To want to give my neighbour a mouthful for leaving her dog barking again after we’ve made her aware twice?!

[Auramigraine]

Basically as the title says

Put up with dog barking when she was going work, spoke to her and she promised she would sort it...... didn’t so then I put a note through the door asking she move the dog away from our wall, this was months ago and it stopped.

Now a few weeks ago it’s started again, not left as long but when she’s going out for an hour or so at a time, it’s driving me insane!!! Can’t wait to move.

Thoughts?

report to rspca? surely its considered cruel to leave a dog confined like this?

I'd be more concerned about the dog. It's bored and lonely. She shouldn't have a dog if she's out all day. There's doggie daycare, or dog-walking services. Do you like dogs OP? Maybe you could offer to have the dog in with you?

How do you stop a dog barking when left?

You ensure the dog has been taught, systematically, carefully, to be independent and confident, and to tolerate being left alone.

It takes planning, thought, training, patience and if the dog HAS an existing separation anxiety problem, it takes months of work ensuring the dog is not left to suffer the anxiety in the first place, whilst behaviour modification programs are put in place.

YABU however as the owner may well be unaware the dog is still barking, many owners in my experience, are unaware of what their dog does, and experiences, when left.

So the first thing to do is leave a note or even speak to them, to let them know their dog is still barking when left and perhaps has a problem that requires help, not simply being moved to a room where neighbours cannot hear it.

Do tell her. I only found out that one of my dogs howled like the Hound of the Baskervilles when I went home early one day and heard her half a street away. Poor, polite, neighbours. I had no idea

I had neighbours whose dog barked all day. My dog only ever barked when someone walked past my window, which was generally my neighbour. She got some council official to come round and have a word with me. I told them that her dog barked all day and I had even offered to let the dog out during the day, I had been getting on well with her, so I couldn't understand why she never said anything to me.
They then went away and I never heard anything else. I still spoke to her husband but she avoided me like the plague.
I felt really sorry for their dog, they both worked long hours, so it was left on its own. Not long after that I moved.

Sometimes, with dogs you think you've solved a problem then something happens and the issue comes back. Or you get a new problem to take its place.

Speak to her, tell her its happening again.

Maybe she isn’t aware that the dog has started barking again?

Before you throw a fit, try to bring it up nicely first so she has a chance to solve it again.

I have the same problem with my upstairs neighbours. Every time they go out, their husky howls from the moment the front door is locked to the time they get home. So we get to listen to the dog howl for 6ish hours straight some days, then when they get home we get to listen to their baby scream for a further 2/3 hours while they do bedtime. They don't care, they've been told loads of times to deal with it. Every time someone complains to the HA he lets it poo on the path outside my front door for a few days as punishment even if it wasn't us.

We have the same problem with barking and yapping dog, now the guy doesn't seem to be working so at least the dog doesn't get left, BUT at weekend they go out in the evenings and the bloody thing barks from them leaving until it heals their car come back. When I put a note through the door she returned it and said she had a camera on the dog and it hasn't been barking!!!! They don't want to know, selfish beggars!!!

My DP has a guy who lives behind him who keeps his dogs (alsation and a staff) in two large cages in his garage at the end of his garden backing onto DPs garden. These dogs bark continually. All day and often all night. We slerp in the front of the house and it is still really loud and drives DP to distraction.

Called council who sent a letter. Called RSPCA who said it is only minor cruelty and refused to come out. (Another reason I HATE the RSPCA with a passion-minor cruelty is OK?!). Tried to speak to the owner but he refuses to answer the door.

It truly is horrendous. You can't tune it out. Even in the quiet times you are just waiting for it to start up again. You have my sympathy.

There is nothing that you can do. In our experience no one will help.

The dog will be barking partly because it can hear noise in your home because dogs have more sensitive hearing than humans so it feels like it is protecting its own territory. (Actually, the dog barking when it hears noises will actually be protecting your property as well as the NDN's from burglary)

The OP is entitled to go about her business in her own home without worrying that normal, everyday noises are going to set off the untrained dog next door.

