neighbor's barking dogs...what to do?

[ProdigalJunkMail]

Ok, need some help here...our neighbor's have dogs that stay outside about 90% of the time. And quite frequently the bark their fool heads off (sometimes for more than 45 minutes at a time). We talked to them twice about it now to no avail.

At 3:00 in the morning my daughter (just past one year old) was awakened AGAIN by the mongrels. I called the owners (yes, this time it didn't matter to me that it was 3:00AM) and they just hung up. I don't want to start a feud over this, but I'll be damned if I am going to let them wake my little girl up.

I guess the question is, "Just how nice should I be?"

Any takers???
theProdigal

[Jim Sagle]

1. Poison 'em.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

3. had that thought...

more than once...but that might be traceable :-)

theProdigal

[Gato Moteado]

5. no, it's not the dogs' fault....

....just call the cops and let them handle it at 3am.

[arwalden]

NO NO NO! Don't poison the dog! It's the fault of the OWNER, not the dog..

"Woof-woof-woof-woof-woof-woof!" translates to:

I'm bored.
I'm lonely.
I'm cold.
Please let me in.
Anyone else out there?
Please open the door.
Please?
Someone help me.
Someone pay attention to me.
Why are you doing this to me?
Let me in. Hello? Hello?



As annoying as it can be and as tempted as it is to take out your anger on the dog, the dog is not really to blame.

Call the police or animal control. Good luck.

-- Allen

[ProdigalJunkMail]

20. i would NEVER hurt the dogs

I know it isn't their fault. We have a large black lab that is well trained...she doesn't bark unless something REALLY strange happens and then it is only once or twice. I just want them to shut up...

theProdigal

[bearfan454]

35. You're right.

It is the owner.

[RebelOne]

31. How could you even suggest such a cruel act?

[Mistress Quickly]

2. Waking your one-year-old

at 3 in the morn?

I think you need to see if there is a noise ordinance. If there is, let your neighbors know it, and ask them to please do something about the barking all night, because your daughters sleep is very important to her health, but that is they do not do anything, then maybe you should file a complaint.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

we mentioned this already

and it seems like the only path we are left with is to go through the Sheriff's Office to get some relief. The first fine is $150 and the second is $500 and then they seize the animals. I don't want to be an ass, but right now it seems like they are...

theProdigal

[Mistress Quickly]

25. If you talked with them

then they are the ones being asses, not you!

Its your life, and your kid's health, and your sanity.

The puppy across the street used to be terrible about barking and whining, but it irritated the owners so much, they remedied the situation. Don't ask me how, but the dog is alive and doesn't bark and whine anymore.

Hang in there, you aren't the bad guy!

:pals:

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

4. 2 words: Dog warden

My dog now has a criminal record for a similar offense

[madmax]

6. Write them a polite letter explaining

how the barking dogs are affecting your daughters sleep. Make a copy. If that doesn't work call the police.

[lazarus]

7. Animal Cops

Just call the sheriff/PD and ask for animal control. I'm about to do the same thing.

[tabasco]

8. Check for ordinance, if not, private nuisance complaint.

Get a cheap lawyer for a private nuisance complaint.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

13. never heard of that one

will have to look it up for sure!

Thanks,
theProdigal

[GOPisEvil]

9. You've been reasonable so far.

Now it's time to call the cops and/or the animal control folks in your city.

Please don't poison the dogs. It's not their fault they have a shithead for an owner.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

11. i would never hurt the dogs

you're so right...this is part of the problem I am having though. If this were to continue to a point in the distance future, the dogs would be euthanized...and I don't want that...I just want them to SHUT UP!

theProdigal

[bearfan454]

22. bb gun their ass.

They will shut up.

[arwalden]

27. This Saddens Me Greatly...

Why harm and torture the dog for something that's NOT its fault?

-- Allen

[bearfan454]

33. I know what you are saying arwalden.

I have talked to these guys about 10 times. I don't want to call the cops. They leave their garage door open and their cat and other cats breed in there continuously. Every so many months there are lots of cats digging up flowerbeds, tom cat fighting in the middle of the night - they are loud. I only bb gun their asses if it is the same cat coming over every day and shitting in the same spot such as my pickup bed. I have animals too. They don't get out and mess with my neighbors.

I can see how this saddens you.

bearfan454

[RebelOne]

36. I don't understand how some of you people can suggest

such cruelty.

[bif]

10. Shotgun--make hamburger meat out of them

n/t

[trumad]

16. Just shoot the owners

The world needs less inconsiderate people..;-)

[RebelOne]

30. Boy, that is a really heartless statement.

[bif]

39. Wasn't being serious.

I have the same problem in my neighborhood. What I do is ask the owners if they'd keep they're dogs quit. I give them a couple of warnings, then I call the cops. They come out and warn them. The second time they get a ticket. It's never come to that--the folks on our block are pretty reasonable.

[Mobius]

12. do you realize

that the Son of Sam killer was driven to madness and thus his killing spree by a barking dog. Play it safe, call the police and have them stop over. Also you might want to give thew ASPCA a call. It sounds like this animal may be abused. I feel that killing to dog is wrong. It is not his/her fault the owners are a$$h0les. Exaust all efforts of dimplomacy, before resorting to force ;)

[ProdigalJunkMail]

18. the dogs are not abused

just outside animals. They have adequate shelter and are loved on very much...just a nuisance...

theProdigal

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. Just cuz they have the right to have dogs

doesn't mean YOU are responsible to listen to them.

You could try a couple things:

Next time, tell them that if they don't do something, you will call the cops. And then, if it happens and they don't deal with it, call the cops. I'm sure it's illegal where you are to have dogs barking all the damn time.


