Help

[Kelsar]

Hello, I wanted your views on dogs barking.
We own two dogs, one of the lives to bark, he will bark a few times a day and admittedly sometimes more if people are at the side of the house making noise. I seem to think that it is his home - his territory and he should be entitled to bark to protect his pack. It does not go on for ages or minutes it just a few times day. When we are not at work.

I have a feeling my neighbour is about to complain as I have seen him wander out a few times. But he is the only one who seems to have a problem with it.

Firstly I want to know what people would say was excess barking???

Secondly - how do you stop a dog from barking???

Im not a fan of dogs barking but i get that they do on occasion, a few times a day though would grate on me esp if the owner was making no effort to stop the dog from barking. I am also a dog owner and have had dogs that have barked.

Ours bark if someone is on the drive or knocks on the door. Can be a few times a day with postmen, chuggers, Jesus, people coming and going!

I'd love to know how to stop them.

How do you know it doesn't go on when you are at work? I have to say I would complain too if it were going on all day when you're out. But, I have no tips at all on how to stop it - sorry!

Why don't you pre-empt the complaint and go round and apologise and ask him to keep a record of when he hears it - at least then you can look as if you're taking steps to do something about it?

We have dog cam in the house and check on them throughout the day and can say that we are 90 % sure they don't bark all day long.

They are not left to bark constantly in the garden and we are making steps to do something about it i.e. Bringing him indoors and using crate at a time out place when needed.

I am a reasonable person and we live in a close this is my point he is the only person to be walking out and looking - I have to say that the noise at the side of the house he either him washing his car right next to my fence or his noises kids coming home at all hours - which I feel it as unacceptable as a dog barking but that's just my opinion.

Thoughts please

I don't see him apologise for his kids coming home late and banging there car doors and his kids friends playing music during the night while sat out in there cars - we all have to live but it can't all be one way.

He loves to bark? Massive problem.
You may need help from a trainer. He's not protecting his pack. Dominance theory has been debunked.
This is a noise issue. The noise of washing a car really doesn't compare.

We have been making progress with him since I posted the initial entry. He doesn't bark now unless some walks by the side of the house/garden no even then it isn't loud or more than one or two barks.
My question originally was surely dogs bark? Every now and then?

One of my neighbours, not sure which, leaves their poor dog to bark in the garden most evenings for a couple of hours. S/he barks constantly. I always fantasise about rescuing the poor thing. So your neighbours might not just be irritated but wondering whether your pup is in need of something.

My dog is never left in the garden on his own. I let him out if he wants to go out and if I am in the garden he will come out with me but he is never ever left in the garden. He does not bark continuously. I have spoken with someone who works for the council and he has given me some advice.
I dont think we are not in the category of where I neglect my dog or people even think I do.

No advice at all but I did read as I'm in the same situation ......... but I'm the neighbour.
I'm pleased (from the neighbour point of view) that you're trying to address it and you are thinking about those who hear your dogs.

My own situation is (I have no dogs and no intention of getting one . I don't dislike them at all, they're just "there" ) :
my NDN have two dogs.
one smaller, vocal, whingey , barkey
one bigger, also vocal, deep bark

Of course they set each other off for no particular reason.
They go out in the garden and bark
They go in the house and bark
I've heard them at 2am barking

I have never seen these animals on a lead except once . My other neighbours take their dogs out, I see them so its not that I'm missing things.
There are enough people with functional limbs to take them out.
The only deterent I hear regarding barking is "Shut up Tyson"

I have no fantasies about rescueing them but I do have fantasies about going round, hammering on the door and screeching "Put a lead on the fecking things and take them out for a walk. They must be bored rigid"

Television or music goes on full throttle. Dogs outside full throttle.

I know there are ways to stop them barking non stop (no not anything like that I'm not Ceaser Milan) but it takes input from the owners. I'm not even sure they realise just how irritating noisy they are.
I'm of the "Dogs bark" view too.
But it does hack me off.
One day, I will combust !

Thank you for your reply.
Yeh we take our dogs out at weekends when we are not working and we walk them in the week whenever we can - we work shifts so sometimes it doesn't happen - I understand that they need to be stimulated and that they are less likely to bark when they have been out and run some excess energy off. We have a good size garden and I often play ball with m my make dog (female dog is lazy) but he gets excited with the tennis ball and ends up barking, same as when he plays football with our son the dog gets excited and barks - so I don't feel as though I can win at the moment. #frustrated isn't the word.

As the neighbour is there any barking you feel acceptable? I am very interested in your thoughts. Kids at side of house. Kids banging your fence. Car music and voices talking loudly. Postman? NDN shopping being delivered?

