Complaint made about our dogs barking!!!!

Bargin_Betty79

We recently received a letter from the local council stating that a complaint had been made due to our three dogs barking. This was the first time we had been made aware of any problems with them and was rather shocked, we've racked our brains to think of any instances when the dogs barking could cause anyone a problem.

Yesterday we received a telephone call from the council to say they have received back the diary that issued to the person who complained and will now move the case to the next level which will be to monitor the noise. They did state the diary recorded instances of noise early in the morning but that the person who had complained had not put how long it lasts.

I'm getting myself into a right state. The dogs do run out the back door and bark when let out first thing in the morning when we get up but its no more than any other dog in our neighbourhood and if they are left for any length of time its in the house which is a semi detached, our immediate neighbours who have been friends for years have never voiced any problems in the past about any of the dogs we've owned and the council have told us that its not them complaining. I can understand that maybe the person doesn't want to talk face to face but they could have put a note through the door in the first instances so we were aware of the issue and maybe had a bit more information.

Can anyone let me know what happens next, the council lady did say not to worry to much as once she's done the monitoring she'll have some more information on the situation and have a meeting with us. Its really worrying me though as I've never in all the years I've owned animals been in any situation like this and I almost feel like someones acusing me of not controlling them properly, I'd understand if it was for hours a day, 7 days a week, but its not as they are never left alone for that long!!!

sarabe

All you need to do is change what you do first thing in the morning and then when the council monitor it they won't hear any barking.

You could let them out one at a time initially so that you can train them to go out quietly. A good method is to use a clicker and as soon as you open the door click and toss some treats.

This will then become - door opens - dog turns back to you - gets a click and a treat - continues outside calmly.

Once they can do it one at a time go back a few stages and have them doing it two at a time in different pairs.

Then ultimately all three going out together calmly.

foxy-roxy

There is a dog across the road from me that barks from 9pm at night until about 11pm, depending on when the owners go to bed, drives me mad as i can never get an early night if i want one, but i put up with it as i dont want to cause friction and i certainly wouldnt go behind their back to the coucil.
Sounds like one of your neighbours is holding a grudge, maybe they like a lie in and your dogs are waking them up?? and they are not wanting to confront you?
Is there anyway of not getting the dogs to bark in the mornings? As sarabe said above, can you let them out one at a time?

Oh and stop worrying, nothing bad will come from it if they really are not that bad.

cheepskate_2

What you may find is it is not the amount of time, but at what time they are barking at.

We have one dog barking early in the morning and late at night and it is pretty annoying, three dogs must be so much more. We as owners get so used to it that it doesnt seem to bother us.

I agree with Sabare to change their timings.

Can you not walk the dogs in the morning instead. I just pull on the night before's trousers and give ours a quick one.

Fire_Fox

Does anyone nearby work late or night shifts? Both my partner and I do, so know that relatively 'normal' noise (e.g. my neighbours are really bad at letting fire doors slam repeatedly) can be much more aggravating than to the general population. I think Sarabe's idea sounds excellent. You could ask the council to mediate and explain that you'd like to talk face to face or by letter, and you are more upset than angry that they felt unable to approach you directly.

Anthillmob

if my dog so much as barks then he is brought inside. i cannot bear barking dogs outside @ whatever hour of the day. theres a small yappy thing over the back of us that spends ages out there yap yap yapping.

tbh though cain will only bark if he sees a fox the other side of the fence or @ a hedgehog.

clairibel

I think this has happened to our neighbours dog, as it used to go out every morning on the dot at 6.30am and bark for 20 mins ish and then often during the day (dogflap) as the owners left for work at 6.30am, when they are in it doesn't bark anyway recently it has not been doing it and now just barks in the house all day...which is great for the person who complained but bloody annoying for me as i work from home on the telephone :mad:

So i can't see a resolution for me as they work all day everyday apart from weekend...i preffered the dog outside barking

mrcol1000

foxy-roxy wrote: »

There is a dog across the road from me that barks from 9pm at night until about 11pm, depending on when the owners go to bed, drives me mad as i can never get an early night if i want one, but i put up with it as i dont want to cause friction and i certainly wouldnt go behind their back to the coucil.
Sounds like one of your neighbours is holding a grudge, maybe they like a lie in and your dogs are waking them up?? and they are not wanting to confront you?
Is there anyway of not getting the dogs to bark in the mornings? As sarabe said above, can you let them out one at a time?

Oh and stop worrying, nothing bad will come from it if they really are not that bad.

