People Leaving Barking Dogs Outside In Winter, Is It Cruel? (how much, shepherd)
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I can't tell you how many of my neighbors will leave their dogs outside in Chicago winters sitting at the backdoor barking for hours. It's clear the dog wants to come in. Some dogs can handle this weather others can't although I don't think any dog should be left out in winter for hours unless its like a husky and they have a heated house or igloo house.
Anyhow, its not courteous to neighbors as we have to listen to these dogs and not hte owners whou should be dealing with tehm. I was wondering if this would be thoguht of as cruel or just maybe poor dog ownership. At times I've been tempted to confront the neighbors if not for the dogs well being to say hey if you want a dog get a dog and let him live in your house. if you want a dog to live in the bakcyard maybe you shouldn't have one. you should have your dog inside and you should deal with him, it shouldn't be me behind you listening to your dog bark for 5 hours every night.
Find out your local and HOA (if you have one), laws and start recording the noise. Keep track of every barking incident on a journal and talk with your neighbors nicely about the issue. Journal that info in full as well. Ask that they take their dogs inside during these cold winter months as much as possible. Be concerned and friendly, as long as they are being helpful. But when they decide it's none of your business, or they are not interested in being helpful use the law. Also If you have access to their dog facilities, take photos. If speaking with them doesn't work go to the authorities, if that doesn't work, go to court.
I can't tell you how many of my neighbors will leave their dogs outside in Chicago winters sitting at the backdoor barking for hours. It's clear the dog wants to come in. Some dogs can handle this weather others can't although I don't think any dog should be left out in winter for hours unless its like a husky and they have a heated house or igloo house.
Anyhow, its not courteous to neighbors as we have to listen to these dogs and not hte owners whou should be dealing with tehm. I was wondering if this would be thoguht of as cruel or just maybe poor dog ownership. At times I've been tempted to confront the neighbors if not for the dogs well being to say hey if you want a dog get a dog and let him live in your house. if you want a dog to live in the bakcyard maybe you shouldn't have one. you should have your dog inside and you should deal with him, it shouldn't be me behind you listening to your dog bark for 5 hours every night.
how would y ou handle this?
I am originally from the Chicago area, just moved to Kansas in 2007. Are you in the city or suburbs? All areas have barking dog noise ordinances. The standard tolerance level is 15 minutes, after which you can phone the police. If you're in the city proper, don't expect much response because Chicago police really have their hands full most of the time. In the suburbs, it's hit and miss. Some will help you, some will basically blow you off and say there is nothing they can do.
I have to say, though, that all my life in the Chicago area, I encountered very few dog owners who kept their pets outside. It is VERY common in Kansas, and that took some getting used to. It's just as dangerous in the summer months here as it is in winter. There have been many beautiful evenings when we would like to sleep with the windows open and can't. I have called the police a few times, but my husband hates when I call them, so we just close the windows and turn on the air conditioning.
The other solution is a distasteful one. I cannot tell you how many roaming (not stray, but allowed to roam) dogs and outdoor dogs have been hit and killed in the road in our area (semi-rural). But there are always more to take their places, unfortunately.
Find out your local and HOA (if you have one), laws and start recording the noise. Keep track of every barking incident on a journal and talk with your neighbors nicely about the issue. Journal that info in full as well. Ask that they take their dogs inside during these cold winter months as much as possible. Be concerned and friendly, as long as they are being helpful. But when they decide it's none of your business, or they are not interested in being helpful use the law. Also If you have access to their dog facilities, take photos. If speaking with them doesn't work go to the authorities, if that doesn't work, go to court.
Go to court over a barking dog, in Chicago? OMG, that is so never going to happen. Take it from someone who battled neighbors with a noisy German Shepherd for ten years -- not going to happen.
Unfortunately most cities have horrible laws when it comes to treatment of animals and what is considered allowable(legal). For example, the city I live I'm doesn't don't have a limit on hrs a dog can be tethered, meaning a 24/7 chained dog is perfectly legal. Also. The law states in my city the tether/chain on has to be 3x the length if the dog, "adequate" shelter must be provided (which it doesn't take much more then a little better then a cardboard box to satisfy this rule). The laws suck and need to be changed but that isn't going to help ur situation right now. Legally the only hope u have would be the barking would be a noise violation, butore than likely the most the would receive is a warming maybe a fine.
