Advice on a barking dog (leasing, house, neighborhood)

[FromCLTtoATL]

I rented the home I did because I thought it would be quiet. I knew two dogs were next door but they never barked at me the three different times I visited the house before I signed the lease. I thought I was safe.

I was wrong. This next door neighbor, whose house is quite close-by, keeps his dog outside most of the time. Tonight, it's cold and the dog has been baying at the door for hours. It's 1 a.m., and the dog is going strong. If I step outside my kitchen, it shuts up. Clearly, it's just lonely and freaked at being left outside so much.

Any advice on what to do? I've never met the neighbor, and I kind of hate my first conversation ever to be a complaint. At the same time, I think it's inconsiderate to me and the neighborhood to expect us to endure this barking for hours and hours on end.

Any advice? Do you know what the ordinances are in DeKalb County on barking dogs? I don't want the man to lose his dog; I just want him to be more considerate and keep the dog inside where it clearly wants to be.

[matt8325]

Originally Posted by FromCLTtoATL

I rented the home I did because I thought it would be quiet. I knew two dogs were next door but they never barked at me the three different times I visited the house before I signed the lease. I thought I was safe.

I was wrong. This next door neighbor, whose house is quite close-by, keeps his dog outside most of the time. Tonight, it's cold and the dog has been baying at the door for hours. It's 1 a.m., and the dog is going strong. If I step outside my kitchen, it shuts up. Clearly, it's just lonely and freaked at being left outside so much.

Any advice on what to do? I've never met the neighbor, and I kind of hate my first conversation ever to be a complaint. At the same time, I think it's inconsiderate to me and the neighborhood to expect us to endure this barking for hours and hours on end.

Any advice? Do you know what the ordinances are in DeKalb County on barking dogs? I don't want the man to lose his dog; I just want him to be more considerate and keep the dog inside where it clearly wants to be.

Poor little dog, he just needs some petting. Why dont you bring the dog in from the cold ? I'm sure he would appreciate it.

[FromCLTtoATL]

Originally Posted by matt8325

Poor little dog, he just needs some petting. Why dont you bring the dog in from the cold ? I'm sure he would appreciate it.

Well, it's a medium-sized dog and fence between the yards. I just wouldn't bring someone else's dog into my house w/o permission. Plus, there is a no-pet clause on the lease to this house.

I guess I'm just going to try to politely explain that the dog has started barking more lately and would he consider leaving him inside now that it turning cooler.

[stan4]

I had the same problem. You can either talk to them (my neighbor said it wasn't their fault - it was their dog's fault) and if that does not work, call animal control.

[DeaconJ]

The only action you're going to get is to confront the neighbor. I had the same problem where there was a narrow alley, privacy fence, and the dog was tied on the other side of the privacy fence about 6 feet from my bedroom windows. Sometimes it would bark for hours - dark, a.m. hours. I tried the police route, but when they showed up (sometimes an hour later - barking dog just isn't an emergency) the dog wasn't barking and they never did anything. It took me going over and ringing the doorbell at 4 a.m. When they came to the door the dog was barking madly, and I said "Can you PLEASE do something about THAT???" I repeated that scenario a couple of times and they finally got the message.

Some people wouldn't be so accomodating, but they were good neighbors who didn't know how to have a dog.

[rswlguy]

In Cobb County the ordinances for 'animal nuisance' are very strict. It's all a sense of timing however, but the first line of defense (or offense?) is to talk to the neighbors and see if you both can work something out.

Just recently ... and the first time in 16yrs that I've lived in this house in NE Cobb County ...

I'm gone 3-4 days per week ... however one day the animal control "Constable" (with badge, etc.) showed up at my door. He wanted to know if I had animals on premises. I stated "NO", however there are neighbors with dogs (cats, birds, etc.) on all sides ...across the street. At that time [next door] the 3 dogs were running up/down the fence creating quite a disturbance with the other dog in the back. This went on for 15-20min.

Afterwards I found out that EACH owner received a $100 fine PER DOG. One neighbor was fined $300. I felt bad because they are good pet owners, but their animals just like to make a lot of noise.

We're all going to "chip in" and get a barking monitor [electronic] that will train the dogs not to bark at the fence continually. It's worth a try.

Next time I understand, NO FINE. It's removal of the animals. Which I don't want to see happen.

[Zel Ya]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

The only action you're going to get is to confront the neighbor.

