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I wonder.....just wonder if a completely different approach might help. You said she's away from home until about 3 am, so assuming her dogs have been shut up in the house for hours, they need to go out. What about suggesting or offering to let her dogs out earlier in the evening so they don't have to do the 3 am thing? Maybe, just maybe you could turn this into a friendly neighbor thing instead of a feud. I know, it might not be realistic to go over to her house to do this, but it is an idea. She may be such a jerk in other ways you don't want to get involved with her...but it isn't exactly civil now either. It might be mere habit instead of really being necessary.
There are also these electronic bark controller things that supposedly work from a distance. Never used one but it might be another idea.
This is probably the nicest way to handle your situation, and definitely worth trying first. If your neighbors are totally obnoxious and this doesn't work, you might have to get proactive in a different way. You say that they regularly come home late at night after drinking. Could it be possible that they are drinking to the point of not being legally able to drive their car? If that's the case, I would start really paying attention to the time they get home. Yes, you will lose a bit more sleep on those nights while waiting for them, but if you can notify the police ahead of time that these people are drunk driving, they will possibly be arrested for DUI. An arrest, or two might be enough to put a stop to the late night interference with your sleeping. And you might also be doing a wonderful public service by keeping drunk drivers off of the roads.
They are also ignoring the dogs barking. Next time, after 5 minutes of barking---So put your stereo or radio on loud facing the shared wall so you "can drown out the sound". Let them knock on your door. Tell them you will turn it off as soon as the dogs stop barking. Or better yet, don't answer the door, leave a sign taped to your door. Let them call the police. Maybe now that you've got their attention you can talk!
Keep in mind that this is a townhouse and the OP likely has neighbors in both directions. Even if the music faces the shared wall, it’s probably likely that the neighbor on the other side will hear it and be pretty angry. The same goes for the people who have suggested using an air horn or otherwise being loud. What about the other neighbors? Usually townhouses are in blocks of 4, 6, 8, or even more. It’s quite possible that other people have complained about the 3am dog, but the last thing the OP needs is people making complaints about 3am blasting stereo.
They've never made my ears sore at all. Perhaps you have a sensitivity to something in the foam.
I've got rubber ones, because I've used foam ones in the past. The foam one ripped in half in my ear. The rubber one blocks sound better, and I'm spooked about the foam one ripping again.
Call Code Enforcement--that's what they're there for. It's not up to you to take care of your neighbor's dogs, and if you have a key to the house, you might be blamed if anything goes missing. Personally, I wouldn't care to interact with someone who goes out drinking every night and lets their dogs bark at 3AM.
If you can get another neighbor to call Code Enforcement, too, all the better.
Well, you do. You let your dogs bark outside. Even so at night on the weekends.
You are not much better than OPs neighbor. No one should have listen to other people's dogs bar all day and/or night. Have some respect of other people around you.
My dogs are out to pee and back in.
Neighbor's cat is quiet but chits in my landscaping.
It's a trade off we have both agreed to live with.
I agree with this. They're especially uncomfortable if one sleeps on their side. Earplugs can be a health hazard, they can cause compaction and hardening of built up ear wax, and they can cause infections in the middle ear, the eustachian tubes, the tear ducts and the sinuses. They cause more problems when one is horizontal, lying down, than when one is sitting or standing, vertical.
Nobody should have to resort to risking their own health because of an inconsiderate neighbor.
.
I've been sleeping with foam ear plugs in every night for ~28 years or so with no resulting health problems.
I called the non-emergency number of the police to complain last night when the dogs barked outside my window for 30 minutes. The person who answered the phone said the staff was busy and maybe they may come out and check it out. The impression I got is they thought I was a nuisance and it was not that important.
The people with the barking dog live in the end unit and I am right next door. The unit right next to me is empty and the other units are far away from the dogs. So my wife and I are the only people impacted.
I called the non-emergency number of the police to complain last night when the dogs barked outside my window for 30 minutes. The person who answered the phone said the staff was busy and maybe they may come out and check it out. The impression I got is they thought I was a nuisance and it was not that important.
The people with the barking dog live in the end unit and I am right next door. The unit right next to me is empty and the other units are far away from the dogs. So my wife and I are the only people impacted.
Keep calling. Record, and keep a log, of the barking and calls. If the police won't do anything, you can file a civil suit for damages.
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