WWYD about this neighbor/dog barking situation?

[melissel]

Last summer our rear neighbors adopted a large German Shepherd. It's very large and very loud, and definitely a protective dog--not friendly at all, even when we were there with the owners, trying to give it its own treats.

 

I'm not concerned about the safety issue, because we have a 6-foot privacy fence. The problem is that the dog has a dog door, so it can come and go outside as it pleases, and it barks the entire time it's outside. DH went out to start taking the cover off the pool, and the dog has been barking since he walked out (around 30 minutes). Our next-door neighbor, who shares part of their backyard line, had a 6-foot fence installed so the dog couldn't see him doing yard work anymore, hoping to stop the barking, but it didn't. He says if the dog's out and even hears his voice from his own kitchen window, it starts barking. The dog owners' next-door neighbors have complained, as well as other neighbors too, I think.

 

So last fall they started being more conscientious and speaking to the dog as soon as it barked. Great. Over the winter it didn't matter much because all the windows were closed. Great. Now, the wife has gone back to work, so the dog is home alone all day with free access to the yard. Our neighbor spoke to her again, and she said they didn't try a bark collar, but that they put up some ultrasonic preventative or something. Neighbor said, how about keeping him inside? They don't feel that it's fair to keep him cooped up inside all day :001_huh:

 

So neighbor is planning to go to the township. I'm wondering whether I should write the owners a polite letter first. Through all this, we hadn't said anything because it was already being "handled." I'm debating whether yet another neighbor complaining might actually provoke them to resolve the issue, or whether, after everything that has been said, they're going to need an authority to force them to make a change.

 

WWYD? Would you write a letter, or would you just let neighbor go to the township about it? (And it has to be a letter, because when I'm ticked off, I don't across very politely and wouldn't help the situation much, no matter how hard I try *sigh*)

 

TIA.

[Hedgehog]

Last summer our rear neighbors adopted a large German Shepherd. It's very large and very loud, and definitely a protective dog--not friendly at all, even when we were there with the owners, trying to give it its own treats.

 

I'm not concerned about the safety issue, because we have a 6-foot privacy fence. The problem is that the dog has a dog door, so it can come and go outside as it pleases, and it barks the entire time it's outside. DH went out to start taking the cover off the pool, and the dog has been barking since he walked out (around 30 minutes). Our next-door neighbor, who shares part of their backyard line, had a 6-foot fence installed so the dog couldn't see him doing yard work anymore, hoping to stop the barking, but it didn't. He says if the dog's out and even hears his voice from his own kitchen window, it starts barking. The dog owners' next-door neighbors have complained, as well as other neighbors too, I think.

 

So last fall they started being more conscientious and speaking to the dog as soon as it barked. Great. Over the winter it didn't matter much because all the windows were closed. Great. Now, the wife has gone back to work, so the dog is home alone all day with free access to the yard. Our neighbor spoke to her again, and she said they didn't try a bark collar, but that they put up some ultrasonic preventative or something. Neighbor said, how about keeping him inside? They don't feel that it's fair to keep him cooped up inside all day :001_huh:

 

So neighbor is planning to go to the township. I'm wondering whether I should write the owners a polite letter first. Through all this, we hadn't said anything because it was already being "handled." I'm debating whether yet another neighbor complaining might actually provoke them to resolve the issue, or whether, after everything that has been said, they're going to need an authority to force them to make a change.

 

WWYD? Would you write a letter, or would you just let neighbor go to the township about it? (And it has to be a letter, because when I'm ticked off, I don't across very politely and wouldn't help the situation much, no matter how hard I try *sigh*)

 

TIA.

 

Well I'm going to give my 2 cents worth, because we had a German Shepherd and I know the breed pretty well from long before that.

 

There is no way on God's good earth that that dog should be at home by itself with the owner working all day. GSDs are highly intelligent dogs and they need stimulation - use of their intelligence. Generally speaking, GSD behaviour deteriorates when the dog is left alone for prolonged periods of time. We got our GSD from a family whose commitments were increasing and they KNEW they couldn't deal with the effects of leaving their dog all day while they worked; hence they put her up for rehoming (our gain.. she was gorgeous :001_wub: ) So that's the first thing.

