that threy kick them out in the garden to bark as soon as they get back and leave them there!

[DaisyMOO]

x posted, lol

[Nbg]

Mossie, thats very considerate of you.

Maybe if you decide to have a word DM , you could suggest something like that to them?

Its like children when they go out and they scream through pure fun and excitement. Dogs are the same but they bark.

[DaisyMOO]

I did consider offering to walk them in the day for them, but life is busy enough with 4 children and 1 mindee as it is!

[nailpolish]

i would definitely have to say something

if not to them to environmental health

[suedonim]

Ooh, lots of sympathy. We moved last weekend from a place where most of the neighbours keep guard dogs outdoors (we live in Nigeria) and the bl%dy creatures sometimes bark all night long. Once one starts, all the canines for miles around start. I had to resort to ear plugs and sleeping tablets to get any sleep.

Maybe you could be very brave and phone/speak to the neighbours? You could phrase it as them maybe not realising the dogs are disturbing you, which might be true. Our neighbour in the UK complained about our dog barking and tbh, I was mortified. I was a bit bemused as to how they heard her as she was indoors and they're across the road but I discovered the dog was sticking her head out the catflap and barking!! A new catflap sorted that out.

[DoubleYolker]

I put up with this daily for years, secretly hoping the dog might die. Hate confrontation and have never fallen out with a neighbour, but finally snapped after barking for over 20 minutes after 11pm which woke kids again. Went round to the house, expressed my frustrations and annoyance. She got very defensive. So I explained if it didn’t stop I would report to council as a mouse nuisance. Best thing I ever did. Virtually no barking since. Go for it!

[DoubleYolker]

Not mouse nuisance, noise nuisance 😂

[HairyMcLarie]

I doubt they'll 'go for it' @DoubleYolker. The dogs are dead.

[Booklover3]

zombies everywhere… almost every thread I click on.