Pet noise (dog & cat) in upper level apartment (hardwood floor, apartments)

[petsandpeeves]

Hello, I recently moved into a carpeted apartment with my boyfriend in downtown westport. We're on the second floor, and have a 10 lb cat and a 40 lb dog (who is 8 months). My boyfriend lived in the apartment for a few months before I moved in with my pets. During daytime hours, I keep the dog kenneled, and return home for lunch to walk her outside before re-kenneling and returning to work. Right after I moved in with my dog, our neighbor (below us) started to complain about noise (he described as dogs chasing each other) that was seemingly "all-day from 5am till 12 in the morning". He complained once to the front desk (which I don't blame him for-- the noise was after quiet hours, but this was literally the first night I had ever stayed over with my dog). The next day he knocked on our door, and I talked to him, where he explained that he heard the noise all day every day, and hence why he was complaining. He also pointed out that he works from home all day, wakes up early, and goes to bed at like 6-7pm.

About a week went by, and on a Sunday afternoon he came up and knocked again, where this time my boyfriend talked to him. The complaint this time was pretty much the same. Another time he came up at 6:30am while I was in the shower and didn't answer the door (my dog was also still in her kennel at this point). Another time, he yelled out his window at about 8, 9pm that he could hear our dog and to keep it down. He has resorted to knocking violently on our floor (I guess his ceiling?) probably a minute into any sort of "playing" that our dog does. He has tried to come up and talk to me again, which at this point, I am just really uncomfortable talking to him anymore and won't answer.

My question at this point then is just... what is considered unreasonable amounts of noise that are made during normal hours and NOT quiet hours, especially in westport? I'm at my wits end, and have decided to just talk to our font desk, but if I'm missing something about what "reasonable" noise is to most people, I'd like to hear it. My dog is kenneled most of the day! There's no way he's hearing her run around during weekday hours, and if he is hearing something, it's possible it's our 10 lb cat. I can't control the fact that I'm getting home when he is supposedly going to bed (which, we walk our dog by his apartment at night all the time anywhere around 8-10pm at night and see him on his balcony all the time). I also can't control my cat running around during daytime hours, but I do keep a camera on my dogs kennel in the living room throughout the day and very rarely do I see the cat violently zooming around.

The noise complaints have always happened during normal hours (expect for the first one), and yes, are usually after some hyper noise. But it's either been me playing tug-o-war with her, which I don't think is unreasonable, or a random zoomie run around (which we try to quiet immediately). She has have a puzzle feeder that she rolls around, and after him complaining when she rolled it onto the hardwood floor in the kitchen a few times, we're really careful to make sure she stays on carpet. I'm trying to stay positive and rational, as well as empathize from his point of view.... but other than just not having pets and not making any noise, I'm out of ideas.

[Okey Dokie]

People with dogs or children should live in first floor apartments with no one under them. Or even better, rent a house.

[luzianne]

I have worked at home for many years, but I live in a house. Still, noise is very distracting when trying to work. I have had neighbors blaring music in their driveway while they clean their car, afternoon deck parties, dogs barking, etc. Things that might not be a big deal otherwise can be very annoying when you are working and trying to concentrate.

I feel bad for your dog having to be in a kennel all day. I don’t understand that; people never used to put their dogs in a kennel all day. We always had dogs when I was growing up and my mom would keep them confined to utility room or enclosed back porch until they were trained and could be trusted in the house while we were gone. I have never owned a dog as an adult because I prefer not to have the hassle and responsibility. I don’t dislike dogs; I just don’t want one myself. And I definitely don’t want to deal with someone else’s dog. I agree with OkieDokie. You need a ground level apartment or better yet, a house.

[xz2y]

Originally Posted by Okey Dokie

People with dogs or children should live in first floor apartments with no one under them. Or even better, rent a house.

Exactly. Rents are high these days and the last thing anyone wants is for a dog to move into an apt above them and make noise while trying to work and concentrate. People work from home, people work various shifts like nurses, for example, and might have to sleep during the day. Whatever the reason, not everyone works 9-5. I think that any renter should have a reasonably quiet living situation at all hours. Personally I agree with Okey Dokie, and large pets belong in 1st floor apartments or in a house.