Other option - every time the dogs bark, call them. If they hang up, call 'em again. Esepcially if it's 3 am. It'll get tedious on your end, but eventually they'll tell you to stop calling, and you can say "Annoying, isn't it? Just like dog barking."

But I like the cops option much better.

[qanda]

15. The law is for the lawless

If they don't want to listen to reason, then it is time to call the Sheriff.

[Bronco69]

17. I would just call the police

and let them take care of it. I'm sure there is a noise ordinance where you live, so remind them of it. No matter what you do, don't let up. Every time they start barking call the police back. When they get tired of taking your calls, they'll take care of the dogs. I have two dogs that I rescued and the minute I hear them barking I go to see what the problem is. If nothing is wrong I bring them inside until they calm down.

[displacedtexan]

19. I got a warning because of my dog.

I didn't know she had been stung by a bee. When I got home from work, there was a warning notice on the door, which said that the next instance would carry a $250 fine. The third notice would result in her seizure.

I bought a bark collar at Petco (the kind that makes that godawful high-pitched sound).

No problems since.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

23. I SO wish they would do that

what a simple solution to this problem. How much was the collar? I would love to be able to have some suggestions (at least polite ones) to offer!

Thanks,
theProdigal

[displacedtexan]

24. About $40 plus back up batteries

Even when the batteries die, the dog doesn't know it, and she doesn't bark while we're gone. It's been great!

Warning: don't confuse the sound kind with the shock kind.

[bearfan454]

21. Get the bb gun out.

Ping their asses every time they keep your kid up all night. I have shot my neighbor's cats several times. They shit in the bed of my truck. I normally would not do that, but these guys have a cat factory across the street. Every 6 or 7 months there are newbie cats to train.

[Kamika]

26. Two words

Rat poison

[Warren Stuart]

28. Couple of nasty tactics you can use

Get a recording of Wolf calls, your local library may have it, copy it set up your stero to paly outside, when the mutts start howling, play it and that should shut them up.

There are products that repell dogs and cats, products derived from big cat urine, that will scare the bejeebers our of any domestic animal.

If the weather is harmful to the animals life, they can be charged with animal endangerment.

Finally, there should be noise ordinances in your town, if they are not being enforced, then make a noise yourself. Go to the local municipality's monthly meeting and complain bitterly.

Tell them about your daughter, promise you'll come back, be prepared to sign a complaint against your neighbors, they will hate you forever. What is more important your health or their feelings?

[adriennel]

29. in my opinion

these dogs are bored senseless. Excessive barking, digging, etc are signals the dogs are not getting enough stimulation.
my dog's not a barker, but she does mis-behave if she has not been properly exercised.

so, I would definately file a noise complaint. and if I was bold enough I would suggest to the owners that they vary the dog's routine. Are the dogs walked daily? Do they sleep most of the day?
Since your neighbors sound like jerks in the first place, this probably won't work. But I would say that if these dogs are left outside 90% of the time, you may want to call animal control or the humane society. Perhaps someone from one of these orgnizations can evalute the dog's living situation and maybe motivate the owners to take better care of their dogs.

[RebelOne]

Why don't you suggest to the owners to get

no-bark collars? They sell them at all pet stores.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

32. THANKS everyone for all the helpful (and not so helpful) suggestions

looks like a call to the local constable is in order. I just don't know what else to do. We'll give the local a chance to make this go away!

theProdigal

[qanda]

37. Also many towns offer mediation for minor disputes

This may be an option. Good Luck!

[RT Atlanta]

34. thoughts

If your neighborhood has covenants, you may find some help for your cause regarding noisy animals in there too. Also, you may want to get your neighborhood homeowner's association (again, if you have one) involved. OTherwise, I would start with a polite letter to the neighbors, reference your daughter's waking as intolerable and cc the animal control office.

[Missy Vixen]

38. We have the same problem

>I guess the question is, "Just how nice should I be?"<

I've written here before about our neighbors and the noise. If it's not their car alarm going off repeatedly in the night, drum playing or dirtbikes revving, it's their two purebred dogs barking their heads off.

We know someone who owns several apartment houses and rental homes. He gave me some tremendous advice. He made some suggestions on how to fix the problem (repeated airhorn blasts, anyone?) but then told me that I'd better be ready for the fallout from anything we did that wasn't police-sanctioned. As a result, we're going the "call the cops" route. Over and over and over, till this couple, the car alarm, their dogs, the drums and the dirtbikes get the message that they will be cited repeatedly till they either move or the noise is gone.

If you have an animal rights group in your area, give them a call about the neighbor's barking dogs. I'm sure they'll follow up.

I'd also look at earmuffs or headphones at bedtime for your little one. If earplugs would work, try those.

Julie

[geniph]

40. Definitely call the cops

Noise complaints after 10 p.m. are part of their job. The owners are generally given three chances to rectify the situation, then the animals are taken to a humane society or animal shelter. The owners can get them back, but they generally pay a hefty fine and have to keep them under control in future.

Dogs are pack animals. They don't belong in doggy jail in the backyard. They belong with their pack, which is the family they belong to. It's nothing short of abusive to keep them forever isolated in doggy jail.

For your daughter, I'd get an air cleaner or something for her room that makes white noise to help cover the occasional bark or other slip-up.

An owner that doesn't deal with an incessantly barking dog is someone who shouldn't have a dog. That's one of the responsibilities of pet ownership; you keep your animal from being a nuisance to others. That means not letting it run loose, dig up the neighbor's garden, crap in their kids' sandbox, bite the mailman, or make excessive amounts of noise.