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Original poster

Neighbours complaining about our dog but I'm at a total loss as what to do. Any ideas?

38 replies

NewBethlehemGirlwithsparkles · 23/12/2005 00:04

I've been out today working. I set off at 11am this morning from my house in South Yorkshire to pick up a boy in Nottingham who was coming out of a secure unit and take him to his new placement in South London.

Now you can imagine what a journey that is not to mention the countless accidents and the M25 and ruddy Blackwall Tunnell

Anyway, I have just got back only to be greeted by my neighbours outside light being switched on and him stood by his door ready to oprn the minute I get out of the car.

He tells me that our dog has been whining and crying all night and his dp was in bed as she had to be up at 5:30 to be at work. He wasn't nasty but you could obviously tell he was pi*d off.

My response was, I'm very sorry if your trying to sleep but sadly theres nothing I can do about it.

His response, well can't you take him with you? (knowing full well I've been working)

My response, Well no I've have been working to London, I cannot take my pet dog with me and my dh is working 60+ miles away from home.

His respnse again, well it's just that my dp is trying to sleep and it's a bit hard when your dog is crying/whining. Can't you send him somewhere?

My last response, I will try and pack him off somewhere then when we have to work, I don't know where but I will send him away somewhere then if that helps.

Finally he says, well I'm not being funny or anything but you know, well I'll see you.

Now the more I think about it the more angry I get at the comments and suggestions he made.
Yes I appreciate it must be a pain but it's not everyday. I've only worked 2 days this month and it will become alot less now that I am pg.

My MIL has dd whilst I work and yes maybe our dog could go there but MIL has a 5ft Rotweiller to look after as well as my dd, so to add my dog to the equation it makes the day a little awkward to say the least.

I honestly don't know wtf to do! There are absolutely no other options.
The only thing I can think of is to pay for behaviour therapy to try and stop him becoming anxious, as it is this which is making him cry/whine but it seems very extreme to me.

I dread to think what will happen when the new baby is born and wakes up crying in the night!

So if you've been ever so patient in reading this post, what would you do or suggest because I am at a total loss?

OP posts:
SnowQueenVictoria · 23/12/2005 00:08

Behaviour therapy sounds good.

Tbh, a whining crying dog in the middle of the night is hugely annoying and i can sympathise with your neighbours. Seemed like he was trying to be quite polite about it too.

But I am rather irritated right now though, because my lovely neighbours are doing DIY right this minute and its gone midnight.

Original poster
NewBethlehemGirlwithsparkles · 23/12/2005 00:11

We are covered on the dog insurance for behaviour therapy but 1. we have to be refered by our vet and 2. there's no guarantees is there?

OP posts:
SnowQueenVictoria · 23/12/2005 00:15

I guess not, but at the end of the day, its a bit unfair a) on your dog, and b) on your neighbours. Would be easier if you could get someone to sit for your dog.

PrincessPlumPuddingHead · 23/12/2005 00:17

tbh you shouldn't have a dog if you leave it for 12 hours a day. even if it is rarely. if you have to be away that long you should make arrangements for the dog. It just isn't fair on them (or the neighbours). sorry if this isn't what you want to hear!

SueW · 23/12/2005 00:19

It will irritate you if you dwell on it but if the situation is pretty much a one-off, let sleeping dogs lie

Go to bed, try to put it out of your mind and greet your neighbours with a smile next time you see them. You never know when you might need their help in the future, esp if you have a new baby on the way,

Chandra · 23/12/2005 00:20

There's something about the psychology of dogs... if you treat them like babies they assume you are their puppy and become over anxious when you go out on your own (just like any mother would feel if the toddler left the house on his own for several hours)

If you deal with them as dogs (meaning don't allowing them to be top dog by giving them free range around the house, allowing them to sleep on bed or on the nicest sofa, or even baby talk to them) They assume you are their mother who has left to hunt something for them, so they just peacefully go to sleep as you are old enough to take care of yourself. No worries.

You can also feed him at night (they sleep better if they are feed before going to sleep), and if nothing of that works, ahem... Bach Rescue Remedy works wonders, specially in fireworks nights

sparklymieow · 23/12/2005 00:25

does that really work, the bach remendy stuff?? I have a jack russell who suffers with separation problems and starts whining as soon as we put our coats on.

Chandra · 23/12/2005 00:29

TBH I always thought the bach remedies were just placebos but, my dogs don't care about the marketing, and last fireworks season, after an hour of incesant barking I sprayed a bit on their mouths and... they did shut up!

