AIBU to ask my neighbour to stop his new dog barking so much?

[Doggodoggo]

My next-door neighbour got a young dog recently. I don't know the breed or how old it is but it is already massive and very very loud! He lets it out in the garden multiple times a day where it barks its head off constantly. He is a single man who works full time from home so I suspect that every time he has a work meeting/call he just lets it out in the garden where it barks non stop. He doesn't seem to take it out very much, maybe once a day in the evening. He also doesn't seem to have much control over it as it often lies in the road and won't move!

I had some sympathy at first as thought perhaps he would be training it not to bark all the time or the excitement of being outside would wear off. But it's now really stressing me out. He's recently started putting it out in the garden at 6.30am and it is barking non stop and waking me up which is so frustrating as I work US hours due to my job so end up working late in the evening, go to bed fairly late and don't need to be up until late. I'm losing so much sleep and it's stressing me out.

Now every time I hear the dog it makes me tense and anxious. Its a horrible noise, so loud and intrusive. And this is from inside the house so it will be even worse in the summer with windows open or being in the garden.

I don't know him very well but he seems fairly friendly and nods hello if we pass each other.

I don't know anything about dog training but I'm worried it's just going to continue like this as he doesn't seem to be doing anything to stop it barking. I'm so stressed out I've even been thinking of moving house if it doesn't improve.

AIBU to speak to him and ask him if he could somehow reduce the amount of barking? Especially at 6.30am! Or do I just need to suck it up and accept it as part of having neighbours?

I don't think it's a cruelty issue at all. It's laziness and lack of training, and he doesn't care that it's stressing me out and stopping me sleeping. Just really shocked that someone could happily let their dog wake up their neighbours at 6.30am and then complain about how hard their life is with no hint of an apology. I suspect he regrets getting it and didnt realise how much work a dog is but that's not my problem. Im seriously thinking I will have to move house after 20 happy years here as it is creating so much stress and anxiety. Is there any hope it will get better as it gets older?

I really feel for the OP .Why should they have to think about moving because of an inconsiderate dog owner who wont accept any responsibility.

Honestly I think a good third of posters live in cloud cuckoo land. As if the RSPCA are going to investigate a person and take action because a dog is barking! 😂If it's being fed and watered and has vets appointments when needed, a barking dog isn't a matter for the RSPCA!

My dog barks at the neighbours behind me dog, they bark at each other constantly. It's really fucking annoying and that's my own!

She does have an insanely loud bark, and the other dog has a chirpy little bark. Never seen it, sounds small.

My dog is very well loved and does need some training on not barking in the garden, she barks at everything, cats, birds, worms. It's really hard though because it's easy to train a dog by praise/treats for NOT doing something, but it's obviously it's also quite natural for them to talk. It takes time.

My dog is no way abused or neglected, she just has bad manners sometimes. I do call her back in alot purely because it annoys me so I know it'll annoy others.

Plus side OP, a small one - you now know it's annoying him too, so hopefully it's something he is working on, or will when he's calmed down.

I've now had a couple of glasses of wine due to the stress and am googling how to buy a cockerel to give him a taste of his own medicine! 🤣 Or maybe I should start playing heavy metal at 6.30amto drown out the barking.

Seriously though, are people just expected to put up with their neighbours dogs barking so loudly? Is it so hard to train them?

Well he shoves it out in the garden because it's annoying him in the house! That seems to be his solution rather than actually training it. His reaction this evening does not give me any hope that he cares how much it is affecting me. He was just moaning about how hard it is making HIS life. There was no sympathy or understanding for me at all. He was pretty rude actually.

He’s a selfish fuckwit and a poor dog owner. You need to keep a log of the barking and take videos of it. Build a case and take it up with the council. You’ve got 15 yrs of hell in front you alas. Huge sympathy. Be tough, the law is on your side.

I don't know maybe suggest he gets the dog a chew toy with treats inside it or something that its distracted with. It also sounds like it needs a decent bit of exercise first thing to burn off energy before he starts work. If he hasn't got time to walk it when he's working he could get a dog walker.

For you, get decent headphones and play white noise when the dog is outside.

SpiritAdder
RSPCA? The barking is distress. He isn’t taking care of the dog properly.

Some breeds are just barky- our dog never barks, neighbours dog barks a lot but even when they’re out in the garden playing with him/ when we’re chatting over the fence etc. and it’s a very happy dog!

The problem is that I'm fast asleep and then it wakes me up at 6 30am. Im not going to sleep with headphones on and white noise all night long. Honestly, why should I? It's so antisocial to chuck your dog outside to bark rather than take it for a walk.

I feel like ive been really understanding and was really nice to him but he has made clear he doesn't care if I get six hours sleep a night because he cant be bothered to walk his dog in the morning.

