How long does it take a dog to settle in a new home?

[MintyCedric]

New neighbours (we're the second house in a row of terraces, they're on the end) moved in 12 days ago.

They have a dog...medium sized, dalmatian markings...I'm not a dog expert but I'd guess maybe a dalmation/whippet cross if that's possible.

Everytime the neighbours go out, she barks/howls/whines the entire time they're gone...maybe stops for breath for a few minutes here and there but otherwise it's incessant.

The last couple of days it's woken me and DD up between 7 -7.30, and it's not great to listen to, especially if I'm working or she's revising. It's loud enough that I can clearly record it on my phone and can be heard even on non adjoined side of the house with the door shut.

It also barks at anyone coming or going from my house.

I don't want to be 'that' neighbour so am wondering how long I should wait before I say anything...planning to start with a gentle "I'm sure she's just settling in but your dog does sound very distressed when you leave her..."

I’d mention it now. If it’s distressed from the house move then they need to know.

I would casually mention that the dog is getting distressed when being left so they are aware but it can take 3 months or longer for a dog to settle in its new home.

How long is it being left for, and is it daily?

Definitely mention it. That would drive me insane. Our dogs rarely bark but I know the older one can bark if he ears another dog when he is in the garden so early in the morning and late at night I take him into the garden on a lead so if he does bark I can bring him in - he is a bugger for running around so you can’t get him.

We also don’t leave ours for long. But when we do go out they snuggle into their beds and sleep. I expect the dog next door is being left too long.

I'm not sure if the chap works or not...he's definitely of an age where he could be retired but seems to have gone out at around 7.30 and not come back for several hours yesterday and today.

We've made small talk a few times and he seems pleasant enough...the dog did try to launch itself at me the other day when it was in the front garden as I left my house, and he was quite firm at getting her under control straight away.

Tbh I'm not massively a dog person (used to be terrified of them after a couple of bad experiences as a child, but am now quite happy to hang out with my friends dogs and make a fuss of them) so am aware that I really don't want to come across a bit arsey.

Personally, as a dog owner I would want to know - but preferably in a non moaning way. Our dog used to cry a bit when left (rescue lurcher) and at the time we lived in a terrace. We were very friendly with neighbours so constantly checked up on if she was making noise or causing a disturbance. It let us know how the dog was coping as much as making sure we didnt upset our neighbours.
Now we've moved and are semi detached and afaik she just curls up in her crate and sleeps so I'd really want to know if the neighbours were actually being driven mad by her howling as we would have no idea she was actually distressed.

House moves can unsettle dogs, so this could be a brand new problem that they're simply unaware of. Separation anxiety developing in a new house isn't unheard of at all.

As a result of my last house move, DDog developed a violent dislike of visitors - I couldn't get anyone through the front door. It only resolved when I got a behaviourist in and used her techniques.

I'd go and have a polite chat, saying you know that house moves can unsettle dogs, dog doesn't seem to be very happy being left at the moment, and you thought they'd like to know so they can do something to support their dog (eg only leaving the dog for very short periods of time at first, and building up from there).

Yes, we have dogs and our second rescue got distressed when we left her, but none of the neighbours mentioned it - we had cameras so we saw that and could work towards addressing it with a behaviourist, but it would have been awful for the neighbours and the dog if no one had mentioned it until the behaviour had become deeply anchored.

We have friends whose neighbours' dog barks and whines from the moment they leave home until the moment they come back. The owners know this but still leave the dog outside all day whilst they are at work.

I really dislike staying there as it's impossible to sleep beyond about 6am. If I lived there, I'd have reported them as a noise nuisance a long time ago!

You need to deal with it or it might become a permanent problem.

I'll absolutely approach it from a conversation for the dog POV.

For me it's trying and I'd hope it wouldn't go on for too long, but I'm quite good at zoning things out.

Dd, who is studying for her GCSEs not so much, but equally it's a terrace, there's going to be some crossover. We've just been very lucky to have exceptionally quiet neighbours for the last three years and unfortunately one has moved and one had died at the same time so we're going to have change on the other side too.

As a dog owner, I would want to know if my dog was distressed.

Separation anxiety is a real problem for some dogs and I think dalmatians in particular are quite needy and high-maintenance. They're carriage dogs and need to be able to run.

I wonder if it's getting enough exercise.

That's interesting @sunflowersandbuttercups

I've not noticed them/him taking the dog out for walks or seen/hear her in the (tiny) garden.

I was home all day and there were some half hour gaps here and there when I presume dog fell asleep but it was pretty much all day to varying degrees otherwise.

It sounds more like general separation anxiety than the new house specifically.