Clubs Offering:
Even the most ardent dog lovers among us become aggravated if a neighbor’s dog barks incessantly. The constant yapping can disrupt sleep, ruin your time in the yard, and generally become an ongoing nuisance. But there are some steps you can take; with effort and a little luck, you and the neighbor’s dog can peacefully coexist.
For starters, don’t blame the dog; he’s being a dog. Several things could cause the barking:
You get it, but you’re being driven to distraction by your neighbor’s barking dog. So what can you do?
1. The first step is to talk to your neighbors. If they’re away from the house all day, they may not even know about the barking. Or they may be aware of it and are already working on the problem.
While it might be tempting to just drop a note in their mailbox, meet your neighbors face-to-face. Leave the attitude at home and communicate in a friendly, neighborly way that the barking is becoming a problem for you and your family. Don’t assume, don’t accuse; just explain the problem and give them a chance to respond. It’s possible they’re inexperienced dog owners. In that case you might want to suggest some resources that will help them manage the barking.
2. You can be proactive, as well. If the dog barks every time you step into your yard or venture near his property, try blocking his vision by planting a hedge or erecting a fence or privacy screen. If the dog’s barking is territorial, blocking his view of your property may remove the threat.
3. Of course, dogs don’t just sense your presence visually. Mr. Barks-A-Lot next door can also hear or smell you. If blocking his view doesn’t help, and he still perceives you as a threat, maybe it’s time to make friends with him.
Ask your neighbors if you and your family can meet their dog and let him get to know you. You might even suggest that the neighbors bring the dog over to your yard to play a bit. If your trips to the yard are rare, your occasional presence may startle or frighten the dog. Try making time outside an ordinary occurrence. Once he’s used to the sight, sounds, and smells of his human neighbors, they may not be such a big deal to him, and he won’t feel the need to bark.
4. So, you’ve done all the polite neighborly things you can to stop the annoying barking, and nothing’s changed. You may have to resort to filing a formal noise complaint. Most municipalities, landlords, and homeowners’ associations have noise regulations.
You may have to do some detective work to locate the appropriate authority; in some cases, the local animal control authorities are responsible for noise complaints about barking dogs. It might be helpful to check with other neighbors to see if they’re also affected by the barking. If so, ask them if they’ll file similar complaints.
You may have to resort to contacting the police. Barking dogs are probably not high on their priority list, and you’ll have to provide them with a written record of everything you’ve done so far. But they may issue a warning or citation to your neighbor.
Last, you can take more drastic steps when all else fails, including taking legal action by going to small claims court. Keep a record of the dates and duration of the barking, take video or audio clips on your mobile phone, and keep a record of all the steps you’ve taken so far. You might even consider hiring a lawyer to help you through the system.
Are you seeing a theme here? You cannot expect the dog to respect your wish for peace and quiet. But if you’re willing to make some effort, and if you understand why the dog is barking so incessantly, you may be able to resolve all this with a friendly visit, some time spent with the dog, and at most, a few alterations to your yard. https://www.akc.org/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php Get Your Free AKC eBook
Steps to take when the neighbor’s dog is barking
Fidos bark has become too much to bear and you need to address the noisy dog situation in the apartment next door. So how do you handle the situation? There are several steps to take that can help defuse a situation between you and the noisy dog.
The first thing to do is to track and document every time you notice or hear the dog barking. This will help you determine if its a recurring issue or a one-off yap. Write down what time of day it is, what is going on in the environment (did the UPS delivery person just drop off a package?) and how long the barking lasted. When you go to talk to the neighbors, itll be beneficial to have a dog barking log you can reference and highlight patterns youve noticed.
The next thing to do is to simply talk to your neighbor in person. It is tempting to write a note or send an email, but its always better to approach situations like this candidly and face-to-face. Your neighbor may not even realize that their dog is barking or that there is a problem. Chances are, theyll hear you out, apologize and work to solve the problem.
Once youve presented the problem to your neighbor, you could suggest some solutions that may help the dog quiet down. For instance, if youre home during the day and your neighbor (the dog owner) works, you could offer to walk the dog or check in on it throughout the day. Thats definitely a proactive solution, but if youre a dog person, it is a nice way for you to see the dog and stop the barking.
Other suggestions could include having the dog owner hire a dog trainer, take the dog on mid-afternoon walks, have the dog attend doggy-day care or be left with toys, food and entertainment to reduce the barking.
Dogs are protective beings and will guard their territory from strangers. The dog could be barking at you simply because he or she doesnt recognize you. Take some time to get to know the dog so when you walk past the apartment, itll recognize your face, sound and smell.
If you are a dog owner, you could suggest a puppy play date with your neighbors noisy dog. One day, you offer to have both dogs over to play and then your neighbor will take a turn. This is a great solution because youll be entertaining both dogs, theyll get exercise, avoid loneliness and boredom and put a stop to barking.
Talk to your neighbor first
This should go without saying, but you should talk to your neighbor before you try anything else. There’s a possibility they don’t realize their dog is barking so much—like when they’re away at work—or they may be aware of the issue and working on it already. Give them the benefit of the doubt, and avoid harsh accusations since that will only make them defensive.Advertisement
It’s also important you do this face-to-face. Leaving an anonymous note on their door might seem like the best way to avoid confrontation, but it’s the easiest for them to ignore. Talk to them in person and let them see who they’re affecting. Use this as an opportunity to get to know them and get on their good side so they want to resolve the issue. If you refuse to talk to your neighbors, you’re half of the problem.
If they’re inexperienced dog owners and are not sure what to do, nudge them in the right direction. Show them bark training tip resources, like these from the Humane Society, or point them to a professional dog trainer in your area. If you do the heavy lifting and give them the info, they’re more likely to give it a try.
Owning a dog is so full of challenges that bringing one home might seem like the easy part. But…