Barking Dogs

[Anonymous]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE - If you have a dog, don't let him/her bark in your yard all day. With this beautiful weather, it's nice to have the windows open, but the dogs begin at 6:00 am and continue ALL DAY. For those of us who can actually sleep until 7:30 or 8:00 and who are home during the day, it is so disturbing to have to listen to them.

[Anonymous]

Don't worry - in a year or two you won't even notice

I do feel for you. Our neighbors have their poor dog outside all day and often all night. I'm tempted to throw some dog toys over the fence, because clearly the dog is bored out of its mind. But after years of this, the dog barking has become background noise.

I used to fear my son wouldn't sleep. But both he and the dog have gotten so used to the barking, they don't even react. To my son, it's just the noise he hears while going to sleep. Now if any other dog barks, my dog gets up and checks out the house. It is the weirdest thing.

[Anonymous]

I'm with you - I have to keep our windows shut at night year round (even on the deliciously cool nights) because of early-morning barking dogs in our neighborhood, including the one next door. To be fair, that dog is rarely out that early, but when she is, she's a barker.

Good news is the kids actually sleep pretty soundly, but a bit less so early in the a.m. and especially if it's light out. As for me, I wear earplugs.

[Anonymous]

As a dog owner and parent of an infant, it's something I struggle with, and while it's annoying, I'd ask you to be compassionate (not saying you aren't, but...). I have had every dog trainer in the world out, tried bark collars, you name it. Guess what? Dogs bark. Now, I don't leave mine outside, but when they go out to pee, the other neighbor's otherwise quiet dog, which is always outside, starts barking, which gets them going. I can't help it. So, while you can limit the time they are out-and we do-it's nearly impossible with some dogs to stop it when they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a dog owner and parent of an infant, it's something I struggle with, and while it's annoying, I'd ask you to be compassionate (not saying you aren't, but...). I have had every dog trainer in the world out, tried bark collars, you name it. Guess what? Dogs bark. Now, I don't leave mine outside, but when they go out to pee, the other neighbor's otherwise quiet dog, which is always outside, starts barking, which gets them going. I can't help it. So, while you can limit the time they are out-and we do-it's nearly impossible with some dogs to stop it when they are.

It's not the occasional bark that's bothersome, or the see-another-dog-start-barking. It's the constant barking for hours on end. I don't understand why people adopt dogs in order to put them outside. Isn't the dog adopted in order to live with you? And if the idea is to have a watch dog, doesn't the dog need to bond with your family in order to guard you?

[Anonymous]

As a dog owner and parent of an infant, it's something I struggle with, and while it's annoying, I'd ask you to be compassionate (not saying you aren't, but...). I have had every dog trainer in the world out, tried bark collars, you name it. Guess what? Dogs bark. Now, I don't leave mine outside, but when they go out to pee, the other neighbor's otherwise quiet dog, which is always outside, starts barking, which gets them going. I can't help it. So, while you can limit the time they are out-and we do-it's nearly impossible with some dogs to stop it when they are

I would guess you were my brand-new neighbor, except they don't have an infant. I'm a dog owner, too, so I get barking and I think dogs make our lives richer, so you won't hear my rage that everyone should just get rid of the dirty creatures ...

Here's what I would say to you: Don't take the dog out to bark its head off before the time construction is allowed to start in your jurisdiction. aka, noise ordinance time. Usually that's 8 a.m., sometimes 7:30? Think it's 8 a.m. in residential areas of the District. Don't send your dog out to bark its face off at 6:15 a.m. Make them wait to pee -- unless he's a puppy, he can hold it another hour. If he can't now then you undertake to train him, because in a civil society you don't wake up your neighbors every single day and say 'whoopsy daisy, gee I guess dogs bark!!! '

Give your dog 45 seconds to pee or poop when you let him outside to bark, and then bring him back in. Every time. This will mean that you need to let him out more frequently than you're accustomed to, which is more work for you. That's OK. As a dog owner myself for 15 years I certainly know it's easier to let them out for a longer period of time and hope they eventually find their spot and feel like pooping. Yep, it's easier on YOU to open the door 1x for 10 minutes, VS. 10 different times for 1 minute. We know that. All your neighbors know that.

