How do I tell my neighbours I can't take anymore incessant barking?

[ivftake1]

They have a beagle. A very loud, male beagle who barks incessantly multiple times a day. They have previously told me that there will be some barking while they crate/sleep train but it's been going on for 6 months now.

I don't expect perfection. But I don't expect to feel angry in my own house.

I'm 99% sure their lease doesn't allow for pets either which I find irritating. Presumably for the issue of noise affecting neighbours!

(We own and are leaseholders, our headlease does not allow for pets and I'm 99% sure their landlord's headlease is the same as it's the same freeholder as ours).

I think you just go and tell them - it’s too much and they need to help the dog keep it down. Is the dog alone a lot?
If you can’t face it, call your local dog warden. They will visit and give advice and also assess the situation. As to the lease, that’s really between them and their landlord I would think.

There will be a section on your local council website or gov.uk about dealing with excessive dog barking

When does he bark? For a few minutes while someone comes to the door I wouldn’t complain about but I’m assuming it’s more than that? Are they aware of the barking or is it like they’re leaving him home alone and he’s barking?

@CatsAndEyeliner

When does he bark? For a few minutes while someone comes to the door I wouldn’t complain about but I’m assuming it’s more than that? Are they aware of the barking or is it like they’re leaving him home alone and he’s barking?

Yes more than that. I can't work out how long the dog is ever left alone for because as far as I'm aware they're both working from home.

I assume they leave the dog for small amounts of time here and there for shopping trips etc.

I mentioned the lease because I feel more cross about the noise because it's not strictly allowed! So I feel I should not have to deal with this.

The dog clearly hates being in the crate because the pining and whining noises sound sad!

If he’s crated while they work in another part of the house he may be barking as he is lonely. Poor thing. I understand Beagles can be very noisy, but he’s maybe being left alone too much.
Try talking to them, even maybe asking how he’s getting on? But you are entitled to ‘quiet enjoyment ‘ of your home so don’t feel bad about addressing it. The dog will be grateful 😁

@Svelteinmydreams

If he’s crated while they work in another part of the house he may be barking as he is lonely. Poor thing. I understand Beagles can be very noisy, but he’s maybe being left alone too much. Try talking to them, even maybe asking how he’s getting on? But you are entitled to ‘quiet enjoyment ‘ of your home so don’t feel bad about addressing it. The dog will be grateful 😁

I feel sorry for the poor thing too! He probably would prefer to live somewhere other than a maisonette in SW London.

He's very vocal, which is probably normal for this breed.

All in all a very stupid and selfish decision to buy a Lockdown Puppy!

Hello,
I currently have a 15 week old puppy.. but live in my own house with a garden. My puppy has barked, mostly when he is on his crate and wants to get out. We are trying to teach him that barking won't get him anywhere so we have to let him bark it out until he stops.. this can be anywhere from 5mins- 15 mins max.

We are so conscious of annoying our neighbours that we sent them all a message asking them that if they hear him or the barking becomes bothersome to let us know directly.
I suppose with any dog, barking is somewhat normal part of their behaviour, but if it is constant and multiple times throughout the day, either the beagle is not getting enough exercise or is being left alone too long.

The best thing you can do is be completely honest with your neighbours and tell them it's very bothersome. Most likely they know already how annoying it is and just don't know how to handle it.
You could even try maybe buy a little toy to give to the dog.. who knows, if they let him bark constantly, they probably aren't giving the poor little thing any attention and maybe something simple such as a toy could make a big difference.

Otherwise I would get straight onto the landlord and let him know.

@coffeewithmilk We are trying to teach him that barking won't get him anywhere so we have to let him bark it out until he stops.. this can be anywhere from 5mins- 15 mins max
Please do some reading about crate training as leaving 15 week old puppy to 'bark it out' is causing distress to your puppy and setting you up for long term problems.

[quote fivedogstofeed]**@coffeewithmilk* We are trying to teach him that barking won't get him anywhere so we have to let him bark it out until he stops.. this can be anywhere from 5mins- 15 mins max*
Please do some reading about crate training as leaving 15 week old puppy to 'bark it out' is causing distress to your puppy and setting you up for long term problems.[/quote]
My neighbours leave their dog for over an hour sometimes. It's sometimes really upsetting to hear (but most of the time I'm just very very cross!)

How annoying. Our pup has just started to bark at times but usually when he hears something. There is a dog near to us that seems to be always left outside and it yaps all the time so ours will bark if he is in the garden and hears it. We do a short blast on a whistle (it isn’t loud) and that distracts him. He then comes over to us. Sometimes he gets a treat and sometimes doesn’t. He will whine for a few minutes if we leave him but doesn’t bark - he will go and lie in his crate and sleep until we get home. We don’t shut the door on the crate and never have so he likes it in there. Letting dogs bark doesn’t help especially when they are locked in a crate and distressed.

@fivedogstofeed oh I have read on crate training. It's usually while we are having our meals. He is barking because he wants out to jump up at the table. He's not at all distressed. He's barking because he wants some of our food.
No distress at all in my house. If I thought my puppy was distressed I wouldn't leave him alone in the crate.
I've had a lot of dogs throughout my life.. this is what works for me and my pup, thanks.

