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[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???

In regards to if ones of us is on earlies and the other lates and the person on earlies gets off late. It doesn't happen a lot but does happen and can't be helped.

Or sometimes one of us has an early shift and then is on call so get home and then get called back to work again.

But if they aren't left for long then one of you must be home to walk them?

On the question of exercise OP it varies. Mine goes to daycare when I work which is 5 hours of being with other dogs in the home and on walks and even then he gets an onlead walk in the morning before being left as he is up picked up a few hours later. On my days he gets two walks so 1.5-2 hours in total of off lead running about like a loon. Sometimes like today I will walk him once (because the heavens have now opened and he doesn't really like heavy rain). In that situation I play ball inside the house to make up for the fact that his missed one of his walks and yes it does make a difference to his behaviour if he just has one walk a day with nothing else.

There have been a few days when they have been walked on lead in the morning but not had a walk later on in the day as we have both been at work. Thins hasn't happened a lot can count on one hand and my eldest dog is nearly 5. Good going I thought.

Our son comes home from school and lets them out and will always sure they are okay but he does not walk them.

I can well understand that a long walk massively changes their behaviour. I can tried to make the house more calming at the moment which also seems to be having a positive effect.

Look at brain games and training too. My girl is only a pup and a giant breed so can't do great long walks.

Will def looking at brain games !

Have a Google. There are books to buy. Wolfiepup is more tired after training or ringcraft than an actual walk. That or going somewhere new. Tires her right out!

Do they get a chance for off lead walking? I do onlead on his daycare days because I don't have time to drive to a place for off lead and I know he will get off lead time later in the day with his carer. Off lead gives them a good chance to stretch their legs and run at their own pace (unfortunately for me that means at 100 miles an hour with my dog).

Yes with Wolfie training is great. I combine training with walks because it is easier for me (and harder for him as he has to sit when he would rather be off running) but it can be done in the house and also when you are doing other stuff e.g. Sit and wait whilst you are cooking etc which is good when you are short on time as you can do both together.

Haha mine too. Safe spaces only for us! I couldn't catch her if she made a break for it!!

Just taken them up to woods for 25 minutes were they ran around constantly. Did them good:-)

To be fair they have a mixture of on lead walking
Off lead walking and also running around fields, woods, beach etc

A tired dog (either from mental or physical exercise) is a happy dog

Hey are both def tired !!

My dog does not get tired. At least, not too tired to chase light fairies around the house or keep an eye out for cats. Or watch us anxiously as we recklessly go out in the back garden without him, risking being ripped to shreds barked at once by next door's hooligan.

Hey ho. I attract neurotic people.

I still think it would do no harm at all to talk to your neighbour - it would just show neighbourly concern that you've noticed the dogs are annoying him and that you're trying really hard to rectify it.

We've a greyhound and they hardly ever bark. The only she barks at is the guinea pig, who is off the kitchen - so when we go out, we make it impossible for her to go into the kitchen so she can't see the GP. She's quite thick, out of sight out of mind.

I've made sure our neighbours know we do this and I've asked them to let me know if she barks/howls/sings/dances whatever, when we're out that might annoy them. I want them to know that I care that our dog doesn't annoy them.

Dogs went to woods last night before bed and then this morning at 7:20am - we have just got back from woods this afternoon and they are very tired ! And a lot less barking? Yippee !

Dogs make noise. It doesn't annoy me. Your neighbour sounds a bit sad if he is going to complain about a few barks a day.

I have a JRT and she can be yappy but the neighbours all tolerate her because their kids are louder.

Controversially, I think it's cruel to never let your dog bark, some dogs are vocal little creatures and barking is natural.

Thank you Nancy91 :-)