But someone needs to bear the brunt of what you say is an uncontrollably barking dog, and it shouldn't be us. It should be you!

Other things you can do that will stem the barking and, yes, are more work for you:

1. take more walks with Fido. It will empty his bowels and colon and he is less likely to bark during the walk.
2. Stand outside with Fido for that 45 second pee time and yank him back when he barks.
3. Walk outdoors with him when he pees in the yard and spray his face with citrus water every time he barks. Shake a can of pennies at his ear. Whatever your trainer (?) suggested ... you need to actually put on your shoes and get out there and do it every.single.time. It will work if you're consistent. If it doesn't, then your dog has neurological problems and I would worry about having him around an infant and her friends as she grows up.


So in sum, more of the pain should be on you, and not your neighbors every single day. Let's shift the pain back to you, where it rightly belongs since it's your dog and not ours. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

As someone else said, the occassional bark is understandable. But the constant - at all hours- the dog is bored and lonely barking that is annoying.

I do wonder at time which is more annoying to my neighbors, my dog barking at a squirrel or hearing me yell "Fido - No - get in here now".

[Anonymous]

The person with the long-ass rant? Wow. I think the person you're responding to is talking about a few occasional barks. Guess what kids, you live in the city. It's one thing to bitch and moan about a neglected dog (as is OP), but another to expect others to preserve your sound-bubble. And I should add, this comes from a person whose dog only barks occasionally, listens to a "hush" command, and yet I still routinely do check-ins with my neighbors to make sure they're not being disturbed. It's one thing to expect folks to be considerate, it's another thing to write a loooooong and patronizing message to someone who has already had experts helping them. Do you really think they don't know they're supposed to take Fido for walks? Hate to say it, but your post is more annoying to me than a barking dog.

[Anonymous]

1. take more walks with Fido. It will empty his bowels and colon and he is less likely to bark during the walk.
2. Stand outside with Fido for that 45 second pee time and yank him back when he barks.
3. Walk outdoors with him when he pees in the yard and spray his face with citrus water every time he barks. Shake a can of pennies at his ear. Whatever your trainer (?) suggested ... you need to actually put on your shoes and get out there and do it every.single.time. It will work if you're consistent. If it doesn't, then your dog has neurological problems and I would worry about having him around an infant and her friends as she grows up.


And by the way, do you have a dog?????????????????????? I can't imagine that you do. What a dillbag post.

[Anonymous]

I'm 8:58, and yes, I was talking about the occassional barking. Thanks to those of you who understood that (and esp. 15:23 for sticking up for me!)

To the condescending poster at 10:30 my very well-trained dogs actually do respond to a quiet command, and yes, I do go outside with them to pee. In fact, my dogs actually pee when I tell them to and in a designated spot in the yard, so trust me, your dumb ass can of pennies is about 4 years ago on our training log, but thanks anyway. And yes, I am mindful of the hours because, guess what, while I want to be considerate to you, I want even more for them not to wake up my kid. But. Dogs bark occassionally. That's what they do. (Just like kids throw temper tantrums...it just comes with the territory, and it doesn't mean they are bad kids or have bad parents. They just do.) My dogs are well exercised, well trained, and I have a large yard. They still bark. So, in sum, I'm a responsible dog owner and a considerate person, and I do everything within reason to minimize any barking. I didn't ask for your advice, and note that a lot of it is pretty bad anyway. I was simply adding another side to the conversation. And no, a legitimate trainer isn't going to tell you to spray citrus into the face of a dog for barking a few times at a neighbor's dog? Crazy.