 

Secondly, no dog should be an inconvenience to an average neighbor (I'm not talking about nutjobs, which you clearly aren't, I'm talking the average bod who doesn't care to listen to a dog barking for half an hour). A dog - particularly one that bright - can be taught to be quiet and not bark continuously; it can also be taught to accept people into its home who its owner accepts. It's antisocial and rude on the part of your neighbour to allow this dog to be a nuisance; what they're doing is letting the dog's frustration at being alone affect their neighbours, instead of dealing with it themselves (paying for a dog walker, or in-home doggy day care).

 

So here's what I'd do: write that letter, with all the information you can get. Push it, because it's not acceptable on the part of your neighbour, and that dog needs better care than what it's being given at the moment.

:rant:

 

ETA: I'm not usually this vocal.. I just can't stand to see/know about animals being poorly treated (especially my favourite breed :001_smile: ).

[VeteranMom]

I'd write a letter, too. The dog is a nuisance. The dog's owner needs to know that all the neghbors agree that the barking dog is a problem.

[Tammyla]

I'll commiserate with you. Our neighbor has a beagle that barks for pleasure, and he must be the happiest dog on earth. (They think it's cute:glare:)

[5LittleMonkeys]

I would write the letter and maybe give the neighbor who is going to the township a copy of it. That way he can show the township that it isn't just him that has an issue with the dog. In fact could all the neighbors sign a petition or something?

 

I hope you all can get something resolved.

[jujsky]

I would wait. If you know your other neighbor is going to the Town about this, and you write a letter out of the blue when you've been silent up until this point, it might look like YOU went to the Town. If your neighbor doesn't end up going to the Town, then I would consider writing a letter.

[SonshineLearner]

I'm thinking that the barking thing is like one of those "bird houses" that makes an unpleasant noise that only the dog can hear?? I'd purchase one and hang it on my back fence and see if it works.. My mom got one and it did work on the two dogs.... on both sides of her house. A small amount of money for "taking care" of the problem yourselves...

 

:)

[4wildberrys]

:lurk5: Listening closely to advice because we are planning a move soon from our very rural area to a real 'civilized' area, and we have an older Australian Shepherd who is a barker. We joke even the Dog Whisperer couldn't control her----she is AWFUL! And she will bark continuously even WITH us outside she is so headstrong. So I'm concerned about moving with her and leaving her in a hard all day if we go somewhere :001_huh:

 

I will say in one neighborhood we lived in we had a neighbor who had a rescued dog that kept in a kennel ALL DAY while they worked and went to school----and that dog barked all.day.long too:glare:

[5LittleMonkeys]

I'm thinking that the barking thing is like one of those "bird houses" that makes an unpleasant noise that only the dog can hear?? I'd purchase one and hang it on my back fence and see if it works.. My mom got one and it did work on the two dogs.... on both sides of her house. A small amount of money for "taking care" of the problem yourselves...

 

:)

 

Never heard of this...could you elaborate?

[msjones]

We had major barking dog issues with our neighbor. So, I feel your pain.

 

I would gather up as much maturity, patience, and polite professionalism as possible and go speak directly to the dog owner.

 

I see that you would really prefer not to...hmmm...is there another neighbor who is more of the 'ambassador' type?

 

I think it makes a big difference to have a human, face-to-face conversation about conflicts like this. There's a chance that the owner really doesn't realize the extent of everyone's aggravation. It may be that as soon as she realizes how upset everyone is, she'll work to find a solution.

 

It took years for us, but the neighbor has finally started using some kind of collar that stops the barking. She also no longer lets him out for hours in the middle of the night. Thank goodness. It had been years since we'd had good sleep because of that little screecher.

[Daisy]

Would the dog bark if it got to know you and didn't see you as a threat? Our neighborhood is very friendly, thankfully. Whenever someone gets a new dog, they walk it around the neighborhood and greet everyone. Our neighbor recently did this with their German Shepherd. It smelled all of us, got a nice pat on the head, played with the kids, etc. When the kids and I walked by their back fence it never barks.

[melissel]

Thanks everyone. I see DH talking to Next-Door Neighbor now, so it may be that he's already called the township. He mentioned doing it today, but I was hoping he might put it off a bit so I could decide.

