To think I have no choice but to report the neighbours?

[Carlie97]

They have three dogs, one of which barks throughout the day without a break of more than half an hour. It's especially barky in the morning, but can go on anything to 11pm at night. Their reaction to it barking is to shout at it to shut up or to ignore it, both of which prolong the barking.

I've been off for a week and the barking is really getting to me. I have pets of my own and realised that the barking must get to them too. I do work from home sometimes too and the barking interrupts my working day, including meetings etc.

The neighbours are aware of how the barking affects me but still haven't taken effective measures to stop it. I must admit to have shouted through the walls a few times in sheer frustration. It feels like I live with them most of the time because when the dogs not barking, they argue and shout at each other. This is usually evening around 11pm or later. I'm certain that they can make the dog be quiet because when I've shouted previously (not something I am proud of but I was in an important work meeting and trying to present) I've not heard another peep all day.

I spoke to the council recently and they said I may have a case. The next steps would be for the council to send a letter to the neighbours and then if the noise continued, to install noise recording equipment. In the interests of good neighbour relations, I don't want to go to the council, but feel I have no choice.

I'm off at the moment on annual leave and cannot enjoy my break. I had grand plans to go out and do things but I've felt quite depressed and I think the noise is the reason why.

I'm still hesitant but feel it's the only way to some sort of resolution.

Again, what 'resolution' do you expect? Are the council prepared to seize the barking dogs?

I am sick to death about how much of a stranglehold dogs and their shit owners have on society.

From the barking torment OP is suffering to people being afraid to use their own gardens due to XL bullies next door, to the bloody things being allowed in cafes, to their shit left everywhere.

Something has gone very wrong where people's lives are being so negatively affected by someone else's choice to often incompetently and badly own a fucking dog.

It makes me rage. A dog continuously barking is mental torture. Anyone who dismisses this is an absolute dick.

YANBU op. You have my absolute sympathy. I would be reporting to LL first.

I do wonder if a slightly more assertive approach is needed to problem dogs and owners by 'The Authorities'

In particular ir means putting problem animals down I am afraid and not allowing owners to have another.

I suggest that when dog owners realise that if their little fur baby Satan is allowed to cause a nuisance or attack someone its a one way ticket to the vet that might make them take a boy more responsibility

yes I'm starting to agree with you since lockdown. I genuinely like dogs (was a vet nurse pre kids) but I was at Kew Gardens yesterday and it was so lovely that there were no dogs (only service dogs of which I saw none). It was so lovely and peaceful and made a change. They are just everywhere now and many are off-lead and badly trained.

I am in no way a dog hater, my insta reels would say so.

But, they are animals and cannot take president over human rights and comfort.

There are simply too many of them around, and often in the hands of assholes.

It is out of control. No doubt about it. People are either fearing dogs, or suffering them in some way. It can in no way, be right for any society.

OP just get it reported, get the recording equipment in and get it all going.

Keep the log you've started going in the meantime.

They've been told already and nothing has changed.

If the owners are like my mum they've just got used to it. How I do not know but my mum's dog is VERY barky and loud and it doesn't seem to bother her anywhere near how it bothers everyone else. Id cry if I were her neighbour!

Do you have a ring doorbell? If you don't, get one. That way you can see who is at the door before you answer if you are concerned about their relatives coming knocking and not answer.

You have my sympathy. We had the same for 7 years with the neighbours dogs. Barking from 6.30am until 11pm non stop. We did the whole recording thing and had the support of the environmental health dept but ultimately it forced us to move house

Do they bark for a prolonged period or just a small burst ?

Sometimes short bursts but sometimes longer periods. If the neighbours go put the dogs are quiet. It's when they're home which is very often that they bark. I really want neighbour harmony which is why I don't want to report but it drives me insane.

If the dogs are barking neighbours sometimes ignore the dogs completely or shout or scream at them to shut up. The dogs completely ignore this and so the barking continues and with the barking and the shouting from the neighbours my anxiety grows massively. It's so antisocial.

My niece had a dog that as it got older barked constantly, vet said probably dementia.

It was awful visiting her as the dog would just lie there at her feet and randomly bark every couple of minutes, then if someone knocked on door it would go mad.

It was always a difficult dog, rescue from horrible circumstances where it was attacked by other dogs in the home, reactive. She actively trained him and he was good at most things, did agility with him etc. but couldn’t get a handle on the random barking. She had a behaviourist in but they couldn’t help either.

