Bark collars!!

[whymewhyme]

Urgently need advice, my dreadful neighbours have told me today that our dog barks when we are not in and if we don't do something about it they will report us to the RSPCA and the council! I didn't even know he barked when I was out because I'm in all day most days and if I go out it's no more than a hour or two! now I feel like I can't even take my child to the park incase he barks! I've googled the bark collars but it's like a minefield just wondering if anybody has experience of using a bark collar ( not the electric shock kind)

Thanks!

Very odd given that the other NDN says she never hears anything and there was nothing on the recording... Do the cameras so you have evidence if anyone from the council comes knocking on your door.

Probably worth going out for the maximum time you'd normally leave them and recording, in case DDog only starts barking after 90 mins or something.

Establish that your dog is barking first., barking at the postman etc is fine, continuous barking is not. Great that you have asked your other neighbour and she has not heard barking.

You need to do your usual routine and then wait outside the house and see if you can hear any barking, doing this plus using the camera should enable you to see if the barking is a problem.
Ensure your dog is walked, has the radio on/curtains closed, and has a chew to occupied her.

The process for reporting a dog barking is to the local authority, who will investigate under the Environmental Protection Act, as a Statutory Noise Nuisance (which also included loud music etc).
They will probably ask your neighbours to fill out diary sheets with any times the dog barks, that way you can then refute any alleged barking that happened whilst you were at home and can attest the dog did not bark. The council may then do some onsite monitoring themselves, or install noise monitoring equipment.

They are looking at the times of barking (so antisocial early morning, late night), the duration and frequency (for a few minutes or for hours) and the volume (one dog or multiple dogs)

In all honesty, it is very hard to get one single dog barking classed as stat nuisance so legally you probably don't have a problem.

Just a thought but maybe it isn't your ddog they can hear....?
When I am at ds's house I hear a ddog constantly - hours upon hours. Can't see it from the upstairs window so it's not even close. Even though sounds like ndn!!

Well I've been out did the usuall routine, blinds closed and radio on and I left my phone behind with the voice record . I left as I usually do and 37 mins after I left he barked for 1 min and 47 seconds it was a mixture of barking and growling so I'm assuming a dog walker went past after that he was quiet as a lamb until I got home and they both whined for a few seconds and that was it. Hardly this mad barking dog that barks from the second I leave for hours on end that she described!

Depends. If you are in and out all day and the dog barks for a couple of minutes each and every time then they’re probably sick of it.

They may be sick of it however it would not be enough to class as a stat nuisance so nothing official could be done about it.

If what you have said is representative OP, then I don’t think you have a problem. Dogs bark. They bark at the postman. They bark if people walk past. As long as the bark is brief, during the day and not frequent then it’s part of day to day noise, the same as lawnmowers, airplanes, music, children playing etc

I bought a collar which beeps and then vibrates briefly. It didn’t scare my dog, just surprised him while I said Quiet! I didn’t use it while I was out as that’s not when my dog barks.
It wasn’t cruel but he soon got used to it so not effective.

We used a bark collar because of a neighbour complaining, it was a vibrating one with no shock. Personally I think they are great, as long as they are used sparingly and alongside separation training. I also set up the iPad to record so I could see for myself what she was like. Bark collars are great for getting them out of the barking habit, but I also did training without it. Leaving her alone in a room or leaving the house for 5-15 mins with minimum fuss upon return. It's essential to have a dog that can be left alone, and mine has gone from barking constantly to sleeping when we're out. Obviously test your dog with the collar before leaving them alone and never use the shock ones. They aren't cruel, it's much more cruel having a stressed out dog when left alone.

A bark collar being used won’t stop a dog being stressed. They are punishment and not something I would ever use.
And no Nesssie it’s not the same as aircraft noise. You can avoid a dog barking. Aircraft aren’t silent.

You can't 100% avoid dog barking. Dogs bark occasionally. Its how they communicate. Its part of every day noise.

Mine barked once today when post arrived. That’s not what the OP describes. Barking is something you can control unless you choose to leave an anxious dog home without you.

The Op said the dog barked/growled for 1 min 47 seconds at a passing dog walker.
That's different to a separation anxiety howl or continual barking. If he has a tendency to bark at lots of people passing the window then I would suggest blocking his view as 1min of barking several times a day would be annoying.
However, the usual under breath growl that dogs do at people passing probably wouldn't be heard by the neighbour anyway.

“During the few hours during the day”
This noise is clearly bothering neighbours. That’s anti social and unacceptable.

i read 'I don't think a dog barking for a short period of time during the few hours during the day isn't that bad' as she leaves the dog alone for a few hours and he may bark for a short period of time (ie the 1-2 minutes) during that time. Not that he barks for 'a few hours' - of course that would be antisocial and a sign of stress/boredom etc

But if she’s in and out the house all day then he’s often barking for a short period.

I would keep the recordings for a few times when you leave them and note down the times and duration.

Then speak to the neighbours and see if the times tally. This can also forewarn them that you have a clear record of any noise in case they are hearing different dogs or over exaggerating.

The recordings should help you pinpoint any triggers. For example, I have opaque film on my windows otherwise BiteyDog sees shadows and barks at them. He also likes the radio on to drown out the outside sounds but the station has to be predominately music because a talk channel made him think there were humans about. Without analysing the camera when I left him I would have never known and addressed his issues.

Please don't get your dog a collar they are horrible things !

Another update , camera installed and app on the phone ! I went out this moring for around 1.5hrs I had my phone in watching him the whole time I was out, not a peep! Same again in the afternoon but longer 4hrs this time and I just propped my phone up carries on with my activities and again nothing at all!!! So what the hell are they on about! They would have me believe he was barking and howling from the moment I left to the moment I got back! Pfft! I will continue to monitor and record also I cancelled the bark collar today because I obviously don't need it!

Definitely not separation anxiety he slept the whole time !

They sound like my neighbours
Moaned like crazy about my dogs (they had an aged quiet one at the time), my children, insisted on parking in 'their' spot and causing inconvenience to everyone else and generally do a lot of excrement stirring.
But the funny thing is the dogs have died and been replaced, now mine is quiet and theirs is incredibly noisy. Karma hey?!! I just smirk as I walk past and they are trying to quieten the dog! Childish, I know.
Sound like yours are just stirring. I expect you've inadvertently upset them. Probably by getting on with your own life

I think you've hit the nail on the head there @spot102 !