To buy my neighbours a voucher and put through letterbox?

[tertrisnblox]

My neighbours are attached to us. They are renting and moved in around 3 months ago. They are two males, I've spoken to one briefly who has introduced himself, the other guy is quieter.

I have two chihuahuas, who honest to god, are really well trained except the fucking barking. It's actually a nightmare, I feel constantly on tenterhooks. They are fine as long as no one else is in their garden, but if they are, so help the neighbourhood.

So full disclosure, I can't afford a trainer at the moment, so I have been trying to train them. I find this very difficult when I just want them to shut up quietly so not to upset the neighbours.

One of the men are really friendly and always smile at them and have mentioned coming over to say hello so they're not too scared of him.

I try and only let them out when no one else is in their garden. However, tonight I didn't see the quiet neighbour sitting in his garden. Let the dogs out and they went MENTAL. The neighbour looked visibly annoyed and quite right. Until he seen me then started smiling, I apologised and he smiled and said it's fine but he was on the phone and immediately went inside and slammed the door.

I feel absolutely awful and honestly don't know what to do. I know they may smile at the dogs but in their head they'll be thinking fuck off noisy dogs (and worse I'm sure).

I have tried the spray from pets at home, I have tried positive reinforcement, I have tried distraction tactics etc.

Would I be unreasonable posting a voucher and an apology letter to the guys? Or will they be thinking, fuck the apology, get it sorted.

I hate the thought of rehoming my dogs. I utterly adore them but I honestly hate the thought of upsetting my neighbours.

What if I went over and knocked their door and asked them how much this was upsetting them with a promise to do something about it? Like they could give them sausages when they see them to make them not scared?

A voucher wouldn't do it for me, shutting the dogs up would.

Our neighbour has recently got a dog and the bloody thing never shuts up.

They could give me the Crown Jewels, but it doesn't solve the problem of their dog continually barking.

Spend the voucher money on a dog trainer. I’m glad you realise how awful it is for your neighbours. You need to go outside with your dogs and take them in as soon as they start… they will learn.

If you and your dogs could both see the neighbour, is the solution not better fencing?

From a dog training point of view that’s a really valid option, if fear is the reason the digs are barking.

op I commented above but just came back as a lot of people are posting links to training ideas. We went to training with Ireland’s answer to the rspca- the ispca (Irish society for the prevention of cruelty to animals). It isn’t free or even as cheap you’d hope but they might be able to offer help (or maybe it is cheaper where you are!) and we knew they’d be the best/better option. We learn all about rewarding good behaviour and distracting. The first few classes were literally that you have a bag of cheese, chicken and ham cut into tiny strips (you use about 30 pieces per session which translates to maybe 1 slice of ham), and when your dog does as you ask(opening lessons we learned ‘sit, down, watch me, wait etc) they get a treat. And repeat. Over and over and over and over and over! Maybe call up the rspca or a (registered, known) charity and see if they can offer help x Also training books to get you in the mindset- easy peasy puppy squeazy and easy peasy doggy squeazy.

Our next door neighbours have two small dogs that yap . It's really annoying ! I don't think a voucher would help , maybe some chocolates and a sorry note

Gosh, I really read it as chinchillas and thought wow I didn't realise chinchillas barked 😂😂 then i woke up and realised you put chihuahuas.

Sorry, useless comment there. I don't think a voucher would help though I'm afraid.

Barking chinchillas wouldn't surprise me after the recent millipedes with thrush thread

One of my dogs is a rescue, literally someon knocked on my door with a puppy. Beautiful thing but predominantly half chihuahua, half shitzu. Now I know more about small dos breeds, espwcially chihuahuas, never ever again. His anxiety drives me nuts. He is also not keen on kids and is racist. This is an issue as I have children and their friends are very mixed. Surprisingly, he likes big men the most.

Chihuahuas are nervous and yappy. I saw something on insta to try, a box n the wall that is programmed to their bark, that emits a noise at a frequency we can't hear. I might buy one myself

I never let him run unsupervised outside and also put him away if we have kids over. My other dog, a bigger calmer mix of lab and German shepherd is a dream!

