Bark bark bark

My neighbors must have been out of town last night. I saw the husband leaving around 6:00 last night with a friend. I just assumed he was going clubbing (as was his habit before the baby) I don't know where the wife and baby are.

Anyhoooo.....

When they go out and are not home, they cage their two doxies. And the male barks from the time they leave til the the time they get home. Which since they didn't come home last night means he barked allll night. I think I got an hour's worth of sleep because I could hear the barking as if he was in our bedroom. He's STILL barking and its 6:30 AM. At some point, he's going to have to give himself laryngitis (sp?)

I NEEDED to get a good night sleep last night because today is the store's Grand Opening. Its going to be a MAD HOUSE. I already feel a migraine coming on from lack of sleep (one of my MAJOR migraine triggers.)

What, if anything, can I say to them about the pup's barking? I simply cannot go through another night like this. I can understand a certain amount of barking, but 12 continous hours worth? I'm starting to have not-so-friendly thought of what to do to that dog. :o :mad:

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Originally Posted by catnapper

I'm starting to have not-so-friendly thought of what to do to that dog. :o :mad:

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:mad: :(

I'm disappointed in you.

Please remember that it is NOT the dogs fault that it is barking all night. He is more unhappy than you are. And please don't assume the circumstances that the owners left him. Is this the first time he has barked all night?? Maybe an emergency came up for them or something, and that is why they weren't home.

That's why I'm glad I have cats. You don't have to walk them. And you don't have neighbors complaining about their barking.

I do hope you got SOME sleep. I'd definitely talk to them, if they're the kind of neighbors you can talk to. Just explain the situation nicely (as nicely as possible). If they get obnoxious or the barking continues, call ACO. Let THEM deal with it.

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I'm starting to have not-so-friendly thought of what to do to that dog.

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:eek: Please direct your anger toward the owner! ;) I'd try talking to them, if possible. (I know there's no talking to some people) then I would report it to the police. There should be a nuisance law where you live and all night noise is ,indeed ,a nuisance.

We had similar problems when we lived in the apartments. We had to talk to the dog's owners. And don't worry Kim, when I posted about it on here, I got the same responses - people got mad at me for being mad at the dogs :rolleyes: ;) . . . anyway, I would suggest those little foamy ear plugs if the owners don't do anything about it. They do work wonders. Just make sure that your alarm is near your head or you won't hear it cause they do block out any and all sound! Or tell someone to wake you up!

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people got mad at me for being mad at the dogs :rolleyes: ;) .

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Just to make it clear, I'm not mad at Kim. :rolleyes: I too have had barking dog problems before and had to 'remind' myself it's not their fault. ;)

Talk to the owners, ask them to consider crating them inside!

Kim,
I totally feel for you. Totally. I have this same problem with many of my neighbors. We live on very small city lots. I could thow a softball and hit most of the houses backdoors, with no problem, and I don't have a good arm.

My one neighbor's most barky dog died several months ago. YES, I was sad about the death, but, not about the barking. I think maybe it might have to do with not having dogs ourselves that makes the barking more significant?

My other neighbor has left her chow mix (breed mentioning is significant for reasons I will explain in a moment) outside when she leaves for the hours at a time. This dog, whom I adore, barks, barks and barks. Last weekend, we reached a whopping high of 42 degrees. He sat outside for 3 hours. He woke Jonah twice from his nap (and, trust me, this is probably the biggest issue for a full time working mom- no naps, or, a cranky kid). This dog, despite being a chow mix, is reguarly shaved down, AND, lives inside most of the time. So, his coat isn't super thick, as you might expect. I left her a VERY terse voice mail. I told her I would be happy to let the dog in and out as often as once an hour. I told her that it was totally inconsiderate, that I have told her this before, and that I hoped we could come to an understanding. I, too, had very bad thoughts about the dog.

She stopped me in the driveway a few days later, said she never remembered me saying anything about him barking non stop- crap- I used her housekey to let him in! Duh. Of course I mentioned it to her. Her dog was sitting in her house when she came home last time. She then said, "well, it really wasn't that cold out", and last? "Well, he wouldn't come inside, what could I do"?