@MagentaRocks

How annoying. Our pup has just started to bark at times but usually when he hears something. There is a dog near to us that seems to be always left outside and it yaps all the time so ours will bark if he is in the garden and hears it. We do a short blast on a whistle (it isn’t loud) and that distracts him. He then comes over to us. Sometimes he gets a treat and sometimes doesn’t. He will whine for a few minutes if we leave him but doesn’t bark - he will go and lie in his crate and sleep until we get home. We don’t shut the door on the crate and never have so he likes it in there. Letting dogs bark doesn’t help especially when they are locked in a crate and distressed.

I don't think I'd mind if the barking was reactionary so to speak, such as the door bell ringing or things like that.

This is sustained and chronic. I can't bear it

I have learned to tune out the happy dog near me as it was driving me mad. I too don't mind a bit if reactionary barking but I am so aware of the neighbours I really want to make sure ours doesn't bark and annoy them. I seem to be doing it right as I have a camera for when we are out and I know he doesn't bark in distress when we are not there.

Have you spoken to them before? If so what did they say/how did they react?

@CatsAndEyeliner

Have you spoken to them before? If so what did they say/how did they react?

They apologise and make various excuses such as:

•Newly home and settling in (I was fine with this)
•Crate training so there'll be some noise for a couple of weeks but then will settle (I was a bit annoyed but gave them the benefit of the doubt)
•Then the summer heat was blamed (I thought this was rubbish but kept my mouth shut)
•The the neighbour's building works was blamed (this was an awful week! Banging and crashing and insane amounts of barking)

The dog joined their home in April, I feel 6 months is more than enough time to sort out any settling/crate training issues?

I would say there's been zero progress, and as the dog is getting older and larger, the barking is getting louder and deeper.

It can take a really, really long time to settle a dog but that doesn’t mean you should have to put up with constant noise.

I would talk to them and say you’ve given it 6 months but nothing has improved and the level and duration of noise is not acceptable. Say you have been very sympathetic and patient and that you appreciate that some noise will have to be tolerated but that this is beyond that.

@CatsAndEyeliner

It can take a really, really long time to settle a dog but that doesn’t mean you should have to put up with constant noise.

I would talk to them and say you’ve given it 6 months but nothing has improved and the level and duration of noise is not acceptable. Say you have been very sympathetic and patient and that you appreciate that some noise will have to be tolerated but that this is beyond that.

Thank you, that's good wording.

Now, if only I wasn't a complete wuss!

Totally understand, fellow wuss here! It took me ages to build up the courage to speak to next door about an issue but I felt so much better once I had (well, after I calmed down!).

My advice is to do it as quick as possible so it’s over and then go and put the kettle on.

I would keep a diary of it and time it so that you can see if there is any pattern to it. Might be useful going forward with the landlord too.

Hi OP.

I have a beagle and they are prone to being noisy. They also suffer from separation anxiety and typically don't do well being left. It's taken us almost three years to get mine happy being left for 40 minutes, to give you an idea of scale!

However, a well-exercised and properly stimulated beagle should not be noisy in the house. Mine barks at the door (like most dogs) and will bark at next doors dog in the garden but that's it. Maybe five minutes of noise a day. I suspect they are not exercising or playing with it enough. Beagles are pack dogs and do best with company - either on walks or at home, so they have another dog to play with and get rid of their energy on.

A dog that barks all day is not a happy dog - I don't really know what the solution is, though. I think the only people who can do anything about the noise is the council, so maybe a diary with times etc. is the way to go for now?

@vanillandhoney

Hi OP.

I have a beagle and they are prone to being noisy. They also suffer from separation anxiety and typically don't do well being left. It's taken us almost three years to get mine happy being left for 40 minutes, to give you an idea of scale!

However, a well-exercised and properly stimulated beagle should not be noisy in the house. Mine barks at the door (like most dogs) and will bark at next doors dog in the garden but that's it. Maybe five minutes of noise a day. I suspect they are not exercising or playing with it enough. Beagles are pack dogs and do best with company - either on walks or at home, so they have another dog to play with and get rid of their energy on.

A dog that barks all day is not a happy dog - I don't really know what the solution is, though. I think the only people who can do anything about the noise is the council, so maybe a diary with times etc. is the way to go for now?

Thanks very informative. The experience I have of beagles is that of working dogs at stableyards were they seem happy working together. Seems unfair to have a relatively large energetic dog in SW London.

I really hate that they've inflicted this on me!

Thanks very informative. The experience I have of beagles is that of working dogs at stableyards were they seem happy working together. Seems unfair to have a relatively large energetic dog in SW London.

Yes, if you can't give them what they need, they will be disruptive! We live in a small house but I'm a dog walker so he gets long walks everyday and plenty of company. I really hope you manage to get something sorted!

My dog barking drives me crackers and that's for the door etc.

YANBU to have had enough!

YANBU, that would drive me mad. You've tried speaking to them and that clearly hasn't worked, so complain to the council. I think there are a lot of people who get used to noise or tune it out and forget that its annoying to neighbours. So it will take something more formal to fix the selfish.

Happened to me, didn't improve until dog was rehomed. I reported to council, as did other neighbours. The housing association and also police got involved too as it took a nasty turn with aggressive reaction from the humans being told to shut the dog up at 6am (not by me, it was people living other side).