I cannot believe what I am hearing... literally!

Claddagh_Noir

** This is just a bit of a rant **

I have been working from home since the start of the pandemic.  It's has been lovely because I can concentrate a lot more and I feel more productive away from the office distractions. 

However, the yappy little dog next door will not shut up.  The thing is, the owners are always at home so it is not separation anxiety.  The dog is so sensitive to outside noise it will literally back at the drop of a leaf. Even on the rare occasion the dog is walked it yaps all the way down the street.

It does not help that I am recently bereaved and lost a pet of over 12 years and the neighbour knows this. Yesterday. I reached the end of my tether and had to message the neighbour asking why the dog is barking, is there a danger? (I knew there was not because I can see the dog, (WFH upstairs) I was more or less implying the dog is creating a noise nuisance).  The neighbour says the dog is protecting the garden because another neighbour was in their's doing gardening!!  The neighbour said they watched the dog as it was barking.  The fences are 6ft so the dog cannot see anyone. THE DOG BARKS ALL THE TIME AT NOTHING BASICALLY!    I can be in the other side of the house with all the windows and doors closed and I can still hear the dog.  The neighbour went on to say 'the dog is my baby and I have to put up with her noise!' 'The dog sees the other neighbour as a threat'  Excuse me, what???

There have been times over the years where I have had to shout expletives outside like put a put a sock in it,  that seems to work temporarily.  I have even blasted a high pitch noise to stop it barking, much to no avail. Sometimes I am having to turn the TV up or blast uncoventional music to drown it out.

So the long and short of it, the dog is spoilt and the owners feel the dog has to express itself by yapping incessantly, protecting the house when there is no threat or danger.  What happens if there is a real threat and the dog is ignored while the house is being burgled and the neighbours are massacred in the house?  Remember the tale, The Boy Who Cried Wolf?

I cannot enjoy my garden because if it hears me, the dog will be triggered and go into a yapping rampage.

I really am climbing the walls.  Other neighbours have commented, even neighbours across the street saying that dogs sets their dogs off.  

The only saving grace is it does not happen in the late or very early hours.  I think I will just keep messaging the neighbour, like a spammer until I do their head in everything and eventually get them to get off their butts and be a responsible dog owner and considerate neighbour. 

If anyone else is or has gone through this, I empathise. 

Thank you for reading. 







 

EP456

Contact Environmental Health.  You should not have to tolerate this.  Good luck.

elsien

I’m not sure yelling expletives (tempting though it is), retaliating with noise, or sending messages is the most effective way to resolve anything. It’s very passive aggressive.
Have you ever tried talking to the neighbour directly? 

Neighbour’s dog took to barking for an hour at 3am. I was straight round the next morning to have a friendly word while making it clear they needed to sort it. 

Silvertabby

A chap in America had this problem.  He recorded 8 hours of the din, then pointed his speakers towards the neighbours house and let rip overnight.

When the neighbours complained about 'his' dog, the chap said he didn't have a dog and that the noise was just  a recording of their mutt expressing itself, so what was their problem?

Apparently, it worked.

cymruchris

Silvertabby said:

A chap in America had this problem.  He recorded 8 hours of the din, then pointed his speakers towards the neighbours house and let rip overnight.

When the neighbours complained about 'his' dog, the chap said he didn't have a dog and that the noise was just  a recording of their mutt expressing itself, so what was their problem?

Apparently, it worked.

I like the sound of that idea  

Claddagh_Noir

elsien said:

I’m not sure yelling expletives (tempting though it is), retaliating with noise, or sending messages is the most effective way to resolve anything. It’s very passive aggressive.
Have you ever tried talking to the neighbour directly? 

Neighbour’s dog took to bathing for an hour at 3am. I was straight round the next morning to have a friendly word while making it clear they needed to sort it. 

