Neighbors incessant dog barking

[stampsx2]

Looking for some Calgary puck advice.

I have a neighbor with five dogs. Every morning he takes his dogs for separate walks two at a time at 6am. While he’s walking his dogs, the ones that stay at home in the backyard bark and howl until he gets back. Can’t tell you how frustrating it can get. Sometimes they’ll bark when another dog goes by while i’m trying to get some quiet time on my deck.

I’ve tried to talk to him and it helps for a few days but eventually the problem returns.

I don’t want to go the by law route because i’m not sure if it would even help and even if it would i’d prefer to exhaust every other option. Even looked at dog silencers cause i’m running out of ideas.

Has anyone had an issue like this before? Any ideas i might not have thought of?

Thanks in advance

[SutterBrother]

Not specific to dogs, but over time (since college) I have found the best way to deal with the noise of others is to play white noise when sleeping and drown them out. Works for early morning honkers, garbage trucks, motorcyles, and waanna be DJs who live next door.

Easier than trying to alter the behavior of others or starting a bylaw feud with a neigbour.

“Alexa volume 9. Play white noise” DONE.

Anyway works for me.

[Regulator75]

[PaperBagger'14]

The humane society follows the animal protections act, which primarily looks at 4 things before seizing animals. I'm paraphrasing here but you'll get the gist of it:

1) Access to food and water
2) Access to adequate shelter
3) Access to vet care

I'm sure there's more to it than that but that's my low level understanding of it and it doesn't sound like it applies here. Since you've tried talking to him, the only other idea I have is maybe you could clicker train them?

It's a positive reinforcement technique where once they perform the task you want, you push a button on a clicker device and then give them a treat. It's not gonna be a quick fix but it would work over time. Karen Pryor is a well regarded dog trainer,none of that Cesar Milan crap. Maybe this is something you and ypur neighbor could work on together.

https://www.clickertraining.com/node/3968

[stampsx2]

How about a dog silencer? Do those work? Are they humane?

[Ahuch]

I'm a big dog person, but 5 dogs seems like too much. At least he's walking them so he's above a lot of other dog owners...

[Northendzone]

He has 5 dogs in a house in the city.

This is a neighbor who does not care much about noise

[calgarywinning]

I thought I had it bad. My neighbour has a single terrier who barks the minute they leave at the front glass door until they return. Occasionally stopping for hydration for 5 minutes. The dog is suffering from separation anxiety and I feel bad for the dog, but every day, 8-10 hours of constant yipping.

I think i'll just mail an anonymous letter and say not sure if your dog is in distress, but when you leave it can't cope and the noise starts.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

I thought I had it bad. My neighbour has a single terrier who barks the minute they leave at the front glass door until they return. Occasionally stopping for hydration for 5 minutes. The dog is suffering from separation anxiety and I feel bad for the dog, but every day, 8-10 hours of constant yipping.

I think i'll just mail an anonymous letter and say not sure if your dog is in distress, but when you leave it can't cope and the noise starts.

What a horrible life for an animal. Anyone who has suffered from acute anxiety can relate. To be in that position 8-10 hours per day on most days for your entire life would be absolute hell.

[photon]

My parents watched my sister's dog while she was away, it barked constantly when it wasn't being entertained. To the point the neighbours asked if it was my parents' dog and that it was bothering them, I felt so bad even though I knew the date the dog was leaving. I don't understand how people can just just let their dog bark and bother everyone else (let alone not care the dog is obviously not happy).

Seems to me there's a root cause of why the dogs are barking that should be addressed. Are they hungry? Thirsty? Anxious? Bored? The neighbour should be figuring out what the root cause is and addressing it. Dogs usually bother more than just the immediate neighbours, maybe coming to them with signatures from more neighbours in combination with a solution (help in that clicker training, or maybe they can get some help with training https://www.barkbusters.ca/calgary-dog-training/) will result in a bigger effort to fix it.

[Swift]

Originally Posted by Ahuch

At least he's walking them so he's above a lot of other dog owners...

No kidding. Neighbours on our street have a beautiful husky and I've never seen them walk it once. They occasionally take it out to the front lawn on a leash and that's it. A dog like that surely needs a ton of exercise.

Also on our street is a dog that barks at every single person that walks past, jumping up and down as if to attack, and yet when you pass it on the street when the owner is walking it, it's perfectly well behaved. Like night and day. Unfortunately, my wife says she's seen the owner (old European guy) hit the dog.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by stampsx2

How about a dog silencer? Do those work? Are they humane?

