How much barking is "too much"? (apartments, condos)

[Maynerd]

Originally Posted by gulfcoastbands

I have a question concerning neighbor dogs.

My neighbors have two pits they keep outside all the time. They are constanting barking etc. They head but the wood fence and actually broke a couple bottom pieces and could fit their head in. Monday night one of them moved the big rock I had blocking it, and got a hold of my dog, cutting her really bad. I just dropped her off at the vet because she has to have surgery and stiches. The estimated cost is $300. My neighbor isn't home to discuss it right now but I have a feeling they won't pay. What options do I have to get it resolved? Where would I file a complaint?

I'm from the country so I don't know many of the city rules concerning pets.

Any input is appreciated.

Take a picture of the hole in the fence, and the rock. Present a copy of the vet bill to your neighbor, with a request for him to pay the bill. If he declines, take him to Small Claims Court.

There's no reason on Earth you should need to pay a nickel out of your own pocket to pen in your neighbors dogs, nor to have medical attention to your dog caused by theirs.

Good luck.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by Terytee

Other people's pets shouldn't be an imposition on my life. I'm not a whiner, I just refuse to deal with lack of consideration...

It seems like there are two main differences of opinion on this thread:
1) Dogs bark, and it's your responsibility as a neighbor to just ignore it.
2) Dogs bark, and it's your responsibility as a dog-owner to not let it get out of hand.

To some degree they're both correct. The fact is, if you want real peace and quiet, the only way to get it is to either pay through the nose for it in the form of private acreage or to live in some isolated cottage wayyy up in the mountains. For 99.9% of us, neither of those options are realisitc, so we do what we can to find strike a balance and live together in peace.

I don't go into a tirade every time my neighbor's dog barks to be let inside the house, and he should do me the courtesy of not letting that mutt bark for hours on end as if the entire neighborhood is his own private sound stage.

[SYS]

A neighbor's dog barking constantly woke me up this morning. I've been having a medical issue lately, and I could have used more sleep with the medications I'm taking. The thing that really irritates me about this dog is the owner's attitude. I intentionally purchased my current house in a cul-de-sac so that my boys can play in a safer environment. That changed when this neighbor bought a mutt and had him "protect" his property by letting him guard the front yard all day -- unleashed. In spite of trying to "win" the dog over so that there won't be any incidents when my boys are out playing with other neighbor kids, or when I walk past the dog to reach my community mailbox, the dog ended up attacking my then 9 year old son one day. Fortunately it wasn't a vicious attack, so he got away with a scratch. The owner was aware of this incident. No apology, no words of concern, not even a band aid offer... When my boy's classmate came over to play in the cul-de-sac one day, he got chased down by the dog. Needless to say, he never came back after that incident. How many times did I witness the UPS and FedEx guys being nearly attacked while they're just trying to deliver the goods to this guy's house? He knew, but he never cared about how these guys' must have felt each time they do their job.

I was furious with this neighbor, but I didn't want to start a war as my intention was to develop a good neighborly relationship. While I was thinking about what I should do about this problem, another angry neighbor of our's apparently reported the problem with the unleashed dog. So that solved the "unleashed" part of the dog. It didn't solved the constant barking issue. One day when they decided to go out and leave the dog in the front yard to guard the house, it barked and barked late into the night that I finally had to call in the problem. So what was their response? They had the dog bark through the open window from inside their house for hours in spite of the winter season. Guess they don't run the heater...

Fortunately, I've been able to cope with this dog since it's not something that occurs on a daily basis. I'm also moving this summer and very happy to leave the dog issues behind.

The point is that no one should have to put up with as much headache over a dog as my family and other neighbors have had to go through if the owner has a simple commonsense courtesy and less selfish and self-righteous attitude. The thing that really irritates me is that he truly doesn't give a sh*t about neighbors around him. Yes, we all coexist with potentially irritable environment, but when a simple courtesy and commonsense attitude are missing, the problem can be magnified -- needlessly.