I have spoken to the neighbour face to face a couple of times but they quickly changed the subject, as if what I brought up was taboo. All I asked was 'Is your dog alright, they are barking a lot recently' This was a year ago.  I have heard the owner and kids shouting at the dog to shut up but it carries on. But it seems it is forbidden for anyone else outside of the household to speak of the mutt.  

Any road, for now, I will try and remain Zen! 😊

mcpitman

EP456 said:

Contact Environmental Health.  You should not have to tolerate this.  Good luck.

This or go round and have a proper chat about the impacts and the way the barking dog impacts you.

Thankful I have a lazy lab that doesn't bark much, so when she does you know she means it.

elsien

Claddagh_Noir said:

elsien said:

I’m not sure yelling expletives (tempting though it is), retaliating with noise, or sending messages is the most effective way to resolve anything. It’s very passive aggressive.
Have you ever tried talking to the neighbour directly? 

Neighbour’s dog took to bathing for an hour at 3am. I was straight round the next morning to have a friendly word while making it clear they needed to sort it. 

I have spoken to the neighbour face to face a couple of times but they quickly changed the subject, as if what I brought up was taboo. All I asked was 'Is your dog alright, they are barking a lot recently' This was a year ago.  I have heard the owner and kids shouting at the dog to shut up but it carries on. But it seems it is forbidden for anyone else outside of the household to speak of the mutt.  

Any road, for now, I will try and remain Zen! 😊

I do understand how annoying it is -  I had a foster dog that barked all the time - drove me up the wall, let alone the neighbours. Any noise from the other other end of the street would set her off, didn’t matter that the next door gardens were empty. But I did apologise to them and let them know it was only short term while a more suitable home was found. 

I don’t think “is your dog ok” is clear enough - too easy to ignore. I’d suggest speaking to them again, making it clear how much of a nuisance it is, then point them at a good dog trainer that uses positive methods. What about other neighbours - can you get them on board as well? Start keeping a noise diary then tell them you will be taking if further if they don’t start to do something about it. 

How old is the dog? Just wondering how much longer it might be around for? 

Claddagh_Noir

elsien said:

Claddagh_Noir said:

elsien said:

I’m not sure yelling expletives (tempting though it is), retaliating with noise, or sending messages is the most effective way to resolve anything. It’s very passive aggressive.
Have you ever tried talking to the neighbour directly? 

Neighbour’s dog took to bathing for an hour at 3am. I was straight round the next morning to have a friendly word while making it clear they needed to sort it. 

I have spoken to the neighbour face to face a couple of times but they quickly changed the subject, as if what I brought up was taboo. All I asked was 'Is your dog alright, they are barking a lot recently' This was a year ago.  I have heard the owner and kids shouting at the dog to shut up but it carries on. But it seems it is forbidden for anyone else outside of the household to speak of the mutt.  

Any road, for now, I will try and remain Zen! 😊

I do understand how annoying it is -  I had a foster dog that barked all the time - drove me up the wall, let alone the neighbours. Any noise from the other other end of the street would set her off, didn’t matter that the next door gardens were empty. But I did apologise to them and let them know it was only short term while a more suitable home was found. 

I don’t think “is your dog ok” is clear enough - too easy to ignore. I’d suggest speaking to them again, making it clear how much of a nuisance it is, then point them at a good dog trainer that uses positive methods. What about other neighbours - can you get them on board as well? Start keeping a noise diary then tell them you will be taking if further if they don’t start to do something about it. 

How old is the dog? Just wondering how much longer it might be around for? 

It is only a small dog, so it is anyone's guess how long the life expectancy is.  I am going to predict it is about 7-8 years old.   Today has been a bit more pleasant.  I heard the dog pipe up and then the owner bellowed back telling it to shut up. If it does continue, I will make a point of diplomatically bringing it up in person. 

Thanks again. 

sheramber

Little dogs tend to live well into their teens

onylon

The dog is not expressing itself, it's constantly on high alert, guarding the house. This is stressful for the dog and when the owners shout back they are just reinforcing the behaviour. They really need to train the dog so that it is allowed to relax.