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?

People are laughing because OP’s “solution” to the dogs annoying her neighbours is for the neighbours to solve it with a sausage. It might be a valid dog training option but it’s not up to the neighbours to train OP’s irritating dogs.

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

People are laughing, because others really don't give a shit about other peoples dogs.

If my neighbour suggested we give their dog its favourite treat to stop it being nervous, I'd ask him if he was taking the piss.

Delightful. And missing the point completely..

As the neighbour of people who have two dogs and seem to have no bother letting them bark constantly in the garden, i wouldn't want a voucher. I'd just want you to sort it - it is honestly the worst thing in the world. barking is of course fine in isolated incidences but several times a day whenever they are in the garden including their last toilet break at night when my child is sleeping is horrid.

As people have said if you are planning in having dogs in a neighbourhood you need to make sure they are trained or it is just plain rude.

If it's going to stop the dogs barking I'd give it caviar out of my own pocket! Op is obviously going to provide the treats. It's an olive branch to show the dogs their friends. Even if not. Barking dogs in the garden in summer is awful.

Good luck op.

They're*

My dog used to go bonkers running round the garden barking when she was younger - usually in the dark because we had foxes living nearby. We resorted to taking her out on the lead. A slight tug on the lead every time she barked and making her sit down in front of us really helped. Took a while but in the end she got it and a quick command when she barked would be enough to stop her.

Dogs do bark and it's not a problem for the odd woof but non stop yapping would drive me mad. You need to put the time in training but you don't need to spend money- loads and loads of stuff on you tube!

So, let's put the neighbour issue to one side for the moment.

What's causing your dogs to be anxious? If you can work that out you can find a solution.

The voucher would upset me tbh like you thought my inconvenience and stress living in my Own home and garden was worth so little

Barking chihuahuas would be horrid to live next to - OP you need to sort the barking. I appreciate that it isn't easy - but you chose to have chihuahuas. All dogs bark sometimes, and that is ok. However the barking from smaller dogs drives me crazy, that constant yipping.

but how are they if you are in the garden with them too?

sounds to me as though you need to be training them as an absolute priority - and also apologising like mad - and always accompanying them into the garden.

I guess that will be a pain because tiny dogs need to go more often? But it is you that has the dogs, and it is you, not your neighbours, that should be the one being inconvenienced by them

Water pistol, when the bark smoosh them.

Nerf gun but sausages instead of the foam things

I would really dislike you, OP.
I can't feel much sympathy for anyone putting their dogs before the right of their neighbours to enjoy reasonable quiet in their home.
You need to find the money to sort the problem out. It seems you made a purchase you can't afford.

If I was your neighbour it would make a big difference to me if I knew you acknowledged the problem and took the dogs in every time they barked.
Most people are fundamentally decent, the fact the guy put on his fake smile to you is a good thing. I'd bring over a bottle of wine, tell them you know it's an issue and you will do your absolute best not to let them out when they are in the garden along with training and a higher fence if that's possible.

What, exactly is it that is difficult to comprehend about "aversive methods are harmful and not as effective as positive training"?

Can one of the posters who keep recommending shit like spraying things or collars please help me understand what part of it they are struggling with and I will try my best to explain it.

your poor neigbours. Take him out for a walk ffs.

Wholeheartedly agreed

I think explaining to your NDNs that you know it's an issue and you are trying to sort it will go a long way.

People have scoffed at the sausages idea but I don't think it's a bad idea.

In terms of training can u train the dogs to 'leave it' so you say 'leave it' and if they come to you they get a treat? Use really nice treats like chicken. We taught my dog this as she is very reactive and now when we say leave it no matter what she is doing she will rush to us.

Unless you are giving a voucher to buy a new house then I think that is a bad idea. They will think that this is your resolution to the problem which is not acceptable at all.
You probably should not let them in the garden as it sounds stressful for them and awful fort he neighbours.

Exercise them on a lead (like people in a flat would have to do)

The trouble with sausages is, your dogs may learn to bark for sausages, mine would🤣 Neighbours would have to shout 'sit' before throwing a sausage, then the dogs will learn to sit and wait for a sausage instead of barking. Although this seems more like training the neighbours not the dogs 🤔

I'd be really pissed off if I was your neighbour. I wouldn't want a voucher; I'd want you to sort your bloody dogs out. Not being able to afford a trainer is irrelevant. It's your problem to resolve. The last thing your neighbours want is to feel you're 'buying' their acceptance of living next door to really annoying intrusive noise.

Oh please do f*ck off with this advice.

You sound lovely but your dogs would drive me completely insane. There's a yappy dog across the front of my house, another one 2 doors up and also one god knows where I can tell it's coming from the other end of the street but it's so high pitched and yappy I can still hear it. These dogs do this for hours on end until late at night. I suppose at least yours only do it briefly when you let them out to the toilet so if it makes you feel better I would happily have you as a neighbour instead of the ones I have!

This is frustrating to read, I have 2 working dogs (they are worked) & they were trained from puppies where in the garden they can/can’t go, bark on command & stop on command, command words around people to control their behaviour etc etc, it’s so easy when they are puppies so why people get dog’s & don’t bother training as puppies is beyond me as it’s so much harder to train an adult dog. I couldn’t cope with having dogs who irritated others with unruly (& preventable) behaviour