Neighbours leaving their barking dog alone all day

[perceptionreality]

I have posted about this before. Our neighbours have a spaniel who is often left alone in the house all day, barking until she is hoarse and howling. Yesterday the dog was barking constantly from 8.30am to 7pm.

I have spoken twice to the neighbours about it and the last time, the owner said 'I'm very sorry but I don't know what we can do about it' Perhaps not buy a dog if they can't afford to look after it??

I am keeping a diary of when the dog barks. What should I do now? I feel reporting the neighbours could cause me problems. I also have an autistic dd with sensory issues and the barking stresses her out. They are out now and the dog is barking again, Any advice?

Give them some advice then..

The dog is almost certainly suffering from separation anxiety.

To cure that, they WILL need the assistance of a professional canine behaviour consultant (I am one).

The reason for that is that progress on an issue like this is so slow its really impossible to do without outside support, its the kind of thing that even professionals will call in other professionals to help with because you need an outside pair of eyes on the situation as well as your own.

Before they even bother looking for one of those though, you CANNOT fix separation anxiety whilst also leaving the dog alone to suffer separation anxiety. Doesn't work, won't work, pointless to try.

So before they go to the expense of hiring a professional, they need to get the dog into dog daycare or get a dog sitter in place.

If they cannot do that (or find a friend or relative or neighbour who can mind the dog during the days) then they are better off rehoming the dog becasue right now, the animal IS suffering and legally they have a duty of care to prevent suffering and meet the animals needs, and they are not doing that at present.

Do recommend they find someone qualified and up to date using science based methods - no pack leader or dominance type bullshit - I recommend the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers, Pet Professional Guild, Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Trainers and Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors members over and above pretty much everything else.

The no bark collar is a great suggestion. There are some that distract the dog by spraying citronella oil in front of it every time their sensors detect barking. I would definitely put something in their letter box with info about it and ask them to weigh up the cost of a collar vs rehousing themselves or their dog or paying fines.

I don't have a dog and wouldn't get one because of the hours I work. But are people seriously saying you cannot leave a dog alone? That you cannot work and have a dog? How do you imagine the vast majority of dogs live?