She was fortunate the house she stayed in was well built and her neighbours who she checked in with regularly said they never heard him (they must have been deaf!) as the alternative was the dog went back to stay with her mum who had more space away from neighbours.

Anyway, no, you absolutely shouldn’t have to put up with it if it is disturbing you. I’d have one last go at speaking to them and being honest, it is causing you distress and if they can’t resolve it you unfortunately, they leave you with not option but to report. Give your landlord the heads up, before reporting, to give him the opportunity to try too.

Thanks all for your advice. Before I go to the council I'm going to go round again and speak to them. They've never been awful to me and the man always says hello when we pass in the street even though I'm very cool with him after the stress they cause. I'm going to ask if there's a reason their dog is barking so much and ask if they can find a solution and I'll mention going to the council if there's no improvement. Hopefully that will work somewhat. Is it possible that some dog owners just don't know what training they can do with their dogs or is it more likely they don't really give a shit? Like I said they do shout at the dog, but it doesn't work often understandably.

I’m in the same boat. It’s horrendous isn’t it.

My neighbours allow their dog to sit in the bay window and go ballistic at anything and anyone walking past. I’ve asked them to just move it from that room but they wont as she likes it there? I despair honestly.

Sympathies to you. My neighbours also let their dog sit in the bay window and as its barking it's head off at everything I end up getting so pissed off that they allow it to sit in the window.

I feel really anxious about going to speak to them.

Shouting at the dog will increase the stress for the dog, obviously and embed unwanted behaviours. Please inform them of this.

There is a risk when you understandably raise the issue with them again that they will become more shouty or aggressive with the dog which could result in cruelty but in any event would prolong the situation for you all. They need to learn how to look after their dog properly which may never happen but maybe you can gently nudge them towards. Tell them to google positive reinforcement..?! It’s not rocket science. Good luck.

OP, can I suggest that rather than going and talking to them again, you sit down and put it all in a letter? Add in all the times that you've logged the dogs barking, so that they can clearly see why you're so pissed off, and reiterate the effect it's having on your mental health, and how it's affecting your life in general. In the letter, you could perhaps suggest some organisations that you think might be able to help them sort out the problem, and you could also say, if you want to, that you're happy to discuss things, but you really do need them to take action. I would also tell them that if they can't stop them barking, then perhaps they should consider re-homing them as obviously they aren't happy. Then finish by saying that much as you don't want to, if they won't sort it out, or get rid of the dogs, you'll be left with no choice but to contact the council. Be sure to keep a copy of what you write, and then pop the letter through the door.

Why contact them?

Firstly there will be no doubt about who reported them

Secondly either they knew that sooner or later there will be action taken against them and if they dont then there is something wrong with them.

That sounds really exhausting.

One thing I would say (from going through something similar) is that keeping a clear log like you’ve started is actually really important if you do end up going to the council. They tend to look for patterns over time rather than one-off incidents, so dates, times, duration and how it’s impacting you all help build the picture.

It sounds like you’ve already tried the informal route and it hasn’t changed anything. I wouldn't worry about causing trouble, you need to protect your own quality of life.

I ended up using a simple logging app to keep everything in one place. It was easy to log and automatically built it into usable evidence which can be exported to submit to the council. Good to do just in case, then you have the data should you need it later. Noiselogger

Thank you everyone. I want to report it after yet another morning of incessant barking. There's been barely 5 - 20 minute breaks in between each session.

If I did report the neighbours I wouldn't be sure they'd know how to stop the barking anyway. I know there's training they can do, but I don't know if they'd know how to start it or even have the will to do it day in and day out until things improved. It's horrendous though. My mental health is shot at.

Hello, it's usually small bursts but every 5 to 20 minutes throughout the day.

It could be that the dog heard you shouting at it and decided to zip it. I've shouted at a dog before to the same effect

I would never want their pets taken off them but instead for them to be forced to take action and adequately train their dog not to bark so frequently.

I don't think shouting at a dog works. My shouting was for the neighbours benefits rather than the dogs so they can take action and stop the barking. Doesn't seem to work though. Nothing does. I despair.

I would go mad living like that. Sorry you have to deal with this

Thanks @ThatFairy . As the barking isn't constant, I feel a bit of a whiny, complaining-for-nothing cow sometimes but it's affecting me and I'm always on edge waiting for the next bark and when it happens my heartbeat gets faster and I start to panic inside.