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Thread: Barking Dog

  1. #1
    Craftsman
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    Barking Dog

    We have a neighbour whose house is in the next street but their garden backs onto ours, so we don't really know them other than very infrequent and brief hello's. Late last year they got a dog, a lovely looking chocolate Lhaso Apso.

    Now the weather is better, it appears that they are going out for spells and leaving the dog home alone with the back door open. The dog then spends almost the entire time in the garden, barking until they get home. It's not normal behaviour either, because when they are home it doesn't bark much at all.

    Before I go any further, this is not an anti-dog rant. My parents own a dog that we love to bits and spoil rotten whenever we see him, and as soon as we are retired I'd love a dog myself. If anything, I'm concerned that the neighbours dog appears very distressed when it's barking, constantly looking around, which I assume is because it thinks it's been abandoned and is calling out to it's owners.

    I work from home, and today there were two spells (from around 07:30 to 09:00 and again from around midday to now, 14:00 and counting) where the dog was in the garden constantly barking. It's becoming very distracting, and even with windows closed it can be heard on Teams calls by others.

    So, what is the TZ collectives opinion? Is it reasonable to talk to them and tell them about the noise, or is it just something that dogs do and I'll have to put up with it?

  2. #2
    Master Christian's Avatar
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    I think separation anxiety when the owner isn't there is pretty common and it can be breed dependent. Our spaniel will usually do about a minute of howling when left then settles down in his bed for as long as he is left.

    Usually you'd train this out of the dog. I definitely think the owners should be aware it is annoying the neighbours and hopefully they can look at training it.
    Last edited by Christian; 28th June 2022 at 14:14.

  3. #3
    Master Ruggertech's Avatar
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    If you can speak to them politely about it and they agree to try and train it out of the dog that would be a good result.
    We had an issue with our neighbours dogs a few years back, a nuisance especially as me and the wife were both working shifts at the time. They hadn't realised it was a problem up to that point, were very apologetic and there hasn't been a problem since. At first they came around apologising every time the dogs barked, but I explained I had no issue with their dogs barking, it's unreasonable to expect silence, the issue was with the dogs left barking. Relations are still very good with them, regular over the wall natters, getting parcels in for each other etc, it can be done.
    As an aside, if your problem dog can't be trained not too bark, ask them to leave it in when they are gone instead.

  4. #4
    Grand Master snowman's Avatar
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    We have a similar problem, people go out for most of the day leaving the dog.

    When they first moved in it howled for 6 or 7 hours straight.

    Now it just tends to bark at people walking down the road.

    Like a lot of people, they obviously got a 'lockdown dog' and now don't have the time for it.

    Not the dog's fault and it's down to a tolerable level now, but if the OP's case continues, why not give the RSPCA a call and see if they'll pay a visit to see if the dog is being neglected or mistreated, if you can't just tell the owners.

    I know not everyone is likely to respond reasonably to news that their abandoned dog is a bloody nuisance, but equally they may be unaware it's an issue.

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  5. #5
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
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    You could approach them with concerns for the welfare of the dog rather than the nuisance you are experiencing. If anything Lhasa Apso are an expensive breed and they may want to address it, through training and/or pheromone.
    Alternatively you may want to befriend the dog so that your presence may have the calming effect you're longing for.
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  6. #6
    Grand Master Neil.C's Avatar
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    I'd definitely speak to the owners.

    I couldn't put up with continuous barking and obviously the dog is distressed.
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  7. #7
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by Saint-Just View Post
    Alternatively you may want to befriend the dog so that your presence may have the calming effect you're longing for.
    I would love to (my wife even more so), but unfortunately there is a 6 foot solid fence between us. The front of their house is on a cul-de-sac parallel to ours, so we don't even pass their front door when out.

  8. #8
    We had a dog that used to howl when left alone - fortunately with double glazing we could barely hear him outside so never bothered the neighbours.

    He did grow out of it, so I hope your neighbours' does too, otherwise have Amazon deliver a copy of the Son of Sam to your neighbour and I am sure they will do their best to keep the dog quiet...

  9. #9
    Craftsman
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    We used to have this problem. We have two dogs ourselves, but they dont stand in the garden barking.

    So I got one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163129680370
    Hung it on a tree branch at the bottom of the garden and it fixed the problem in minutes.

  10. #10
    Master John Wall's Avatar
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    Definitely try a friendly word with the owners first.
    They might not even be aware that the dog barks when they’re out.
    Not necessarily distressed, probably just bored.