 

Daisy, this dog is all protective instinct. We tried to be friendly, and the owners gave us some of his treats to give him. He wouldn't even eat them, just growled and stared us down, and let the treats drop to the ground. (I'm reasonably sure that's why they got him--his name is Ruger.) Even if he could get to know us personally, he barks at everything--trucks going by, people walking (lots of walkers in the neighborhood, of all ages), neighbors doing yard work, etc., so it wouldn't solve the problem. He really does seem to distrust Next-Door Neighbor too and goes nuts when he goes outside. I knew the privacy fence wouldn't help the barking, but I also knew the 4-foot chain link would not protect Next-Door Neighbor should that dog decide to jump the fence!

[Harriet Vane]

I would write the letter and maybe give the neighbor who is going to the township a copy of it. That way he can show the township that it isn't just him that has an issue with the dog. In fact could all the neighbors sign a petition or something?

 

I hope you all can get something resolved.

 

:iagree:

[melissel]

Hedgehog, I've never even seen them walk him :( And the irony of it all is, another set of neighbors had a dog just like this, that barked whenever it was out (they were better about being out with him though). One day, when they were walking it, it yanked away from the owner, crossed the street, and bit the dog-owner wife out of the blue! They threatened to sue the other neighbors, and that was the last time we heard any real barking from that dog. They still have him, but we almost never hear him. So it's particularly mind-boggling that they're causing this problem now :001_huh:

[BlsdMama]

I'm wondering whether I should write the owners a polite letter first.

TIA.

 

Please write first and encourage them to find a solution. (This why I'll have an opportunity to buy Legend an e-collar... Are you in OR?) :glare:

 

Are they home all day? If so, then they can stop him from barking with an e-collar. We have a large, friendly, protective G.S. His barking drives US nuts. :( An e-collar worked well for him. (It just recently broke hence the need for a new one.) But IF they are home most of the day this could resolve the problem.

 

If they aren't... Well, are they aware how MUCH of a problem this is and that more than one neighbor is bothered by it?

[Daisy]

Hedgehog, I've never even seen them walk him :( And the irony of it all is, another set of neighbors had a dog just like this, that barked whenever it was out (they were better about being out with him though). One day, when they were walking it, it yanked away from the owner, crossed the street, and bit the dog-owner wife out of the blue! They threatened to sue the other neighbors, and that was the last time we heard any real barking from that dog. They still have him, but we almost never hear him. So it's particularly mind-boggling that they're causing this problem now :001_huh:

 

That's terrible. Why do people get an incredibly active and intelligent dog like a German Shepherd only to do nothing with it. That drives me CRAZY.

[Cheryl in NM]

I agree a constantly barking dog is a nuisance. I'd make sure the dog owners know you are not happy with it and go to the township yourself if it's not resolved. The dog owners need to know that this is bothering more than 1 neighbor.

 

I did see a tiny red flag. I seemed to get the impression from your posts that the dog is more agitated by the complaining neighbor. Here's why it bothers me. We live in he country. We have 2 dogs that we left outside while we were gone about 30 hours. One of our neighbors was responsible for watching our property and feeding all the animal.s Apparently, another neighbor came nosing around, the dogs had never met this neighbor. Well, one of our dogs kept barking at intrusive neighbor after he told the dog to be quiet so he threw a shovel at the dog! This was a year ago. This dog stills barks at the neighbor and we have to constantly stand by her and calm her when he is around. She's got him pegged; he's a bad guy.

 

I'm betting nothing like this has happened, but I thought it worth mentioning.

[BlsdMama]

 

I did see a tiny red flag.

 

I'm betting nothing like this has happened, but I thought it worth mentioning.

 

I don't know... Our G.S. is a barker. However, the people who walk by on a regular basis only get a quick "alert" bark and never sustained barking. They then get the tail wagging, walk along the fenceline, awareness of the G.S. They don't get a persistent upset bark... This is reserved for things with wheels and strangers.

 

Shepherds are REALLY aware. They remember an amazing amount.

 

As to them not walking - do you live in the country or is it a small yard?

[4wildberrys]

I did see a tiny red flag. I seemed to get the impression from your posts that the dog is more agitated by the complaining neighbor. Here's why it bothers me. W She's got him pegged; he's a bad guy.

 

I'm betting nothing like this has happened, but I thought it worth mentioning.

 

I was thinking the same thing when she mentioned the one neighbor the dog really goes nuts over. Never discount the intuition of a dog....our barky dog has pegged every single 'bad' friend dd has brought over 100% accurately! Our other Aussie who we lost this winter could sense 'bad' dogs and only showed his type of aggression towards those he didn't like.