[Anonymous]

I do feel bad for my dog on some really beautiful days and he wants to be outside. I let him out and if he stays quiet, he gets to stay outside. Dogs may want to be with the family ALOT but they also like to play outside! I give my dog about three strikes of barking and then I bring him back inside (which sometimes I have to DRAG him in). I'll be honest though, when my baby was a newborn there were times when I just couldn't get to bringing my dog back in the house when he didn't want to come in and he probably annoyed the neighbors (that were home during the day) a bit. And I have a stubborn dog who doesn't always come when called...the breed is notorious for it so its not something more training can fix.

But I agree, dogs shouldn't be left out unattended especially if barking their heads off!!

[Anonymous]

I have a rant against my neighbors. I have a dog who is a terrible barker. Therefore, we observe the following:

Don't let her in the back before 9 a.m.
Don't let her in the back after 10 p.m.
Walk her at 6:30 a.m. and before bed.
If she starts to bark outside, get her inside ASAP and within 5 minutes.

STILL, my neighbors call me every time she barks more than once or twice. Oh, we're taking a nap, oh, I want to have a phone conversation outside on my deck, etc. etc.

Meanwhile they play music through outdoor speakers and every time their college age kid is home alone, he has a huge party until 3 a.m.

[Anonymous]

We have the same issue here. Even worse, they set each other off and before you know it every dog in a 10 block radius is barking for no apparent reason.

I think a lot of it is due to lack of exercise/poor training, etc. It seems there are several people that leave the dog in the yard 24/7 no matter the weather. And while I feel bad for the dogs (and I love dogs, I want a dog) it drives me frickin' mad.

When I first moved in, the dog across the street went CRAZY whenever it saw me at the windows or on my balcony. I think it has a complex where it thinks the whole neighborhood is his. He'll bark at people, cars, noises, movement, etc.

Lately if the weather is nice I've been going about my normal business. Once or twice, I yelled an audible "shutup". Sometimes the dog actually listens, but at the very least it tells their owners that there are some annoyed neighbors nearby.

Unfortunately it's a lose lose. Sometimes if you bring a dog in because of barking it reinforces the barking because you paid attention to it/rewarded it by letting them inside.

[Anonymous]

I have dogs who are quite unless my neighbors to the right have their dogs out. They are almost always out. When I do get a chance to let out my crew out they will stay quiet. They will play for a long time with out any barking. As soon as the neighbors dogs come out they start up. We have done everything we can do but the neighbors say they don't give a damn. They said there dogs should be able to bark anything they want to bark. We have put up a double fence because there dog is ramming its head into it. We have used those stupid barking boxes which don't work. Now my dogs are pretty much force to stay inside all day and I feel for them.

The neighbors leave their dogs out because they say they pee in the house because they never fully housebroke them and they stink. We give out dogs a bath once a week they said they give theres 2 times a year. ewwwww

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a dog owner and parent of an infant, it's something I struggle with, and while it's annoying, I'd ask you to be compassionate (not saying you aren't, but...). I have had every dog trainer in the world out, tried bark collars, you name it. Guess what? Dogs bark. Now, I don't leave mine outside, but when they go out to pee, the other neighbor's otherwise quiet dog, which is always outside, starts barking, which gets them going. I can't help it. So, while you can limit the time they are out-and we do-it's nearly impossible with some dogs to stop it when they are.

It's not the occasional bark that's bothersome, or the see-another-dog-start-barking. It's the constant barking for hours on end. I don't understand why people adopt dogs in order to put them outside. Isn't the dog adopted in order to live with you? And if the idea is to have a watch dog, doesn't the dog need to bond with your family in order to guard you?

This is happening across the alley from us. As bad as it is, I can't imagine how the people who live right next to these people deal with it. The dog owners don't have children--and they're pretty irrational about the "peopleness" if you will, of their dogs. They started a blog about one the dogs when one of them ran away during the huge snowstorm. The dogs are "adopted" which is now the popular thing to say (as opposed to the way owners used to give birth to their own dogs)

Either way, totes annoying; I'm awakened everyday at 6:00AM in my sylvan glade by braying collies.