What to do if your neighbors dogs is barking CONSTANTLY!

You love where you live and you love “most” of your neighbors but the guy that lives next to you has a dog that barks all day while he is at work.  What do you do to “keep the peace” in the neighborhood?

First off, most dogs bark because they are bored to death or they may be a puppy that is just getting used to its surroundings.  You may want to first start off by chatting with your neighbor and bringing it to his attention as to what is going on while he is at work.  He may be unaware that the problem exists.  When you bring it up to him, suggest that he take Fido on a run or to the dog park to tire him out before he leaves for work. 

You can also suggest a local dog walker that can come and get Fido for a mid-afternoon romp.  Dogs need more activity than just being put in the back yard.  That does not mentally stimulate the dog enough to tire them out.  They need an organized activity to do. There are also many “games” that you can buy that you hide treats in and that keeps the dog busy while you are away.

If this first approach does not yield the results that you are looking for and the Police Departments  do not respond to barking dog calls then your next step would be to either contact your home owners association or the Neighborhood Code Compliance Department. The Code Compliance will mail you out a form but beware that they will ask for information from at least two households in the immediate vicinity that are being affected by the barking dog. They will also want to know what steps that you have taken to control the problem, keep track of all actions that you have taken.   An investigator will then be assigned and will take steps to get the situation under control.  This may take a little while and as you can imagine, may cause bitterness between neighbors.

Education is key in these situations.  If the dog is inside, you may want to let your neighbor know that there are dog barking devices that you can plug into the wall that emits a signal or sends off a scent that the dog despises when the dog barks and that may help quite Fido.  There are, of course, bark collars that can be worn if nothing else is working. 

But the first step is giving practical options like exercise, toys and dog walking or boarding services that will keep Fido occupied and stimulated so that they won’t feel the need to reach out for attention. 

Good Luck!!  Let us know what worked for you!

A TIRED DOG IS A HAPPY DOG……..