As for the barking being a deterrent - my next door neighbour's horrible and vicious dogs used to bark non stop when left alone. As they were locked in the back yard, and not able to access the house, it would've been a great signal to any would-be thieves who knew this info/pattern that now was the time to break in as this was the signal that the house was empty. After all, if everyone local was used to the dogs barking, why would they suddenly assume that they were now barking at a burglar?

OP, I really feel for you. Dogs constantly barking because their idiot owners are too lazy and stupid to train them properly is a form of torture. We had this problem with our next door neighbour. I told their letting agent they had three days to rectify the problem or it'd be reported to council, which I followed through with. The council rangers were great, and absolutely horrified when I showed them all the notes I had collated, and the audio recording on my phone. Thankfully, the idiots opted to move out, as they were too stupid and lazy to actual train Cujo the dogs properly and we were able to live quietly once again. As you've already spoken to the neighbour in the past, and she's now chosen to revert back to bad habits, I'd just go straight to relevant authorities in your area to let them deal with it.

Our NdNs fell out with us because we told them their dog barked when they went out in the evenings. Twice. The first time, my DH spoke to the bloke and he was quite off with him, saying his dog 'never fucking barks' but DH pointed out that he wouldn't know because it's once they've gone out. NDN said our dog barked too when we were out. We apologised and started to record our dog, who barked approx 2 minutes over the 8 hours he was alone (he was an old dog who slept all day). Their dog stopped barking so much for a few months. Then this spring, it started again. My DH mentioned it to him when they were both leaving the house at the same time. NDN went ballistic, swearing, threatening and just plain obnoxious. Said we just wanted their dog put down! NDN wife came round and tried to apologise for her DH but my DH wasn't having it, so now we have a very awkward relationship whenever we see each other. But their dog hardly barks anymore so result!
Our dog died a few months ago 😪

I actually just joined this page to reply to your msg. I think it's really funny that u got on here to call dog owners "idiots" - some dogs are just protective and vocal not untrained. It's people like u that stress dog owners out when they HAVE go to work that their dogs might happen to bark without having the council involved. But good on u.
Try having some sympathy for the dog and her owner. She may be trying everything that's not cruel to her dog to make it stop barking! Some people don't want to shock their dog or have it on medication.

This can be classed as a statutory nuisance. Your local council will take it seriously. They will require you to keep a detailed log of a fortnight or so and will then take action if it is bad enough to be deemed a nuisance. Action could be a letter, a visit, being taken to court, being made to get rid of the dog. I've had a similar problem recently. I'm frightened of my neighbours so didn't feel able to approach them. The council wrote to them and I think they also visited. The dog barking has now reduced to a few minutes a day instead of hours on end. The council offered to install noise recording equipment in my house but their letter and visit had done the trick so it wasn't necessary. You don't have to put up with this.

Why have a dog and leave it alone all day to essentially cry, it’s disgraceful!
The dog needs training as it’s anxious. Needs a cage/bed and perhaps a walker.
Can you offer to walk it OP, maybe neighbour will catch on if you offer.

I received a note in my mail box saying my dog was barking for 1 hour when I left for work in the morning. I was shocked & upset that my dog was upsetting my neighbours so I wanted to rectify the problem quickly. I bought a bark collar, treat toys & installed cameras so I could monitor her. I view the cameras for the time period the complainant said she was barking & no noise so I have recordings that are saved to a cloud account to show that she is no longer barking. I live alone & really would have appreciated it if the person who made the complaint had of just spoken to me instead of threatening me the authorities in an anonymous letter. Also this nameless person hasnt had the decency to put another anonymous letter in my mail box to acknowledge that my dog is no longer barking.