The article I posted mentions them somewhere in it and said they are basically useless, I have no experience with them and neither does my wife who's the most qualified animal person I know. She has a specialty diploma in animal behavior and she preaches by clicker training.

[Macman]

You can also report to 311 and they’ll send them a letter I believe.
I also don’t think someone should have that many dogs and then not be aware that all that barking could bother people.

[Sliver]

As it happens, this is my area of expertise.

First off, you've already made a mistake by talking to the owners. That never works. Anybody inconsiderate enough to let a problematic dog bother you isn't going to be considerate enough to accommodate you with solutions. Never engage these people. Best to leave yourself with plausible deniability that you're being bothered to maintain a neighbourly relationship.

So now, start keeping a log of dates and times of barking. You need to do this for 30 days. Then call bylaw, but whatever you do, don't raise it as a complaint about the dog. Even though it's actually illegal for a dog to bark in city limits, there are too many dog nutters working in bylaw enforcement that you won't get anywhere with them trying to get them in trouble because you're annoyed. They simply won't enforce the bylaw and they'll treat you like the #######. The good news is you can use their dog nuttiness against them. Call in with your deep concern for the welfare of the animals. Give them your log along with you concern that the animals are being neglected and mistreated evidenced by how upset they are.

Failing all that, shoot the fataing pos dogs with ice cubes out of a sling shot. The evidence melts and you're in the clear.

Don't bother with any of the high-pitched dog barking deterrents. They don't work. I had one facing my neighbour's place when we had this problem and it was 100% useless even on the most sensitive setting and highest volume deterrent sound.

[Delthefunky]

we had a neighbour leave a us a kind note saying our dog barked when we weren't home during the day -- she's a nurse and works nights. I immediately told her we were sorry and we'd do whatever we had to do. We tried a citronella collar (about $100) and it worked like a freakin charm. Put it on him once, and about 30 mins later he came running through the dog door smelling like lemons. it had an immediate effect and id say he figured it out within 3 days that if he barked he got a little shot of spray -- she says he hasn't bugged her since.

[Slava]

L

Originally Posted by Sliver

As it happens, this is my area of expertise.

First off, you've already made a mistake by talking to the owners. That never works. Anybody inconsiderate enough to let a problematic dog bother you isn't going to be considerate enough to accommodate you with solutions. Never engage these people. Best to leave yourself with plausible deniability that you're being bothered to maintain a neighbourly relationship.

So now, start keeping a log of dates and times of barking. You need to do this for 30 days. Then call bylaw, but whatever you do, don't raise it as a complaint about the dog. Even though it's actually illegal for a dog to bark in city limits, there are too many dog nutters working in bylaw enforcement that you won't get anywhere with them trying to get them in trouble because you're annoyed. They simply won't enforce the bylaw and they'll treat you like the #######. The good news is you can use their dog nuttiness against them. Call in with your deep concern for the welfare of the animals. Give them your log along with you concern that the animals are being neglected and mistreated evidenced by how upset they are.

Failing all that, shoot the fataing pos dogs with ice cubes out of a sling shot. The evidence melts and you're in the clear.

Don't bother with any of the high-pitched dog barking deterrents. They don't work. I had one facing my neighbour's place when we had this problem and it was 100% useless even on the most sensitive setting and highest volume deterrent sound.

With regard to this bolded part, that seems highly suspect. Maybe that’s a bylaw that you’d like to see in place, but it can’t possibly be a real bylaw?

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Slava

With regard to this bolded part, that seems highly suspect. Maybe that’s a bylaw that you’d like to see in place, but it can’t possibly be a real bylaw?

You're fair to question that. I should have cited my source.

Right here.

Relevant quote:

As a dog owner, you must ensure your dog does not:

Bite anyone
Injure anyone
Chase, threaten or attack a person or animal
Bark or howl causing disturbance
Cause damage to property or animals
Scatter garbage

[Slava]

Haha, that’s awesome. I mean I can play music in my backyard, but if I was playing music and it causes a disturbance it’s against a bylaw.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Slava

Haha, that’s awesome. I mean I can play music in my backyard, but if I was playing music and it causes a disturbance it’s against a bylaw.

Slava if you play spice girls one more god damn time I'm calling you in

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Sliver

You're fair to question that. I should have cited my source.

Right here.

Relevant quote:

Qualified by “causing disturbance”. It’s not an outright bark ban.