Original poster
NewBethlehemGirlwithsparkles · 23/12/2005 00:30

PPH, We've had our dog 4 years now and circumstances were very very different then.

This is only a recent problem, he never used to do it.

Chandra, He goes in a cage when we are out as he has been destructive in the past and when we are in he sleeps in a dog bed on the floor and when we go to bed we put things on the sofa to stop him sleeping on it.

Suew, maybe you are right but he is soo whiney himself at times!

OP posts:
Chandra · 23/12/2005 00:30

But for the separation problems I would say that rahter than the Bach remedies what may be worth to try first is what I said at my first post. It does really help.

Original poster
NewBethlehemGirlwithsparkles · 23/12/2005 00:30

I'll get my bach out then

OP posts:
Chandra · 23/12/2005 00:33

Probably you need to go a bit further with the training, like not allowing him to walk in front of you, never to pass through a door before you, and if he is sleeping on his bed take him out of it and sit on the bed for a few minutes. It was suggested to us by a dog trainer, I know it sounds ridiculous but it really works, it made a difference to our dogs.

Original poster
NewBethlehemGirlwithsparkles · 23/12/2005 00:36

Yeah, I get all that. When we go out and open the door he makes a run for it so he obviously thinks he's coming with us.

OP posts:
Original poster
NewBethlehemGirlwithsparkles · 23/12/2005 00:37

Will give it a try.

Maybe we'll have to go and see the vet after xmas and have words, although his rememdy for everything is to have them castrated!

OP posts:
Chandra · 23/12/2005 00:41

err... it does help We got our dog castrated not because I was worried he would get the other onew pregnant but because I was worried the other one would bite him to death in order to get a bit of peace!

moondog · 23/12/2005 00:51

You will need to kill it.
If I was your neighbour,I would have done it for you.
Very selfish to leave it for so long alone.

Original poster
NewBethlehemGirlwithsparkles · 23/12/2005 00:52

Will chopping off his bits really stop him from doing this?

I've heard so many sad stories about dogs who have reacted badly to having this done.

Apart from this problem he is a beautiful dog, incredibly gentle, excellent with dd always has been and he hasn't a nasty bone in his body.

I would hate to change all that just for having his bits off.

OP posts:
Original poster
NewBethlehemGirlwithsparkles · 23/12/2005 00:53

Ermm, thanks for that helpful post Moondog.

OP posts:
magnolianMistletoe · 23/12/2005 12:29

We have a bit of a whiner but she is still a puppy and now only whines for the 1st 2 minutes of going to bed or the 1st few minutes of us going out. We have 2 dogs so that helps our puppy but not a recommendation for you really as you have a baby on the way.

I do sympathise and would also suggest a kong filled with dog treats sealed with pate and put in the freezer. Give it to the dog when you go out and he will spend ages trying to get it all out and hopefully sleep after

Enideepmidwinter · 23/12/2005 12:52

Sorry NBG I understand your circs have changed but I agree with pph that it is very unfair to leave your dog for this length of time. We would love a dog but as dh works all day and I work till 2.30 we have decided it just wouldn't be fair.

Also there is NOTHING more annoying than a dog barking/whining. Can you not find a dog sitter?

IOTAnnenbaum · 23/12/2005 12:57

I agree with enid and pph - -dogs are a pack animal and hate to be left alone - sometimes they are ok if you have more than one dog (but not always)

MrsDoesChristmas · 23/12/2005 13:05

I'm inclined to agree with Chandra on this one. We have recently moved and our neighbour told us that our dog was whining during the day, she hadn't done this before.
We had not yet established boundaries within our new home and the dog was running all over the house. Then we began to getter stricter with her, stopping her going upstairs, running around the lounge and basically returned to the groundrules we had previously. She doesn't whine anymore and appears alot calmer now overall.

Admittedly I only leave her for a few hours at a time, but I can understand you may have to leave your dog sometimes. Very ocassionally though.

PrincessPlumPuddingHead · 23/12/2005 14:16

I didn't say you should get rid of it (or kill it! Ha Moondog) - I said that if you were going to be out of the house for 12 hours you should make arrangements for it not to be left alone. Anything else is frankly irresponsible. And to leave it in a cage is, if anything, worse. Sorry!

PantomimEDAMe · 23/12/2005 14:22

I'm not surprised your poor dog is whining if he's been caged up for 12 hours. You really need to get someone to pop in and take the poor thing for a walk if you are going to be away that long.

charliegirl25 · 23/12/2005 14:22

Message withdrawn

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