Acceptable barking IMO (as a non dog person)

If something alerts them - door, sudden noise , yes even someone walking by 'their house which must be protected '

A couple of barks "Hello , yes I am here and I'm watching you"

A dog playing ball , it's a different bark, it's excited and playful not the relentless yap yap yap.

My other neighbours dog rarely barks , she'll catch sight of me (not a pleasant sight at 6.30 am) in the garden and does one doleful "Woof" .Sort of "Its you, hello. well I'm still watching even though you're not in my garden".
Though her owners will tell her "Enough" after 1-2 barks and she responds. She's an old girl now , but still happy to go out and potter round.

Dogs especially the working types (like the little terriers or collies) I think are always on the lookout for something to do. Being pushed out in a garden with nothing going on just doesn't cut it sadly.

Yeh - my male dog barks at the postman, things being delivered and you are right when you say that the playing in the garden is a different bark but my neighbours doesn't even like that - he will often come out of the front of his house - parade up and down and go back in. I don't really know what he hope to achieve by this and I would of thought by now he would have come and spoke to us.

It seems my dog can't do right.

Walking is key for them. They are much calmer after a walk and I understand that very much.

I know some people who put there dogs outside for hours in the garden and to me that is not an acceptable way of exercise your dog.

I guess my dog sometimes barks through the fence as he can hear people but just cannot see them.

He is getting better I must admit

Dogs need exercise every day. A frustrated dog will be much more likely to bark.
Barking is a noise nuisance. You need to do more to counter it. Walk dog every day or look into getting a dog walker. Don't allow situations where the dog can bark. So on a long line in the garden and no over excited play.
And you really can't compare the noise of people talking and post being put through the door to the sudden and loud noise of a dog barking. Be considerate to your neighbours.

I am really not compared people talking next to my fence and also post being through the letter box to my barking I am saying it makes my dog sometimes bark - that is my point.

But that's your problem. Sounds like your dog barks at lots of things. That's what needs addressing.

And in relation to no excited play - seriously - it's my house, my garden and my land and your suggesting the dog is not allowed to play and bark - I dont think that is reasonable

How about children playing in a garden are they not suppose to make noise either?

I think if you did a survey most dogs would bark once or twice if the doorbell goes or the postman arrives - surely

From the minute he gets up to the minute he goes to bed he on average does less than 10 'barks' - I don't think that that it unreasonable.
I live in a detached house so there is no one adjoined to me that can complain about noise.
My neighbour seems to be unreasonable - there are a lot of things and people who are noisy but he seems to focus all his attention on me.

I should be able to live in my house and enjoy my life not be worried about my dog barking at the postman or at the takeaway delivery man.

My neighbour himself isn't the most quiet person in the close and I don't moan about him.

I think you're getting a hard time on here. I have sighthounds so not too much woofing but when we look after their best friend, a JRT, it's pretty frequent.
What age/breed are your dogs?
There's a huge difference between a dog barking in distress, with no attempt from owners to address the problem, and an excited dog woofing at people/a ball game/pigeons in his garden.

You definitely don't sound like the first owner but a decent walk every day without fail is a must.

I'd also take the initiative to chat with the neighbour about the barking. If he's reasonable, the fact that you're concerned will help enormously.

Thank you
They are cavachons
Female - 5
Make - 3

I did start to wonder if I was getting a hard time.
They definitely don't bark in a distress way or in a nasty way, sometimes if it's the door or kids it will be just a simple bark if we are playing in the garden then it will be a excited bark - as they do love their family very much.

Yes I must make more of an effort to walk them every day - even if it is just round the block - we have a woods to the back of us so that will also be an option.

If it was any other neighbour I would approach him but he has spoken to me before - concerning something that really was not anything to do with me and was extremely rude and I ask him to not speak to me in that way.

I don't think I am a unreasonable person and I am trying my best to correct the male dog when barking unnecessarily- I really am

So they can make as much noise as they like as it is your house? Unreasonable.
What if my kids were screaming loudly when the post arrived or they heard someone outside or they were playing?
You need to take some responsibility and curb the noise. Not just dismiss it as what dogs do.
Mine is 10 months. I've heard her "oof" maybe three times in total. So no. It's not just something all dogs do.

What woof 3 times today? Is that what you mean?

With all seriousness my dog has barked twice today
Once at a pigeon in the garden and another when my partner came home

I don't think that is unreasonable ???

No in total since we got her last year. She is walked every single day. She is allowed in the garden IF I go out with her. At night she has to go out on a lead. (means I can switch her attention back to me if she hears late night noises and looks like she's going to start barking.)

They went for a 2.5 mile walk yesterday and they will go out this evening.

Your dog must be very well behaved

There are other dogs they lived round by use who bark everyday at one time or another so it's not just mine - crazy thing is I don't think mines the worst !