    Try the sonic birdhouse
    Or suggest they get another dog;)



    Or…. Cut a dog flap in the fence and adopt him when you’re in but they aren’t.
    Last edited by John Wall; 28th June 2022 at 15:05.

  11. #11
    Master OldHooky's Avatar
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    It's when the dogs are left to bark for more than about 10 minutes I find it gets annoying, and begin to wonder if the owners are dead or tone deaf.

    Happened last week, and since most neighbours are on the group WhatsApp I sent a message saying someone's dog needed to learn a new tune. Generated a few musical jokes, and it was well received. Dog stopped barking, and I ended with the message "ah, 4'33". Probably worked a lot better than going round.

  12. #12
    Master PreacherCain's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Saint-Just View Post
    You could approach them with concerns for the welfare of the dog rather than the nuisance you are experiencing. If anything Lhasa Apso are an expensive breed and they may want to address it, through training and/or pheromone.
    Alternatively you may want to befriend the dog so that your presence may have the calming effect you're longing for.
    Totally agreed - approach it as a “I couldn’t help noticing your dog is barking all the time when you’re out, are you sure he’s OK?” And at least then it isn’t going to be taken as a whinge while getting the message across…

  13. #13
    Master Maysie's Avatar
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    My sister in Law's dog used to do exactly the same thing whenever they went both out. I seem to recall it was an anxiety thing and they had absolutely no idea the dog was doing it until a neighbour mentioned it very politely.

    They were mortified when they were told and managed to retrain the dog (how I do not know), and all is now well. The way you approach the neighbour is absolutely key as you don't want them to immediately go on the defensive.
    I have 4 large dogs and would definitely want my neighbours to tell me if my dogs were doing this, as I would be worried about upsetting the neighbours but would also want to ensure my dogs own wellbeing too.

    Hope you get it sorted.

  14. #14
    Master Zephyr's Avatar
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    You could always offer to pop round and take the dog for a walk a couple of times a day? Bit of exercise for you keeps the dog quiet etc, just a thought.

  15. #15
    Master beechcustom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zephyr View Post
    You could always offer to pop round and take the dog for a walk a couple of times a day? Bit of exercise for you keeps the dog quiet etc, just a thought.
    That's exactly what I did but I ended up rescuing her as it turned out my then neighbour had lost his job and couldn't keep her.

  16. #16
    I think John Wall has it spot on. Doesn't sound like the dogs anxious, more just bored and has come to enjoy the barking.

    Defo talk to them about it. Seems a bit weird from a security point of view to leave the back door open to.

    Sent from my M2101K7BNY using Tapatalk

  17. #17
    Grand Master Onelasttime's Avatar
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    You could try chucking a couple of sausages laced with valium over the fence?

  18. #18
    Master Templogin's Avatar
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    If a chat doesn't work try this - Dog Dazer

    I use one when cycle touring and they are great to discourage territorial dogs getting out of their gardens and chasing me. They run on a 9v (PP3) battery, which lasts ages.

  19. #19
    Master
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    I had this, neighbour got 4 handbag dogs and they love to stand around barking at each other, day night it doesn't matter.i got a notebook and started documenting it for a few months then i went round, Spelled it out, Less barking or i will escalate and showed them the notes. It got a bit heated as i was apparently being unreasonable in my dislike of late night early hours non stop barking. I left it with them. Two disappeared with in a week and the others are not left outside overnight.

  20. #20
    Master
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    issues like this must be nipped in the bud ASAP. had a useless neighbour who didn't walk his two dogs because they were a handful so they were just left in the garden to bark randomly at the sky. One morning they woke me up before my alarm. Took 4 years for me to finally have enough and had a word and silence from there. His response however was "no one else has a problem" I assured him they do but being in a tightly packed close no one wants to rock the boat so to speak so just put up with it.
    Completely unacceptable! and anyone decent will address the issue.

  21. #21
    Master
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    I almost made a thread on this same topic last week - our across the road neighbour is a large bungalow with huge gardens, they tend to let their dog out for a wee between 6 and 7am and leave him out barking his bollocks off until the school run just after 8. We started to document times and made a couple of recordings but last week they put it out at 5am and it woke up the first 4 houses on our row (I'm the end semi). I properly lost my rag at the owners selfishness so while the wives were all texting each other about what to do I went to kick his front door in. After knocking him out of bed (which aggrieved HIM!) we had firm words and I've told him if the dog barks again one minute before 8am it's the last time he will see it.
    We've spoken since then (more civilly) and he's apologised, but the damage is done now. I hate selfish dog owners.

  22. #22
    Don't think you need to do anything extreme, just mention it to them, most likely they don't even know it's happening, and will keep him in going fwds.



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