What is normal for dog barking? Should I submit my log to the council?

[Carlie97]

After almost a year of next doors dog barking every five or ten minutes, especially when the neighbours are home which is all the time really, I hesitantly submitted a complaint to the council. The council sent me a log to complete over two weeks and the neighbours were informed a complaint had been made.

Immediately following them receiving my complaint, I felt the neighbours made somewhat of an effort in making sure the dog shut up as soon as it barked. Still annoying at the dog barking so frequently but I was grateful they were shutting the dog up on the first bark or so.

That effort continued with the barking becoming less frequent and them shutting the dog up as soon as it started. The past few days however have been shit. Sunday, the dog barked fourteen times in the morning alone, including barking at me in my own garden without it being told off for barking at me or otherwise distracted. This morning was hell. The dog barked from around 8am and was every 20 mins or so until around midday, then started up this evening again until its last bark just twenty minutes ago.

The neighbours are telling the dog to be quiet when it starts but is this adequate training for the long term? I'm anxious it isn't. Is my life still going to be filled with barking every ten to twenty minutes each day, even if it is for one or two very loud barks (some go on for much longer). If I submit, theres a possibility I'll be sent sound recording equipment or perhaps an officer will come round to listen.

Is the dog inside or outside? Is it a puppy?

Submit your log.

The dog is inside usually. It's not a puppy.

Thanks @tipsyraven. I think I will. They need specialised training tbh.

The fact that you’re going as far as to actually count the barks is really quite telling actually. The council asking you to fill out a log doesn’t mean literally counting barks! It means counting episodes where the barking is constant for a period of time. So if the dog barks 14 times and you record on the log that there were 14 instances of barking, the council would take that to mean that on 14 occasions, he/she barked continuously for a period of time. Not gone “woofx14!” Big difference and a bit unfair on your neighbour who may very well have taken on an anxious rescue and be working with a behaviourist to tackle it or have a very mentally/physically poorly old dog on his/her hands. In which case, the last thing they need is reports to the council, inaccurate or not.

You cannot expect the dog to be completely silent, just as you cannot expect the dog’s owners to be completely silent. That’s not how neighbourhoods work, as you know. Everyone makes general day to day life noises, including dogs. It’s only a nuisance when it’s in excess - which granted, this sounds like it is in excess sometimes, but from what you describe, it certainly doesn’t sound like that’s always the case.

I would just record instances of excessive barking.

Also, if the dog is howling inside the house then I’d hazard a guess that he/she has been left alone and that’s why they’re howling. Nothing wrong with leaving them alone of course (for 2/3 hours max imho), but I’m just saying that’ll likely be why they’re howling. If that goes on for 6/7/8+ hours, then that’s definite neglect in which case disregard the above and call the RSPCA!

I'm not counting woofs really. I wrote what I did in the OP to give context. I do have to record from when and to the barking occurred each time.

I didn't mention howling at all as it doesn't happen so not sure where you got that from.

The neighbours are telling the dog to be quiet when it starts but is this adequate training for the long term? I'm anxious it isn't. Is my life still going to be filled with barking every ten to twenty minutes each day, even if it is for one or two very loud barks (some go on for much longer).

That sounds quite acceptable and normal. You sounds over sensitive, I'm afraid.
Have you spoken to your neighbour? Are they nice normally?
What's your set up? Terraced, detached, semi?

Do yo have children? Do they shout and laugh in your garden having fun?

YABU

I never said you did mention howling, I was just adding that bit of info in, in case the dog does begin howling as you don’t sound overly familiar with dogs!

Ultimately, there’s not a great deal you can do regarding noise during the day as legally anything between the hours of 7am - 11pm, is disregarded unless it’s excessive and constant.

So barking every twenty minutes or less throughout the day, everyday is acceptable even if the neighbours are telling the dog to shut up? The dog doesn't always listen and can still be barking. I cannot live with that high pitched, loud bark interrupting my life much longer. I feel like they live with me. Dramatic, I know, but it's affecting me so much I feel like topping myself some days. The stress and anxiety on top of bad mental health anyway seems never ending.

Unfortunately yes, every 20 minutes is not what the council would classify as constant and would not be considered a noise nuisance.
You either need to approach the neighbours to discuss it or look at moving.

Ive had dogs myself and trained them to not bark relatively because I knew it would disturb the neighbours peace and quiet. My neighbours dont afford me the same and the fact that it's taken a year and for me to submit a complaint to the council shows everything I need to know about them and their anti-social attitude where they don't give a fuck about their neighbours. Along with them shouting at the dogs and each other and waking me up with their arguing, they quite clearly don't give a fuck.

My dog is silent unless someone knocks on the door. The OP is not unreasonable and 14 barks is exactly what the log should be.

Not every dog is the same when it comes to training! You should know that. I’m not defending them but just because you managed to train your dogs not to bark, doesn’t make it possible with every other breed. Some are more prone to barking than others, some do it for different reasons than others. They all vary massively

One instance of 14 woofs is not noise nuisance! 🤦🏼‍♀️😆 Thankfully the council wouldn’t consider it to be either.

Ignore all the dog owners. That amount of barking is too much. That would put my head away too. My neighbours dog never barks. Gorgeous big German shepherd if I come to the door I wish he would bark to let them know I am there.

@GreatGretaMy dog is also silent unless barked at and doesn’t even bark if the doorbell goes off. However my next door neighbour’s dog is a different breed and barks at everyone who walks past 🤷🏼‍♀️

It's a chihuahua. I appreciate them cutting down the length of time they let the dog bark which they only do some of the time, but it's still very reactive and the barks are still so often and it's just making me so anxious. I try and work from home but it's barking so often I can't concentrate. I can't watch a full tv programme or eat a meal in peace without it barking. They have kept the dog completely quiet through the day apart from the odd bark previously when I complained so they can keep it quiet. It just seems it's too much like hard work for them.

Thank you. I will see what the council have to say. The amount of times it's barking really puts me on edge and im so, so anxious. The bark is so loud and high pitched it makes me jump sometimes too.

I'm glad you find it funny.

It sounds like you’ll have noise whether they have dogs or not, if their arguing also disturbs you. Is moving an option at all?

Hi, I mentioned arguing and shouting in my complaint to the council and although the shouting at the dogs still continues occasionally sadly, they've stopped their daily late night arguments which used to wake me up.

The dog should be trained and that is it, he is impacting on your reasonable enjoyment of your home if he is barking for long periods every bloody twenty minutes. My neighbours dog is so well trained, cared for and exercised he has no need to bark. I was in another friends house a semi I was shocked at the barking noise coming through the walls. Environmental health will make the final decision. You submit the log and if they think it is bad they will probably install a noise monitor and take it from there.

Are they fuck. It's hell on earth listening to yapping and barking dogs and owners who don't give a shit about making their neighbours lives a misery with it. See the complaint through op.

@MyCottageGarden are you an EHO/Technical officer? Your understanding of what constitutes of statutory nuisance seems different to mine, although it's been a while since I was in an EH dept.

OP send in your log & let the council decide what they can & can't do to help you. People in MN get very weird about dogs & will tell you YABU if you dare suggest they're anything but a delight.