WWYD - neighbours barking dogs

[Clodagh]

I wouldn't require his assistance ???

I've never met you CC but I picture you being someone who can hold their own and Fluffy standing behind saying 'Yay, go on , girl!'

 

[Parrotperson]

Thanks everyone - I really appreciate all your replies.

Before I reply proper, a quick update as I spoke to the husband just now. I was going to the garden bin which is outside our gate and the dogs went bat s**t. He put them inside and said "would like some dogs for a couple of months", to which I replied saying (nicely!) have you thought about doing some training with them (technically meaning Holly and Skye, the 2 permanent doggos) so that they don't bark so much. He then said that his son's dogs do that with his son and that they're staying with them for 8 weeks while they get an extension put on their house. To start with, when he asked if I wanted them, I nearly said yes as I know I can keep them quieter and I'm no expert! It's a shame he thought I meant the visiting dogs.

So we have 8 weeks of this... And there goes my idea of waiting until they go home to broach the topic of Holly and Skye barking...

They're definitely not bad people at all, they just don't know what to do to make it better. And they absolutely could make it better for all of us (them included).

I now don't feel though, that I can make any suggestions for at least 8 weeks, which is a shame. And in the same vein, if I did report to the dog warden, they would say it's a temporary thing. I may have to report the shock collar regardless though - I heard the beep of it earlier so they're still using it on at least one of them. The other week, the battery must have been low or something as I could hear it constantly bleeping and Skye was stood in the garden, tail between legs, flinching at 2 second intervals for about 5 minutes. I did watch her when she went in and he did remove it so I was glad about that.

I'm definitely not an expert but we have worked really, really hard with Harvey in the nearly 2 years we've had him and he is now a pleasure to walk passed other dogs (thank goodness!). I've also taught him new things and tricks and fun stuff so they can learn and it's sad that our neighbours are using things like a shock collar and just shouting and shouting at them

But at least I have said something and they know that we're annoyed, even if we're not visibly raging about it. If they do keep letting them out before 7 and after 10pm, I may politely bring it to their attention that we sleep in the back bedroom and that being woken with such a start is really unpleasant. Sadly we can't up sticks and move to the front bedroom as that is not only the spare room (sofa bed - comfy but not for 8 weeks), it is the office with 2 full desks in as we're both WFH atm (me temporarily and OH has always been WFH).

Thanks again for replying - it's all sound advice and kind of what I expected, I think I also just wanted reassurance.

Little story. Bear with

We have a business holiday let house in Northumberland. Obviously its been closed since march, so I went up last week to get it ready to open again. Stayed for ten days by the time I'd waited for workmen's etc to turn up.

Anyhoo during this time th next door neighbour who I'd only met maybe twice started playing LOUD music from 9pm to 12.45am. AND he'd join in on his drums! It was horrendous. Couldn't sleep just sat and stewed in bed calling him all sorts of names but frightened of the confrontation if I knocked on the door.

Well by night 6 I'd had enough. So at 10.30 I went round and knocked. The music was so loud he didn't hear me knocking for 10 mins.

Then he opened the door and I shat myself wondering what was going to happen!

BUT he was extremely apologetic. Hadn't realised we were opening up again and gave me his number to give to my guests so they can text him if he over does it!

My point is until you have a long and detailed conversation with them over this nothing will change and you'll just get angrier

Go round. Give them that chance at least.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I've never met you CC but I picture you being someone who can hold their own and Fluffy standing behind saying 'Yay, go on , girl!'

Fairly accurate ???

 

[Tiddlypom]

I've never met you CC but I picture you being someone who can hold their own and Fluffy standing behind saying 'Yay, go on , girl!'

I’m pretty tough and not easily intimated IRL, but from what I read on here I’m not sure that I’d care to take CC on, with or without Fluffy .

 

[CorvusCorax]

Honestly, I only shout SCHLUß. It works ?

 

[{97702}]

I’ve got to say I’d find Obi far more scary than Fluffy ? He is MEAN ???

 

[CorvusCorax]

I’ve got to say I’d find Obi far more scary than Fluffy ? He is MEAN ???

Unless you're a window cleaner ???

 

[tallyho!]

Oh yes had this/have this best way is to give em treats at the fence... then they see fence = Yum yums and don’t bark at it. Then you start calling them over for treats and make right fuss of em and next thing you know owners erect fence much nearer house and no more barking.

I’d hate it if someone did this to my dogs ?

 

[Brownmare]

A relative had this problem with a neighbours Jack Russell years ago and the owners didn't really try to stop it barking at all. In the end she resorted to sitting by an upstairs window at the usual times and shooting it with a massive Supersoaker water pistol as soon as it started up! It worked a treat and the dog got out of that habit pretty quickly ?

 

[tallyho!]

A relative had this problem with a neighbours Jack Russell years ago and the owners didn't really try to stop it barking at all. In the end she resorted to sitting by an upstairs window at the usual times and shooting it with a massive Supersoaker water pistol as soon as it started up! It worked a treat and the dog got out of that habit pretty quickly ?

??? such fun! Dogs love that! Well mine do and that is my preferred deterrent... not just for canines the felines learn quick too.

 

[TheresaW]

Bo would think it was a game!

