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I have a rescue dog, a Malinois mix, who we have worked with and trained a LOT to keep him from barking his head off all the time. And he's still kind of a barky dog... if someone walks past the house or if there's a bunny in the yard, he will bark. He knows that he has to stop when I tell him to, though.
We have new next-door neighbors. They have four dogs. One big dog and three small dogs. They put the dogs in various combinations on their side porch to bark and carry on as they please on and off throughout the day. And bark and carry on they do! I've had about 30 minutes so far of the big one barking nonstop. When they bring him in shortly, one of the small dogs will go out for about as long; that one barks like a high-pitched screech. The other two small ones aren't big barkers.
I'd say it's a total of 3 hours, maybe 4, throughout the day and evening. Our homes are close together and the side porch is, of course, on my side of their property. (There's nobody on the other side.) So although we live in a concrete block home and the windows are closed, we hear it very well in every room.
Is this a reasonable amount of barking to expect from a neighbor with four dogs? Though two of them are doing 90% of the barking. I feel like I can't really complain because my dog does bark sometimes. It's short-lived though, unless the mail carrier comes to the door because he's pretty sure she is a serial killer () and will bark (from the garage, which is where I stash him when I need to open the door to someone who doesn't know him) until she leaves. He is not allowed to bark from our screened porch at all; as soon as he does, I make him come in the house.
I am just not sure what reasonable expectations are. I don't want to start a war with these new neighbors. So far we have only said hi and introduced ourselves. If you have barky dogs or if you live next door to barky dogs, do you suggest anything in particular?
Last edited by AnotherTouchOfWhimsy; 01-25-2019 at 06:41 AM..
My Bullmastiff only barks to sound the alarm that someone is near our property. Whether it be a dog walker, cat, squirrel or another dog. He's pretty smart and knows the mailman, UPS and FedEx drivers are ok. Everybody else is off limits.
Our 2nd Bullmastiif and our 2nd rescue and I'd highly recommend them, especially if your into rescuing dogs. Shame that so many are given up on and sent to rescues or shelters because some people don't do their research that they are BIG lapdogs lol.
If worried about barking and upsetting any neighbors, the Bullmastiff is the breed I'd look for.
Ah, I think my post was rambling and unclear. I'm not looking for another dog for me, I'm looking for advice on whether it's unreasonable for me to say something to the neighbors about THEIR barking dogs. And if it is reasonable, how to approach it.
I am just not sure what reasonable expectations are.
Dogs bark. All of them do, for all sorts of reasons and most of those reasons are okay.
The problem (and expectation) is that they will also STOP barking.
At some point stopping on their own ...but absolutely when they are told to.
The "some point" is variable ...but shouldn't extend beyond a few minutes.
I have a rescue dog, a Malinois mix, who we have worked with and trained a LOT to keep him from barking his head off all the time. And he's still kind of a barky dog... if someone walks past the house or if there's a bunny in the yard, he will bark. He knows that he has to stop when I tell him to, though.
We have new next-door neighbors. They have four dogs. One big dog and three small dogs. They put the dogs in various combinations on their side porch to bark and carry on as they please on and off throughout the day. And bark and carry on they do! I've had about 30 minutes so far of the big one barking nonstop. When they bring him in shortly, one of the small dogs will go out for about as long; that one barks like a high-pitched screech. The other two small ones aren't big barkers.
I'd say it's a total of 3 hours, maybe 4, throughout the day and evening. Our homes are close together and the side porch is, of course, on my side of their property. (There's nobody on the other side.) So although we live in a concrete block home and the windows are closed, we hear it very well in every room.
Is this a reasonable amount of barking to expect from a neighbor with four dogs? Though two of them are doing 90% of the barking. I feel like I can't really complain because my dog does bark sometimes. It's short-lived though, unless the mail carrier comes to the door because he's pretty sure she is a serial killer () and will bark (from the garage, which is where I stash him when I need to open the door to someone who doesn't know him) until she leaves. He is not allowed to bark from our screened porch at all; as soon as he does, I make him come in the house.
I am just not sure what reasonable expectations are. I don't want to start a war with these new neighbors. So far we have only said hi and introduced ourselves. If you have barky dogs or if you live next door to barky dogs, do you suggest anything in particular?
Tough situation. 4 dogs is a lot and they can trigger and re-trigger each other. Do you know if anyone is home when the barkier dogs are outdoors? They may not realize how long it goes on (but sad experience tells me they know and ignore it). It's reasonable for a dog to bark at some stimulus for a few minutes, but not endlessly. Sometimes you can tell by the bark whether the dog is legitimately barking an alarm versus barking out of boredom, or for attention. You could get to know the DOGS so they'll like and listen to you. Then teach them "Quiet!" and reward them when they do.
My ex-roommate and I have barky herding dogs. We both have managed to get handles on them. But for your neighbor's dogs, I recommend a sonic birdhouse. You can get it on Amazon. Point it at the house and set it outside. When they bark, it will blast them with an unpleasant noise you won't be able to hear. It tends to shut dogs up. The ex-roomie is using it to keep her neighbor's dog from barking at the fence when she is working with her own pup. I have one and will be using it for a similar purpose.
Yeah, some dogs will bark through it, but usually it does the trick.
Dogs' barks carry, so unless it's just you 2 in the area, I can assure you that you are not alone. A dog should not be left to bark endlessly for hours on end. It is disturbing the peace of the neighborhood. If it's bothering you enough to post, then it's a problem.
Across the way, a neighbor use to have a dog (or they moved, I don't know what happened), who barked so much. It was about the same amount of time, if I was being realistic, although it felt much longer at times. It's annoying.
My dogs also bark whenever someone comes to the door, (expected), and if someone dares to try to walk on the common sidewalk just beyond the sidewalk to my door. But I make them stop immediately. I have never wanted to be "that neighbor".
Dogs bark for a variety of reasons, but for hours on end...I don't consider that acceptable - not for my own, not for any neighbor to have to listen to.
All you can do is contact Animal Control and explain and see what they think about it. If they tell you that it's a nuisance, let them handle it. Maybe get some video/audio evidence of it - which, if they bark everyday like that, should be easily obtained.
Some barking is expected when the neighbors have a dog/dogs but 4 hours of almost incessant barking is insane. I had a neighbor who had 4 dogs as well and it was rare to hear them bark--maybe a few barks here and there when they saw something unusual and they barked a few times when the husband arrived home. I also had a neighbor who had two dogs that spent all day barking; how they did not lose their voice I don't know.
4 hours is excessive. Many localities have noise ordinance that limits barking to 5 minutes at a time.
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) and will bark (from the garage, which is where I stash him when I need to open the door to someone who doesn't know him) until she leaves. He is not allowed to bark from our screened porch at all; as soon as he does, I make him come in the house.