Rubbish. Firstly people have a right to live their lives in peace without anyone causing them a nusiance (intentionally or unintentionally). Secondly many people do not know their neighbours and I have heard a lot of stories of a simple problem over dog barking turn into all out warfare between neighbours. Its far better to sort problems with your neighbours out yourself but not everyone has the confidence to confront their neighbours especially as people don't know their neighbours nowadays and you could have a homicidal loony living next door to you (not that I am saying the OP is this!)

Bargin_Betty79

Thanks for your suggestions, we are now taking them down the garden on leads for their morning wee's to stop them from just running out and barking as this is the only time I can think of when they are rather noisy but its more from the excitment of being let out and generally they charge down the garden, do what they need to then come back in, this is a routine we've had with all our dogs over the years and no one has every had an issue with it before.

I completely understand the issues people have with barking and I never let them just run around the garden barking at everything and nothing. There's dogs over the road that seem to spend their whole day barking at cars that go past and it drives me mad.

I think from what the council has told us the main issue is the time of the day they are barking which is causing a problem, I'm very upset that the issue has gone directly to the council rather than giving us a chance to sort it out first, to recieve a letter in the post outlining the fact we could be served a noise abatment order is very upsetting!

mrcol1000

Bargin_Betty79 wrote: »

We recently received a letter from the local council stating that a complaint had been made due to our three dogs barking. This was the first time we had been made aware of any problems with them and was rather shocked, we've racked our brains to think of any instances when the dogs barking could cause anyone a problem.

Yesterday we received a telephone call from the council to say they have received back the diary that issued to the person who complained and will now move the case to the next level which will be to monitor the noise. They did state the diary recorded instances of noise early in the morning but that the person who had complained had not put how long it lasts.

I'm getting myself into a right state. The dogs do run out the back door and bark when let out first thing in the morning when we get up but its no more than any other dog in our neighbourhood and if they are left for any length of time its in the house which is a semi detached, our immediate neighbours who have been friends for years have never voiced any problems in the past about any of the dogs we've owned and the council have told us that its not them complaining. I can understand that maybe the person doesn't want to talk face to face but they could have put a note through the door in the first instances so we were aware of the issue and maybe had a bit more information.

Can anyone let me know what happens next, the council lady did say not to worry to much as once she's done the monitoring she'll have some more information on the situation and have a meeting with us. Its really worrying me though as I've never in all the years I've owned animals been in any situation like this and I almost feel like someones acusing me of not controlling them properly, I'd understand if it was for hours a day, 7 days a week, but its not as they are never left alone for that long!!!

If you work with the council they will offer you help and advice to solve the problem. Bear in mind your not the first dog owner with a barking dog they have dealt with. For the council to deal with domestic noise it first has to establish that there is a problem and its a nusiance. The noise diaries are kept to establish when and what the problem is. They will then write you a letter based on the diary. If the person who complained does not report any improvement they will let the council know. The council will then do noise montioring. They may visit at the times the noise is occuring, wait for the person who has complained to contact them so they can come out and witness it or they may install electronic equipment which will record the noise and the level its at inside the house. If they find the noise is a nusiance they will either serve you with a noise abatement notice or give you one final warning to sort the problem then serve the notice. Once the notice has been served if the officer from the council witnesses the noise then you can be taken to court or they may give you a couple more final chances to try and sort out the problems. It depends on the council's policy and how you react to the problem. If you work with the officer they are more likely to try and help you resolve the problem and give you plently of chances then dragging you straight to court.

I think you need to somehow stop the dogs from barking when they first go out. It may be normal but obviously its waking someone up and causing them a problem. Also different noises travel further depending on the environment so it may well be a neighbour further away. Sadly the council can't tell you who complained unless it goes to court. But just rememember that the council has a legal obligation if it does detect a nusiance to take whatever steps neccessary to stop the nusiance but nearly all councils prefer to sort these things out informally and don;t like having to go down a legal route.

mrcol1000

Bargin_Betty79 wrote: »

I think from what the council has told us the main issue is the time of the day they are barking which is causing a problem, I'm very upset that the issue has gone directly to the council rather than giving us a chance to sort it out first, to recieve a letter in the post outlining the fact we could be served a noise abatment order is very upsetting!

I wouldn't worry. My job involves sending out nasty letters on a range of things and to be honest they are purposely written in such a way to try and sort out the problem with just the letter. The threat of a notice is often a lot more powerful than the actual notice but obviously they will do what they have to do.