Maybe walk the ten steps it would take to cross our yards and get him? I dunno, just a thought. :mad: :mad: Oh, yeah, and why I am at it- walk your dog once a month, please! Give him some exercise! But, that is another thread.

Maybe it is just the people on my street and the one behind me. But, if I had to base my opinion of dog owners on these two streets alone, I would say dog owners don't seem to care that their dogs bark, bark and bark. 2 am, 6 am, 3 pm, it doesn't seem to matter. Why I can hear it as plain as day and they can't is beyond me. I know dogs bark. I am not asking for complete quiet. But, if your dog has been barking 10 minutes- bring it inside.

If I were you, I would try a very nice note, or phone message, with the offer to let them in/out, or babysit them...they won't take you up on it, and they will have a hard time being nasty with you when you are being so polite to them.

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Originally Posted by catnapper

I'm starting to have not-so-friendly thought of what to do to that dog. :o :mad:

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Kim I think what bothered people is this line from your post. Maybe if you added a couple of :rolleyes: instead of :mad: it might have not taken on such a tone. I know you would never hurt a furkid. :)

I think Cataholic has a terrific idea. Bring the subject up carefully and then see if you could volunteer to leave him out or bring him in or whatever, a few times a day when you are home and they aren't. Of course this would involve an element of trust if they were to give you a house key and some people might not want to do that. I think the main thing is to speak to them in a non-emotional way and they will be more receptive. I am SO AWARE of my dogs' barking and ESPECIALLY in the morning or late at night. I hate letting them out at those times in case they spy a squirrel or critter in the woods. Of course once the barking starts they are called inside. Good luck and I hope you get some rest!

Wow, you've got a dog yourself. you should know it's not the dog's fault. Talk to your neighbors and if that doesn't work, make complaints to animal services.

I had a problem with this with an old neighbor it was at night all people home and it just barked and barked No one did any thing ,asked them to do something didn't . So I started calling them in the night and just hung the phone out the window for a few mintues after a few times they fixed it alright another dog. 2 barkers guess what phone out the window 5 mintues . after about 3 nights dogs were gone. Quiet huaaaaa

Like others said, it is NOT the dogs fault. I would just talk to the owners about it.

I have never understood how people like that don't hear their dog bark.. I bet if it were YOUR dog barking they would hear it in a heartbeat.. Maybe they have the dog on the other side of their house from where they sleep? I think that phone calling of the dog barking is a great idea if talking to them don't help. Let THEM be kept awake and see what happens.

But I would try to talk to them as unemotional as possiable about it first and let them know that lack of sleep is a trigger for those awful migranes so it is not just a lack of sleep you are having to deal with. I would end with "and being the good neighbor you are, I know you will figure out how to solve this delima we find ourselves in...." (if he is otherwise a good neighbor)

You guys calm down, she's just venting! I highly doubt she actually hurt the dog! I know I've said stuff like that before as well, saying stuff can help from physically doing something, that's the point of venting.
Now with that said!

I'm so sorry you have a horrible night! I know that when my doxie, Marty, gets locked up to long(this is usually and only at bed time) He'll start barking. It CAN get annoying and keep you awake, for such a small dog he does have a big bark! :p We usually just tell him to shut up and he quiets right up and goes to sleep. Either that or (my dad is whipped by him) my dad will get up and let him out of his cage and stay up with him.

Ok, I'm exhausted, have a killer migraine and not even gonna pretend I read all the replies.

I got less than 2 hours sleep, busted butt at work, and was greeted home by those two barking at me from their short leash in the backyard. I KNOW the parents just went out -- him to go clubbing. He was with his clubbing buddies. When he does that, she often goes to her mom's for the night to avoid a fight. I've lived next to them for long enough to know the routine... though they haven't done it since the baby. When she's home she is constantly on those dogs to stop barking. She is very conscious of their barking, ESPECIALLY with the baby.

NO, its not the dog's fault. In fact I think they treat the dogs AWFULLY. They don't have the time or patience to train them properly. Heck, he's not even neutered after I explained she needed to neuter him. They pee allll over the place when out of the cages. Which is why they cage them. Onc caged, the girl dog pees on the blankets everywhere and ends up covered in her own pee. Its utterly disgusting. The poor dogs are caged about 20 hours a day. The other 4 hours are tied to something in the yard.

