Neighbour's Howling Dog

[Antithesis]

Well, I'm looking to get some wisdom from the CP braintrust here regarding my neighbour's dog.

They have a young Husky type dog (not too young, maybe 6 months old or so) that for the past couple of days they have left outside throughout the day while they are at work. The dog howls on and off throughout the day (kind of in bursts I suppose) which is disruptive to our lives and also to my son's napping and sleeping.

I can deal with the howling while he is awake but I can not accept the dog's poor behavior while my son is trying to sleep (it wakes him up). I will admit right here that I am not at all a dog person so this is really getting my back up - and it doesn't help that it is also a source of annoyance for my 9-months pregnant wife.

The dog is not trained at all, and the only time they could possibly be taking it for walks is in the middle of the night. I am not a dog expert but I strongly suspect these two things are leading to how the dog acts.

Having looked up the City's by-laws (unbunch your panties, I'm not even considering that route yet) I know that this dog/the owners are in violation of at least 2 city by-laws.

We are friendly-ish with the neighbors and I don't want this to become a big battle, but at the same time the way the dog is acting is not tolerable. I am going to have to go over there soon to speak with them and would love some advice on how to broach this subject.

[J pold]

Remember when DESS's said we should exterminate all dogs? We should have listened.

[Antithesis]

While I wouldn't bat an eye at the successful implementation of DESS's plan, I am looking for less involved tactics at the moment.

[nik-]

[ResAlien]

Well, unless they keep him inside it's not going to end. Husky's are big time pack dogs, and will do that howl/whine pretty much nonstop if they're kept outside by themselves. Training might help it, but that's how they are. Good luck.

[Antithesis]

Unfortunately, given my thoughts on guns, it would be kind of hypocritical of me ...

[Locke]

I think Kramer and Newman are still looking for work....

[Flashpoint]

Originally Posted by Antithesis

I am going to have to go over there soon to speak with them and would love some advice on how to broach this subject.

Be honest, direct, and polite. Don't mention the bylaws, and just talk about how you have a pregnant wife and a young child, and you would appreciate some consideration on their part.

Sounds like you're a pretty good neighbour, so they'll probably respond well.

[Clever_Iggy]

I would do it in person as a note/letter seems so passive aggressive. I'd like to think that the person isn't aware of the dogs behavior or has minimized it in his/her mind.

I would also document as much as possible, dates, times, etc... that the dog is out so that if you have to take the legal route, you have something to work with (because ultimately, youre going to be told to do so anyways and this gives you the jump start).

If the initial conversation goes well, but the behavior doesn't change, send a letter/note as a follow up. Create a paper trail.

Finally, if you have the resources/time, it never hurts to get some video tape footage of the dog as a reference.

Hopefully the in person "Hey, look, this is a bit awkward, but I just have to..." works and that's the end of it.

[Regulator75]

3-1-1 or 403-266-1234

[Barnes]

Ensure that the dog has shelter and water please. It's annoying to hear a dog howl but it makes it a million times worse to know it's being mistreated.

[burn_this_city]

Give him raw licorice just before the owners come home which will cause a butthole blow out inside their house. If they leave him outside all the time call the city and have them warned by bylaw enforcement.

[Antithesis]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Ensure that the dog has shelter and water please. It's annoying to hear a dog howl but it makes it a million times worse to know it's being mistreated.

I hate to report but I have no idea where in their yard the dog would have any shelter. We live in a newer area though our houses ar about 4 years old, and their backyard is still the barren wasteland it was when we moved in.

I agree with you, both my wife and I feel badly for the dog and understand nearly all of the blame for the situation lies with the neighbors. After some brief research it turns out that not only do Huskies need daily walks but runs/more vigorous exercise. I wonder if this might be a situation where they didn't do nearly enough research into the dog before buying it.

[DOK]

We went through a similar situation. Your "good luck" is that it's a husky. They don't generally bark, but they will howl a lot (barking is worse than howling maybe?).

Anyways, we had a neighbour who insisted on leaving her dog outside every day light hour there was, in every weather condition. The poor thing didn't even have toys, it would eat pine cones. We talked nicely to them once letting them know it was a bother. This dog would bark for ages when anyone walked by (we are on a green path behind us). When we would go outside it would sit at the fence and bark until we went inside. They said they were trying to potty train it, that's why he was out so much. We let weeks go by with nothing. We told them the next time how we had troubles with our dog too and what we did to help. Hoping that it would trigger something with them. The guy was receptive, the wife was not. We left it weeks again. By the end of it we talked to them 5 times over the course of almost a year, and decided to call by-law. My other half thought it was important that they know we were doing that. He told them we were going to write down the time and duration of the barking, take picture and video and send it to by-law. The dog vanished after that. They have four kids and are a high strung couple, so the dog just did as the family did. They told us how they never wanted the dog and someone bought it for them, the told us how the uncle loved the dog but then died, so how could they get rid of him. They gave every excuse in the book.

Final word, they didn't care and weren't trying. I don't know where the dog ended up, but he's not there anymore.

You can use any one of our tactics, I'm sure more would work on reasonable people, but that's the key. You have to find out if these people care or not. If they don't, then don't bother wasting time and do what you'd like. You can't reason with the irrational. If they are rational and reasonable, they will try to help out.

General things to do include, talking to them directly, talking to neighbours to see if they are bothered as well, writing a letter from yourself, writing a letter from combined neighbours, then call by-law. By-law will tell you they will send out a warning letter to them, but within 6 months you must produce evidence of them breaking by-law (video, pictures etc), send it in and they will take over, all is anonymous.

[rubecube]

I hear Mike Vick is looking to make some extra bucks...

[Locke]

Blame their kids?

[CrusaderPi]

son of sam redux?

[Antithesis]

Originally Posted by Locke

Blame their kids?

You know, it's funny you say that, because when their adult son is there, and the dog is howling/carrying on, he antagonizes the dog (giving it attention, acting as if they are playing, yelling at it) ... which I am sure only reinforces the behavior.

Excellent thoughts from one and all here. Maybe I'll bring over a couple beers to show I'm trying to be reasonable here but unfortunately I just don't have weeks and weeks to let this go ... it's going to have to change lickety-split what with the pregnant wife/new baby and my son who is far too young to understand to just tune the dog out.

[Kidder]

[LGA]

I'd just talk to the neighbours and mention your scenario. I let my dogs out to play in the yard, but we've trained them to be quiet unless someone is acting suspicious (like unlocking our gate, or trying to climb the fence).

Hopefully you get your situation worked out without it escalating.