Oh, the archenemy neighbor of his next door must have called the guy to do something about the dog's incessant barking. It's now quiet... His next door neighbor, a retired elderly couple, isn't as nice as I'm.

[Bob from down south]

Most people tend to be reasonable...but for the ones that are not, there is Jungle Justice, which can be tremendous fun and keep you occupied for weeks at a time plotting and exacting your revenge.

Most of those dog owners like to sleep, too...just maybe not when you want to. A medium power ultrasound emitter at about 25-30 KHz focused at the neighbor's window with a parabolic dish will drive dogs nuts, and you can start/keep him barking inside the neighbor's house until he's hoarse at, say, 2:30 in the morning when THEY want to sleep.

A simple classroom laser pointer can be used to torture the tar out of an animal outside barking. It's also good for drawing fancy patterns on the neighbors' curtains late at night, and it's bright as hell.

An MP3 of a baby crying set on indefinite repeat will go straight to the spinal column of most adults...especially if run through a quality loudspeaker horn pointed at the neighbor's house at 3 in the morning.

There are all sorts of RF devices you can easily make to jam peoples' wireless phones, wireless LANs, even TV sets. If the uncooperative neighbor likes football, jam the TV when their team is playing. If they come home and jump right on the internet, drop their connection with an 802.11 signal jammer about 5 times an hour and watch their happy levels drop faster than a dog poop on a 20-below-zero Colorado evening.

You can light up the side of your house towards the offending neighbor like the exercise yard at a federal prison. I had a neighbor that wouldn't pull down the blinds when he and his wife went to bed and did what people do in their beds at night, so I lit up that side of my house like the friggin' sun. They put up some blinds.

You can equip your kids with one of those monster cans of bear (pepper) spray (but you have to teach 'em how to use that stuff). They sell it at REI and other outdoor stores, and I guarantee that it'll stop even the most aggressive dog in its tracks and have it seeing, breathing and crapping fire for about two days. And the owners will have a hell of a time getting that capsicum resin off the dog without getting it all over themselves, too.

You are only limited by your own imagination (and applicable laws against use of high explosives within the city limits).

[CostaRica2Colorado]

i believe it is a total lack of respect and lack of character to leave a dog outside for any period of time and letting it bark, if a sound or color or action originating from your property and reaching a neighbor then it is a form of assault and it is rude and you should be fined ,

theres a lot of dogs that just bark for no reason to us ! all day long , frankly I'm on your neighbors side !

go buy a bark collar there 99 dollars ! dont be a cheapo !! be respectful of your neighbors who do not love your dog and its just annoying !! period !!

[PrinDi59]

I used to live next door to some trashy people whose big, dumb German Shepherd barked all night, every night. I literally went weeks without sleep. My complaints fell on deaf ears and unfortunately I lived outside the city limits (no noise ordinance) so the local police were of no help. I often contemplated killing that dog out of shear desperation. (My prayer is that those people spend enternity chained to an endlessly barking mutt.)

That being said, I am currently a dog owner (love my dog!), but do not allow him to annoy the neighbors in any way.

[ryanek9freak]

My dog occasionally fence fights with the 2 Corgis behind me, and the 2 dachsunds to the left of me. Every one of them barks incessantly, and they instigate my dog into barking.

When he's outside by himself, he is quiet.

I've found that shooting a few .357 blanks at the neighbor's dogs scares the hell out of them for a few days, and they don't even go near the fence. Maybe try that, if you think you can get away with it, without the police showing up.

[SheridanL]

RYAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where in the hey have you been????!!!!!!!!!
Good to hear from you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ryanek9freak]

Iraq darling. Civilian contracting pays mucho$$$$

I am going back in April for another year...This time I will have a blackberry with internet. LOL.

Verizon actually has service in Baghdad!

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by ryanek9freak

Iraq darling. Civilian contracting pays mucho$$$$

I am going back in April for another year...This time I will have a blackberry with internet. LOL.

Verizon actually has service in Baghdad!

Yeah, I too was wondering where you've been. Welcome back, hope your next sojourn to Iraq will be a safe one.