Neighbours' dogs barking at us!

flossy_splodge

I have the same problem with dogs next door when in my back garden.
If I so much as appear they bark like crazy.
What I've done is talk nicely to the dogs and then after some minutes say in a clear voice 'come on now, enough is enough, don't be so noisy'.
The owners get the hint and whatever they do/say, the dogs go quiet!
This way the owners don't get out of shape thinking I'm criticising their dogs.
The main loser is my poor cat who is scared to death!
Bear in mind I've lived in my house 16 years and neighbours have only been neighbours for a few months!
I'm constantly shocked at how many people seem to think it's OK to create bedlam in their own back garden irrespective of the impact on others.
If I could afford it I'd move to a desert island (with my cat :rotfl:).

unholyangel

Owners can actually be given an ASBO for their dog barking excessively. It would be your local councils noise control/abatement officers that would deal with it.

Making friends with the dogs may help, it depends why they're barking really!

Speaking to the neighbours is a good idea though. Even explain the problem, your child is scared and ask if theres anything that can be done to lessen it, like perhaps you and your daughter joining them on their walks a few times or coming over to get to know them. Oh and proper etiquette, ask them before you feed their dogs treats.

The problem is, you cant really be nice/affectionate to a dog while its barking, else you're reinforcing the behaviour you want to stop. So wait until they are quiet for 3+ seconds BEFORE you talk to them/pet them etc.

bubblesbonbon

Some good advice here, including the last stage legal bit.

http://www.problemneighbours.co.uk/barking-dogs.html

desthemoaner

Thank you very much. Reading that link and the comments below it, I've come to the conclusion that my "dog problem" is a good deal less serious than the issues being faced by some other people.

We'll do what we can to gain the dogs' trust, and if that doesn't work, talk to their owners. Going down a statutory route too soon is in nobody's interests, but its good to know that the legal route is available to us if we need it.

I think that what we may be witnessing is a cultural issue. Our neighbours lived in South Africa before they came here, and presumably its normal over there to allow dogs to roam your property at will in order to keep intruders at bay.

redpete

broonbear wrote: »

Get the 'noise' police from the council round get it nipped in the bud

Shouldn't it be a vet that does that - and does it actually stop the barking?

Raksha

Make sure your behaviour isn't exacerbating the problem.

Many people don't realise that making eye contact with a dog is aggressive body language and likely to make the problem worse.

Try and ignore them, positively look away from them, drop your shoulders and relax.

Fosterdog

It may only be a temporary problem if they haven't been there long, the dogs have been put in a completely new environment and don't know why.

When we last moved our girl started to bark at passing dogs through the window, something she hadn't done before, it only lasted around 4-5 months and them it stopped. We have now been here over 3 years and she will occasionally bark at a passing dog when she is in the garden but it's not very often and not at every dog.

desthemoaner

You could be right about it being temporary. Time will, literally, tell.

There's a hedge between us and next door which up till last year I'd got into the habit of keeping short and trim, but I'll let it grow a little more this year because I reckon if they can't see us coming and going but only hear us, they may be less likely to bark.

bod1467

Fosterdog wrote: »

When we last moved our girl started to bark at passing dogs through the window

Eh? Doesn't sound like it's only dogs with behavioural problems?

PasturesNew

Bark back ..... this might work better than my Plan A which would be to shout "!!!!!!" at them

Added bonus is that if the neighbours think you're a loon they might start taking them in when you're about.