 

[Brownmare]

Bo would think it was a game!

True, it wouldn't work for all dogs. I have one dog who would love a water fight and another who would leave home at the mere thought of it!

 

[{97702}]

A relative had this problem with a neighbours Jack Russell years ago and the owners didn't really try to stop it barking at all. In the end she resorted to sitting by an upstairs window at the usual times and shooting it with a massive Supersoaker water pistol as soon as it started up! It worked a treat and the dog got out of that habit pretty quickly ?

OMG I am definitely going to try that with George!!!! Trouble is he now only barks indoors or in the car..... when he thinks he is going to be fed or go for a walk.... so it could be messy ?

 

[ester]

I’ve got to say I’d find Obi far more scary than Fluffy ? He is MEAN ???

Floofy has the scary eyes to eyeball people with

 

[Brownmare]

OMG I am definitely going to try that with George!!!! Trouble is he now only barks indoors or in the car..... when he thinks he is going to be fed or go for a walk.... so it could be messy ?

Lol don't blame me if you kill the electrics in your car ? When our (now sadly departed) Russell got into a habit of yapping as dinner was being prepared I downed tools and left the room til she was quiet. Yes I'm evil ? but it worked... And it only took about 2 hours to get their dinner for the first 3 nights... After that she cottoned on very fast! Current whippet yodels for her dinner but it sounds so funny she gets away with it ???

 

[Simbapony]

I dont see how you can be complaining when you haven't spoken to them. They're not mind readers. Go and have a conversation. Why would you wait til the others gave gone if its affecting you that much? Also I would be very cross at anyone that saw fit to start soaking my dogs, particularly without speaking to me first , and yes I am a dog trainer so deal with these issues daily for people.

 

[{97702}]

Really Dunroamin? Didn’t you learn your lesson last time? Clearly not......?

 

[violaparkinson]

You complained to the dog owner, and they must need to change the behavior of the dog.

 

[Landcruiser]

We lived next door to someone who routinely shut their two border collies in the garden for hours and hours. They would bark every time anyone walked past - it drove me spare. The whole village could hear them. He was a professor and used to think it was a big joke, he once did a talk to the local WI and introduced himself as the owner of the noisiest dog in the village. She was a recluse, and was never seen. The dogs were almost never walked. We stuck it for 10 years or more. By the end of that I was so enraged by them I could have gladly shot them out of our bedroom windows - I was hypersensitive to the tiniest sound they made by then. We lived in quite a tight village, and I guess we didn't want to be the bad neighbours. Anyway, we managed to move to somewhere where we now live with NO neighbours, which was the biggest selling point of this house for both of us. We still rejoice in it.
OP, I'm not suggesting you move house...I'm just sympathizing, I know how infuriating it can be and how it can take over your life.

 

[sunnyone]

Can you not get the neighbours to agree to a curfew? Keep dogs in till 09.00, and not be out after 22.30.
My last dog just HAD to speak to the rest of the village's dogs when he went out first thing, so we made sure he only went out once the majority of people were at least up. He was quiet the rest of the day except for some dogs on the adjacent towpath.

 

[Kat_Bath]

Morning all,

For some reason, I stopped getting notifications for this thread so thought it had dropped down the list and was nearly dead but apparently not! I'll not comment on some of the more... pointless(?) posts (you all know who who I mean - don't all of you go getting offended I have only ever found HHO very helpful so I'm surprised to see this somewhat boring thread derailed slightly ).

Anyway, this morning, we were woken up by manic barking at 6.30 (that hasn't happened for a while) which was a surprise. Then OH just managed to catch the husband outside again - she was hanging up the washing and the dogs were going MENTAL. He said that he didn't know what they could do and that the dogs were like this at their son's house. OH asked if they could maybe just not let them out so early as it's very startling. He was a bit grumbly and we later heard the wife saying, in a relatively annoyed tone, "I'll give them until half 7 but I can't give them any longer than that". The truth is, our alarm goes off at 6.45 and we're up and out with our dog within 10 minutes of that. They just have no routine, whether they have 2 dogs or 6 dogs... It's such a shame.

OH said she was going to suggest a couple of things (take them for a walk first thing, do some training with them, let them out one at a time etc etc) but she said he turned his back on her half way through her talking and said he'd "see what he could do".

We have essentially concluded that they're maybe not as nice as we thought they were ("pleasant" would be a good way to describe it - you know how some words are used to be polite...) and that we'll just have to grin and bear it. I can't believe they're not embarrassed or fed up themselves - they bark in the house as well. I just don't think they have a clue (the fact he said "I don't know what we can do" is alarming)! I don't wholly understand why they have 2 dogs themselves...

It's helping with our list of must-haves for our next house though (detached, in the middle of no where etc etc etc ). Also, I guess it could be MUCH worse and it's "only" for 8 weeks (mind you, we'll see how much barking Holly and Skye do when they leave...) so perhaps we're getting off lightly and I should STFU but thank you for your help and for reading my rants and for all your advice - it is helpful and it's good to talk!

 

[CorvusCorax]

If they're going to be like that then ring Environmental Health.

 

[Aperchristmas]

If they're going to be like that then ring Environmental Health.

Seconded.