I agree and I've had quite a bit of experience with this problem. If the barking is bothering you, you should DIPLOMATICALLY contront your neighbors. Unfortunately, this seems to be a very touchy subject with quite a few neighbors and has the potential to cool neighborly friendships.

Dog owners love their pets and are generally very protective of them. "Our dog is barking a lot?" No! Our dog is chewing your paper? No! Our dog wouldn't do that."

If the barking is excessive, that's clearly unacceptable--certainly during normal bedtime hours. Do check your county noise ordinance and see what that says, because that should be your point of reference.

If it's possible, talk to a few other neighbors and see if the barking is bothering them. The best scenario is when two or more neighbors diplomatically confront the dog owner, but that's difficult to pull off. Many neighbors are perfectly willing to let you contront the neighbor ( the dirty work ) but not them.

Realistically, you probably have only one or two opportunities to discuss this. I think so! This IS a touchy subject, and the more you bring this subject up it's going to turn your neighbors off. If they do nothing to resolve this problem, then you pursue other options. For the time being, this is your first step.

If you do contront your neighbors, you might want to present documentation to back up your story. Taping the barking is always good.

[FromCLTtoATL]

Thanks for all of your advice, folks. I like people. I like dogs. And I dislike confrontation, even when it's on a diplomatic, friendly level. As one of you pointed out, pet owners often have a very difficult time understanding someone's else point of view when it comes to their pets. I know we were that way about our dog growing up, which used to fart and stink. But we were used to it and just figured everyone else was oversensitive. They weren't. We just didn't care.

I once had a friend whose insane, clawed cat used to hop on my leg. Once at his house, it did it, penetrated the fabric of my jeans and was clawing into my skin. I shook my leg vigorously and the devil-kitty still wouldn't get off. Since I had a couple of drinks, I just blurt out my frustrations: "IT'S ME OR THE CAT. Get this cat off of me, put it in another room or I'm out of here until you get it de-clawed." He declined to remove the cat. I finally pried the devil kitty off my leg and stuck to my guns, left his house and refused to ever meet my friend at his home.


Unfortunately, the devil cat died a few months later (I was sorry for that), but that's just how some pet owners are. And we're talking about one of the nicest people you could ever meet, but he was NOT going to put that cat in another room when visitors were over or get it de-clawed. Case closed.


I can just imagine how someone I've never met is going to feel when I ask him to please put his dog inside so it will quit braying in cold and loneliness ... Maybe I'll try to strike up a friendly non-dog conversation first. He'll probably see right through that. I'm not a good game-player.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by FromCLTtoATL

Thanks for all of your advice, folks. I like people. I like dogs. And I dislike confrontation, even when it's on a diplomatic, friendly level. As one of you pointed out, pet owners often have a very difficult time understanding someone's else point of view when it comes to their pets. I know we were that way about our dog growing up, which used to fart and stink. But we were used to it and just figured everyone else was oversensitive. They weren't. We just didn't care.

I once had a friend whose insane, clawed cat used to hop on my leg. Once at his house, it did it, penetrated the fabric of my jeans and was clawing into my skin. I shook my leg vigorously and the devil-kitty still wouldn't get off. Since I had a couple of drinks, I just blurt out my frustrations: "IT'S ME OR THE CAT. Get this cat off of me, put it in another room or I'm out of here until you get it de-clawed." He declined to remove the cat. I finally pried the devil kitty off my leg and stuck to my guns, left his house and refused to ever meet my friend at his home.


Unfortunately, the devil cat died a few months later (I was sorry for that), but that's just how some pet owners are. And we're talking about one of the nicest people you could ever meet, but he was NOT going to put that cat in another room when visitors were over or get it de-clawed. Case closed.


I can just imagine how someone I've never met is going to feel when I ask him to please put his dog inside so it will quit braying in cold and loneliness ... Maybe I'll try to strike up a friendly non-dog conversation first. He'll probably see right through that. I'm not a good game-player.

Exactly...my response to the neighbor in my story was that I have 3 dogs (which she already knew) which sleep inside at night and spend most of their lives with us, not tied to a fence in the yard.

[spacelord75]

Since you are leasing the house, perhaps you can have your landlord say something? He/she may know the neighbor pretty well. In the meantime, you can maybe run a box fan or air-purifier in your bedroom to drown out the noise. Our neighbor has a beagle that they leave out 24/7 and it howls (like beagles often do) every once in a while, but with the purifier running you can only hear him if you really try to listen for it.