He moved next door a couple of years ago and ive had no problems with him before but now I feel like I need to move before this dog drives me insane. Its not fair. Ive lived here peacefully for so long and thought I would retire here. Just find it hard to comprehend how someone could care so little about the effect they are having on their neighbours.

Does it wake you up barking at 6.30am and then disturb you all day long?

I think I'd find some local dog trainers and pass on the numbers. Say something like 'i know you are busy and keen to sort the barking so you have some peace and I've found you these'

Then every time you see him ask how it's going.

You need to train him!

Edit to add - he's an arse but easier to try than have to move.

We have this with our neighbour’s two dogs. They have no interest in training their dogs and have no problem with disturbing the neighbours. I now just yell shut the barking up when the dogs are outside or barking at me as I try to unlock my front door and it seems to have made them a little embarrassed and they bring the dogs in. However, they’ve now bought some high pitched squealing device which goes off when the dogs bark, which I guess is supposed to signal to them to be quiet. It doesn’t work and is an extra layer of annoyance.

You've done the right thing in talking to your NDN. Even if he seemed dismissive, it'll hit a nerve. It's obviously bothering him too if he's letting the dog out while he's on work calls.
You should keep a noise disturbance diary (dates, times/how long barking) and even record the barking. Your local council will be the ones who can take action but they need that evidence. If you seriously plan to move, you'd have to disclose any neighbour disputes.

If it was me, I'd start the diary and recording, bide my time. Also, talk to your other neighbours, see if it's bothering them.

We have barking dogs in our neighbourhood so I feel your pain. You’re right in saying that many people seem to like the idea of a dog but don’t realise the time that needs to go into behaviour. Our ‘good’ next door neighbour shouts at her dog to shut up after a couple of barks and our ‘bad’ one wouldn’t know because the dog gets chucked in the garden to bark for ages and left to it.
6.30am is not an acceptable time to be woken up and you should not have to move. There are a few barking deterrents on Amazon I’ve seen which might help which don’t involve dealing with the rude neighbour.

You should definitely speak to him. The only thing I can think of is that he doesn’t think you notice?

He needs to spend some time training his dog. I have a relatively large young dog. I work from home and the dog knows one bark and she’s brought in from the garden. So much so that she will bark once if it’s raining and she wants to come in.

I wish my neighbour was like you! He seemed to think there is no way to train a dog not to bark.

Do the barking deterrents on Amazon work? Im pretty old now so probably wouldn't hear anything high pitched.

With regards to sleeping a noise machine is great. You hear nothing else

Honestly, no noise machine would drown out this barking unless I was listening to heavy metal all night which is surely not healthy or restful! I really cant emphasise enough how LOUD this barking is. Its like someone shouting in your ear, and that's when the dog is outside and I'm inside with double glazing. There's no way I could ever open the windows in the summer.

Contact the council. Give them examples of the times it's barking. They will send him a letter.. Our ndn soon got his to stfu. I know of an owner not far from us who was court ordered theirs to be rehomed..
Councils do have powers. Don't be fobbed off.. Or throw a huge bone over the fence and go back to sleep.

Nothey dont. My next-door neighbours have a shitzu lapatsui cross that barks relentlessly and the neighbour behind me got one to try and shut it up, not only did it not work it set my Huskie off and she wouldn't stop howling and the 3 dogs either side of the house with the anti bark device were barking non stop whenever it was switched on aswell.
Honestly since your dickhead neighbour wont listen a noise diary and environment health are the best bet.
Good luck

We had the same issue a couple of years back and when we tried to speak to them they didn’t want to know either. We ended up having to go through environmental health. They sent them a letter and we kept a diary of the noise (there were 2 large dogs and they just barked constantly when no one was home) Eventually they installed monitoring equipment and it ended up in court with them receiving a fine. Thankfully they moved shortly after but I can completely sympathise with you having to deal with it and feeling constantly on edge when the barking starts

Both sides of us have 3 dogs. I honestly almost never hear them barking unless they're being walked to the dog walker's van then they go mental because they love her!

You have a neighbour problem rather than a dog problem. Is there a book that people would recommend that you could post through his door proving it's possible to train a dog not to bark and how to do it?

Does it wake you up barking at 6.30am and then disturb you all day long?
no it’s not comparable to your issue, I kind of don’t notice him, he just doesn’t bother me. I was just telling that other poster that barking doesn’t mean neglect

The Environmental Health Officer will help you. I had to contact ours about a nuisance dog. She was brilliant. A letter from her sorted it and I was assured she would not divulge my name. I had the feeling she would have pursued the matter further if the letter hadn't been sufficient.