I've posted about this before but I'm working abroad temporarily and have a studio flat on a main avenue. The owner of one of the flats directly facing mine (also tiny little studios like mine, I'm led to believe) leaves about 3 yappy little shits dogs on the balcony from morning through to early evening, presumably while he/she is at work. The dogs bark all day and go absolutely ballistic if they see another dog walking down below on the busy avenue. Luckily I'm working so I'm only (!) subjected to it on my days off but it drives me absolutely barmy. To be honest, even though I call them all the names under the sun when they're barking I feel sorry for the poor dogs. I think it is horrendously cruel not only keeping three dogs in a tiny studio flat, but leaving them stuck on a balcony all day whilst the owner presumably works. Whoever it is has laid down newspaper on the balcony which is literally always covered in dog shit. I think there needs to be better education, not just in this country but generally, about the upkeep required with dogs. I wouldn't be averse to dog licenses being introduced, to be frank.

My neighbour's dog started barking when she was left alone, as she was getting older and a bit senile. No training could fix that and neighbour has to do school runs and shop etc.

I told my neighbour I was really worried about the dog as she sounded upset, neighbour was mortified and gave me a key to the house, now I pop over whenever I hear she's upset or neighbour pops her over with me if she's going out for an hour and I'm home.

I get lots of bottles of Prosecco as thanks! I do it for the dog cuddles

Hi there...I have 3 dogs...I wouldn't leave them more than a few hours each day as I have elderly neighbors...if I do go out shopping or do my cleaning round which is 2.5 hours only 3 days a week then I put them in the kitchen and leave radio on. We have stood on the drive on leaving and return to make sure the pups not making a din! I don't understand why people get a dog then just leave it all day? Where is the methodology in that? If you cant afford the time don't get a dog! There is a French bulldog on the corner of the street which barks constantly! The dog must have cost a fortune ..yet the lady leaves it all day! It's got out twice and she hasn't noticed either! Apart from sympathy you can make your local council aware or contact the dog warden to mediate between you both. Failing that the RSPCA who visit and inspect the dog and also give tips and advice to the dog owner (use that on loose terms as dog tortcherer may be more accurate) not sure if you rent but your landlord also has responsibility or your neighbor so it may be worth contacting them. Result may mean neighbor wars ..so be prepared for retaliation. Of the dog is being neglected and a noise nuicense the owner may be told to re-home the dog ..which may be best for both of them. Yep dogs do bark ...some yap some whine but dogs should not be incarcerated 8 hours a day , it's inhuman to make an animal wait to pee that long (dread to thing the state and smell of the house but to keep a dog just to have a pat on the head once a day as the owner passes it in the hallway is no excuse for just wanting one!

@Penisbeakers
People shouldn't have dogs if they're being left alone for too long.
OP says it's for 'an hour or so' so unlikely to be considered 'too long' by most professionals.

@mumwon
report to rspca? surely its considered cruel to leave a dog confined like this?
'Confined' as in given the run of the house whilst on it's own which is what it sounds like? Out of interest, where would you imagine would be less confined for the dog?

OP, just go and speak to your neighbour again. She may not be aware that it's started again.

Does anyone really ever "give someone a mouthful"?

lives sheltered life

This came up on Quora feed today:

triciacasper.blogspot.com/2019/05/barking.html?m=1

I have three dogs next door. They are left for hours and hours everyday. No walk before they are left in the morning. Three dogs. Barking everyday. Spoke to the owners. They said they would sort it. Have not bothered.
They bark when they are at home all the time as well. How someone can cope with three dogs barking in there ears all day I have no idea. Don’t even get me started on how they speak to their child.

Call the RSPCA. The dog has separation anxiety. Whatever. Just call them.

Some neighbours had 2 dogs, 1 litter each year from both. Left alone for weekends howling the place down. Neither RSPCA nor dog warden showed any concern. They left them with sufficient food and water and that was that. Eventually 'solved' by the American bulldog, unsurprisingly, biting one of the children, dogs removed.