Your other option in my opinion is to talk to ur neighbors and find out why the dog(s) are being left outside for so long. Is the dog being destructive in the house and the neighbor is at there wits end so throws them outside for a few (many) hours to punish them or to get a break for the animal and it's bad behavior? Is the neighbor working a lot of hours and coming home letting dog out and falling asleep and not hearing dog barking to get back in.? Is the neighbor working midnight and a child or teenager in charge of care of dog at night? Perhaps the dog was dumped on them by a family member and they didn't want a dog and now are stuck and don't know what to do with as they have never had one. There are a million possibilities and there is always the possibility the neighbor just doesn't know any better and needs some education as to proper care of dogs or maybe the neighbor is just lazy.
If you can talk to the neighbor in a polite, kind and non-judgemental way and listen to what they say and set any assumptions u may have aside (I know this much easier to say then to do but to help the dog you gotta try ur hardest to do this) If u can figure out the why, then you can figure out the solution.
I'm not sure how much time or money or effort u want to invest into this bit if ur willing to put some time into this I think there is a good chance this problem can be solved.
Coming up with the words to say when u first approach them is the tricky part. If u want or need any suggestions I would be more than happy to try to think of a few
My dogs have all been indoor dogs who sleep on my bed or lay on my couch and I would have it no other way:However I did grow up in Wisconsin in the late 50's early 60's and out family dogs were outdoor dogs as were most of the dogs in the neighborhood back then. They did have dog houses stuffed with straw during the winter and eventually my dad built storage sheds into the back of the garage and cut a dog door in the one and put a rug down so they could come in there if they liked. The female was allowed in the basement when she had puppies. My parents were not abusive and the dogs had good food, vet care and lots of love but back then few people saw a dog as family they were dogs. We had some mighty cold winters in Wisconsin yet those two dogs did fine. The dog after them was a pointer mix so very short hair and he got to come in the house and ended up being pretty much a house dog as was every dog after that even after the move to California.
Barking to go inside ... another Human idea. Dogs Talk to each other talking is Barking! My dogs would bark Winter Spring Summer & Fall! I tell the Hey cut out all that Gossip! They would then go play quietly with each other... leave the barking to the other dogs in the neighborhood!
Barking to go inside ... another Human idea. Dogs Talk to each other talking is Barking! My dogs would bark Winter Spring Summer & Fall! I tell the Hey cut out all that Gossip! They would then go play quietly with each other... leave the barking to the other dogs in the neighborhood!
1) That does not address the OP's question which was, how should they handle the situation of a dog being left outside all day during COLD weather.
2) My dogs bark when they want to come inside. (And by "come inside" I mean, I let them out to do their business, maybe play for a little bit, and then I let them back in. They do not sit outside all day. I am totally against that.)
To the OP:
If you truly want to talk to the neighbors, the first thing that you should do is vent it all out on "paper" (your computer). Get out every nasty thing that you want to say. Get that out of your system. Once you have done that, write another letter. Make sure that every last nasty thing you want to say is, truly, out of your system.
THEN, write down a few key points about dogs being outside all day, regardless of the weather. And of course, write down a few key points about weather, (hot or cold), and how it affects dogs. Make sure that you know what you are talking about when it comes to their breed of dog. (Example: A tiny chihuahua is not going to fare as well in cold temps as, say, an Alaskan Malamute.)
Once you get the venom out of you, and you are able to focus on key points, then go talk to them. If you want a positive change, talking to them how you suggested you might speak to them in your first post is not going to get you the desired results. When it comes to situations like that, you really do have to use more honey than vinegar...and don't sound like you're nagging. Just present them with some facts and show genuine concern for their pet. HOPEFULLY they will listen. Be prepared to have some examples of inexpensive places to go for training, or even point them to some good trainers on YouTube for when they use the excuse that they can't let their dogs in while they are gone because it will eat everything in the house. That's not a good reason to leave a dog outside all day.
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