And ya know what? After 10,000 posts, I am a bit disappointed you all took my last sentence as a threat to the dogs. My god you all should know by now my sense of honor and complete devotion to animals. I'm not gonna comment on that one further.

I'm sorry if I took it wrongly but, if it wasn't meant that way than what was it meant for? I don't think you'd harm animals, not even after reading that sentence - but, I love all animals to death and I'd never imagine saying something like that. It's just not something you say on a pet forum, regardless of your intentions. Calm down when posting and take a moment to think about what you've typed.

You know I like you as a person, Kim. However, it's not the first time i've seen or heard something against dogs said by you, whether you have a dog or not... and personally I take a high offense to it.



If these dogs are caged 20 hours a day and tied to something the other 4, like you've said, then you definitely need to devote yourself and have something done about these people. That's no life for a dog and there's no wonder why he barks all the time.

*edited to add* I'm not trying to argue or make you upset, just trying to get you to see where I was coming from.

Hey Kim, I understand how you feel when a barking dog keeps you awake all night. We've had some neighbors who must be totally deaf. Anyway, sorry about your rough night and hard day.

I know you don't mean anything bad about the dogs and your beef with is the neighbors.

As for trying to help the dogs I know that can be extremely hard without crossing some major lines or coming up against a brick wall. I've been told to butt out that it isn't my business and I found out that animal control won't help unless the dogs are running loose or skin and bones from starving. I guess they don't consider being on a 6 foot chain 24 hours a day with little shelter to be abuse. :mad:

The Animal Control people would & have responded to "barking Dog"
calls in Indy. They don't take the dog away, but after a warning notice
they will fine the dog's owners.Maybe if started to cost them money. they
would do right by the dog & the neighbors. Good luck. :)

Sigh,
First off, I am in so much pain right now.... migraine in all its glory.

I know the Humane Society HAS been called on them. My neighbors on the other side do NOT like them. Obviously, nothing has been done about the situation. The dogs are well fed, walked daily and have all current shots up to date. They could not proove abuse.

I am in the unfortunate situation since we have become friends over the past two or three years and the dogs is the one thing we've disagreed on. They treated them like babies when they first moved here. She bred her female because "she was carrying her stuffed animals around like she wanted pups, so we let her get pregnant" :rolleyes: :rolleyes: He is still unneutered. I have countless times tried to politely help her train them. Always fell on deaf ears. They got worse after the baby was born and went from being caged for half the day to basically all day long. She was terrified their occasional peeing would make the baby sick and the dogs for whatever reason started to pee constantly :( I could go on and on.... but basically it falls down to the fact that I have TRIED to talk to them and I really can't push her any more. Perhaps now that I'll be going for my dog training certification she'll be more open to my suggestions?

It would be so much easier to call them and shout "would you please stop them barking?" if we did not have a friendly relationship. Heck, I have a key to their house and wanted so badly to move those dogs over to my house just so they could sleep in a room, on a soft human bed. But I couldn't. Its not my place to do that. If they saw me do that, they'd think I was being condescending and telling them what bad people they are. They think "its just a dog".

I am frustrated with the whole situation, and my current migraine does not help, especially since they are the reason for today's migraine. I collapsed for a two hour nap right afte my first response, and I still don't feel any better for it. I'll most likely need 12 hours sleep tonight, which I intend to get right after I hit "submit reply"

PS: IF we called the police or someone about the barking dogs, they'd KNOW it was us because the dogs were inside, caged in the dining room. Since our house shares a common wall, we're the only ones in the world who;d have heard them barking. Its not as easy as you'd think it is. We already called the cops on them once when he was hitting her. I think I wrote about them and abuse before. I'm just stuck. Perhaps now you see a little more into the whole story and can appreciate my frustrations. Perhaps not. :(

Kim,
I have found neither the police, nor animal control, to be of any use. I would try to talk to them. It is nearly the only thing you can do.

FYI- I just sat through an entire nursing session with Jonah...he would stop about every minute or two, and say "doggie"...yep. For 30 minutes, the dogs next door barked. I must have the only set of canine ears around!

Kim, I know it was just a figure of speech as we all get pushed to the max and end up saying something like that but in NO way mean it. I know those migraines do not help and you are terriably fustrated at the whole situation.