Haven't RTFT. If I were your neighbour, a heartfelt apology would help a bit. Knowing you better would also help, because then I would see you as a basically nice person who hasn't sorted out her annoying dogs. It has to be in person to have the right effect. Voucher pushed through the door is too impersonal.

Of course, the main thing is to fix the problem, so you could mention to the neighbours the things you are trying, so they will know that you aren't ignoring it and hopefully you will resolve it.

The instant they bark bring them in. It has to be consistent and immediate, but it will work.

@tertrisnblox if the problem is them seeing other people outside, could you maybe screen off your fence? Bamboo or even this trend for hanging shower curtains over the fence so they can’t see out?

I sympathise- my best friend has a small yappy dog and has tried everything. It is perfectly behaved except for if someone is too close to the house and if you knock on the door the noise is insane.

You need to train them not to bark, end of. I have a dog part time (shared custody!) my neighbours didn't even realise he was here for 3 weeks because I've taught him not to bark except at intruders (so yes the window cleaner gets barked at). You don't need a trainer, all the info you need is online

I know! I read that last line and 🤯

This. x 1,000.

Chihuahuas are completely notorious for barking. I doubt you will be able to train them out of it, but maybe someone has succeeded. I think you are just going to have to live with the embarrassment. Just don’t take up the bagpipes or they really will hate you!

It might not be so bad though. I would take a nice neighbour with a barky dog over the quiet but nasty neighbour that I have got.

FFS. Idiotic.

Just FYI - I do stand at the door whilst my dogs do their business and run around. When they start barking I do get them in immediately. They don't bark in the house unless a stranger comes to the door but they are quiet as soon as I have answered the door and am speaking to the person. Visitors they don't know, they just hide from, always get visitors to give them a treat and then they are fine. They DO NOT bark during the night - ever. And I have a puppy cam, they don't bark when I'm out, unless like I say, the postman comes to the door etc but they stop once he leaves.

Not trying to make it sound better, just explaining facts. Yes it does do my head in. I feel like I am living on tenterhooks.

This!

There are lots of online training forums you can join, try searching Dog training advice and support on Facebook, lots of good groups with good training methods.
the work comes from you though

And banned in the UK as of Feb 1 2024. They are cruel and only used by ignorant lazy prats.

I thought that. Or their favourite treats? I don't see why people are laughing. Fear is the reason they're barking I guarantee it

A bottle of wine and a heartfelt apology note, explaining that you're trying to train them but it takes time, would help me if I were the neighbour.

Tbh I don't think you should have got the dogs in the first place, as they are known to yap. But I can understand you not wanting to rehome now.

OP I sympathise, having one barking dog is a pain (for you and your neighbours) and two is double the headache. I think you’re getting a hard time on here - you clearly love your dogs and want to do something about the issue.

The good news is that they can be trained. All dogs can be trained, although some to a lesser degree than others.

The other good news is that a trainer won’t cost you thousands of pounds. We have used an excellent local trainer who charged £250 for the initial, lengthy session and then much less for the follow up appointments. I honestly can’t remember how much the follow ups were - maybe something like £40?

In the meantime, have you tried time outs? Literally like you would with a child. Apart from putting them in time out, completely ignore/do not engage with them when they’re barking outside. Swiftly pick them up, no discussion, put them wherever they’re doing their time out and completely ignore. Then, when they’re not barking, shit loads of praise and affection.

I’m not a trainer so feel free to disregard my advice but I’m an experienced dog owner and have used the above method. The issue when the dogs are barking is that you’ll be giving them attention, shushing them etc and they think they’re not doing anything wrong. So ignore the behaviour you don’t want and reward the behaviour you do.

Like I said, feel free to ignore, I’m merely an amateur!

Because people are stupid and do not understand dogs at all. I hope that 99% of the people posting on this thread do not have a dog.

Sorry if I missed it but what were they like with previous neighbours?