It sounds to me that they seriously do not want those dogs if they are keeping them caged 20 hours a day and chained the other 4 hours. No wonder the poor dogs are barking to high heaven! It happens far to often when people have babies that their animals are shoved in the background and just about forgotten about. WHY even have a dog if you are going to keep it in a darn cage??!! My heart breaks for those poor dogs and for you to have to suffer because of their rotten owners.

Doggie Day Care! Doggie Day Care! Research the possibilities in your area for Doggie Day Care, and present it to them as an alternative. Are their teenagers in the neighborhood who might be paid to take the dogs for a long walk each day, or play with them for a couple hours a day?

A tired dog is a quiet dog.

A bored, lonely dog is a noisy dog!

Try to explain to them that youknowthe dogs are "just dogs," so they don't understand why they get no attention right now, or why they get left alone. They are intelligent creatures with nothing to do all day. How would THEY (the people) like it?

A friend of mine has a german shepard that they leave in the backyard while they are at work, she barks quite a bit and my friend had aminal control called on them. I have talked to her about crating her but they don't want to do that.

They enrolled her in a doggie day care, they just started this so I am not sure how it will go but it is probably the most humane alternative for the dog. It isn't cheap though, they are paying $400 a month.

The idea of Doggy Daycare would be great, only they wont pay for it, and she works from home... there really is no excuse for their treatment. The sad fact is that they became very unimportant since the baby was born. They also treated the dogs VERY different when their puppy was alive (he died suddenly last year right before the baby was born) The puppy was actually 4 years old and treated like a prince. Her atttitude towards the dogs changed drastically afterwards.

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Originally Posted by catnapper

The puppy was actually 4 years old and treated like a prince. Her atttitude towards the dogs changed drastically afterwards.

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Then maybe they should consider rehoming them, sad to say.

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Originally Posted by Karen

Then maybe they should consider rehoming them, sad to say.

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I've thought of that. I don't know how to bring uo the subject. I think she wouldn't do it out of guilt. If that makes any sense. To her, rehoming them would be admiting she doesn't love them anymore, and she wouldn't admit that to herself. Though we all know that it would be the ultimate act of love to rehome them where they'd be happy.

I am certain that if they were rehomed that they'd not have the peeing problems like they do now. Sure, they'd still pee, but not to the extent they do now. Hubby was commenting tonight how he doesn't go over there beause the house just radiates dog pee. They have a super-deluxe big screen TV and hubby would die to watch all these football games on it. The husband is watching the same games my hubby is, and has often told my hubby to come watch with him, but he keeps turning them down. Not because he doesn't like them... but because he can't stand the constant and deep smell of dog pee.

For the longest time, I kept cursing myself thinking I wasn't doing a good enough job on the litterboxes. Well, it turns out the smell from their side permeated to OUR side of the wall (we share one common wall that divides the two homes). How did we finally figure it out? Outside the issue that the litterboxes themselves don't smell; they had a problem with their heaters and the smell of gas came over to our side. Then they called me once when I had spraypainted something in the house to see if I was spraypainting. So obviously odors travel from one side to the other.

Anyhooo.... as if smells were such a fascinating part of the story! :p

I just feel for these pups. I have not seen them since the whole thing Friday night. I am certain they KNOW the dogs barked all night while they were gone. I think they are too embarassed to face me. I knew they were outside today and when I walked out, they ran back in. Not too obvious :rolleyes:

Yeah.. I can understand why you would be upset, so everyone just take a deeeeeep breath! hehe :)

My neighbours Yorkies bark all the time and I too find it EXTREMELY annoying. There are many things the owners can do to keep their dogs quiet. But I do understand some dogs (especially small ones) are very vocal.

Maybe next time your neighbours go out you can offer to dogsit them at your place?

uhh already am having a headache from reading all of this, your pain in neck neighbors.. :(

I either won't know what else to do or offer if I've tried everything too. first, good ideas from above - talking into them with sugars about dogday care or rehoming them - if nothing good comes in, can't you call and bother until you find someone who cares!! grrr..........

that's one thing I thank for goodness I can't hear...sigh.

Show the neighbors this thread, might shake them up a bit and make them see the problem from others' points of view.