What Do You Do When People Are Inciting Your Dogs To Bark?

[Narcissa]

Whilst waiting for more reno work to be done at the apartment, I've been staying in my parents' house where we keep all our rescues - 3 dogs + Maxey, 2 cats, 1 Amazon parrot.

In the mornings and evenings, there are people out walking their walks and they pass by the house, see my dogs at the main gate and they stop there allowing their dog to bark with my dogs. This can go on for 10 minutes. I don't want to be rude (as they might be trying to be friendly) but they see my coming out to herd the dogs back inside and telling them to be quiet and yet they don't budge. In the meantime, the dogs are all so riled up, it's a feat for me to usher all of them in the house, and those that are in the house continue to bark anyway.

Usually, it is so awkward, and I feel uncomfortable because they don't say anything to me (like, no "Hi, cute dogs" etc) at all. They are just STANDING THERE, with their dog going crazy standing up on the leash and lunging at my gate. I was afraid that a dog might poke its face in through the grills and get bitten (I have one aggressive Pom/Spitz - I think?) that I meshed up my gate. It is the continuous barking, especially in the mornings when I want to sleep in, that drives me crazy. It is not just one dog owner either - there are several, up to 5-6 times a day (great location I suppose, as I live near the beach). My parents even want to install an anti-bark collar on the most prolific barker (a Schnauzer/Poodle?) but I think that isn't fair. I don't think the zapping is very humane either.

What do I say/do while still appearing neighbourly? I don't want my dogs poisoned or something... (happened to my Australian beagle years ago - RIP Chelsea girl - it was meant for another dog but beagles being greedy, she ate it and she died upon arriving at the vet). OT: She was a Clarion beagle, I don't see them on dol, have they stopped breeding?

[Lowenhart]

Have you tried letting the dogs out to toilet in the morning, supervise them and call them back in. Then have your lie in until the dog walking "peak hour" has passed and let the dogs back out again.

Same in the evening, supervised toileting in the early afternoon and inside until after dinner, then back out again for a while before bed time.

[Red Fox]

I'd be putting a sign up on the gate or something..

Then again I'd probably go out there and yell too if someone stood there for 10 mins! Or at least say something along the lines of "can I help you?, no? well you are upsetting my dogs!" Or tell them "Oh don't get too close, my dogs are just getting over a nasty bout of kennel cough"

[Guest Willow]

I'd be putting a sign up on the gate or something..

Then again I'd probably go out there and yell too if someone stood there for 10 mins! Or at least say something along the lines of "can I help you?, no? well you are upsetting my dogs!" Or tell them "Oh don't get too close, my dogs are just getting over a nasty bout of kennel cough"

agree.

[minxy]

I would also say "Can I help you?" And then ask them to leave if they're not there for any good reason. Pretty stupid that they continue to stand there even after you're trying to call your dogs back!

[Narcissa]

Have you tried letting the dogs out to toilet in the morning, supervise them and call them back in. Then have your lie in until the dog walking "peak hour" has passed and let the dogs back out again.

Same in the evening, supervised toileting in the early afternoon and inside until after dinner, then back out again for a while before bed time.

Have done that, but the house has a length-wide glass panel sliding door, which leads to the patio, which leads to the porch. So the dogs would be just be barking inside in the house as they can see the owners with their dogs standing there.

It's very odd behaviour I think.

I'd be putting a sign up on the gate or something..

Then again I'd probably go out there and yell too if someone stood there for 10 mins! Or at least say something along the lines of "can I help you?, no? well you are upsetting my dogs!" Or tell them "Oh don't get too close, my dogs are just getting over a nasty bout of kennel cough"

I've said Hello before, and they just stand there with a bemused look on their face because they think it's really cute that their dog is "acting so fierce" (not said to me, but to the dog "oh you're so fierce! look at you ooooo!"). I actually think some people feel that this is socialising their dogs.

Think I will put up sign, but what should sign say??

[Red Fox]

Think I will put up sign, but what should sign say??

"Dogs recovering from kennel cough, please do not approach" should be quite effective

[Rebanne]

from the other side of the gate. If a dog in a front yard runs up to the fence barking at my dogs being walked past I do stop. I refuse to be pulled around by my dogs who want to get to the fence barking dogs, I refuse to let the fence barking dogs win by seeing mine off. I walk off when my are back under control and the other dogs let us go quietly ie not chasing us the length of the fence barking, snarling, yapping. If, very rarely, a person actually comes out I tell them what I am doing, politely. If they don't like it too bad.

eta fix spelling

ps I never stop to talk to dogs inside fences so never incite barking but be buggered if I am going to rush past certain houses because people think they can leave their dogs in the front yard to rush at innocent people and dogs walking by.

Edited August 21, 2010 by Rebanne

[Souff]

The hose can be used with incredibly good effect or have one of those big sprinklers pointed in the direction of the gate.

[minxy]

The hose can be used with incredibly good effect or have one of those big sprinklers pointed in the direction of the gate.

And not just on the dogs

[Rysup]

I live on a main road and our fence is chain wire, with brush wood stuck on top.

When people stop and cause trouble, I just yell out (its loud with traffic, have to yell to be heard) please keep walking. They tend to.

Sometimes its kids trying to cause trouble, but they still keep going.

[Greytmate]

I am another one on the other side of the fence. I walk Woody around the streets, and I get a bit sick of dogs aggressively barking and lunging at us from behind front fences where ever we go.

I am training Woody, so if he pulls or stares, he gets put in a sit stay, or given a right-about-turn, or some other exercise until he is paying attention to me. He has improved a lot, but it has taken a bit of work.

I wish people with aggressively territorial dogs would restrict their dog's view of the street and keep them in the house or backyard. It would make for a much more peaceful and pleasant walk. I wonder how some of those dog's neighbours put up with them.

[becks]

I wouldn't have the dogs in the front to begin with - what is wrong with the back yard??

I would also use a supersoaker and have a bad aim,, getting the person for hanging around the gate annoying he dogs

[Staranais]

ps I never stop to talk to dogs inside fences so never incite barking but be buggered if I am going to rush past certain houses because people think they can leave their dogs in the front yard to rush at innocent people and dogs walking by.

Me too.

I never attempt to incite barking, that would be daft, and I'd be annoyed too if I saw anyone deliberately getting my dog to bark or teasing her.

But if I'm walking on a public footpath minding my own business & a dog rushes barking at us from behind a fence, then I won't proceed along the footpath until my girl is walking nicely. I don't want to let her pull, even if another dog is barking, that just teaches her that it's OK to pull. If she's not walking nicely, sometimes we deliberately walk back & forth past the loud dog a few more times in order to get some loose leash walking practice in. I figure, we're allowed to walk on the footpath. If us walking on a public footpath upsets someone's dog, that's just too bad.

[Greytmate]

ps I never stop to talk to dogs inside fences so never incite barking but be buggered if I am going to rush past certain houses because people think they can leave their dogs in the front yard to rush at innocent people and dogs walking by.

Me too.

I never attempt to incite barking, that would be daft, and I'd be annoyed too if I saw anyone deliberately getting my dog to bark or teasing her.

But if I'm walking on a public footpath minding my own business & a dog rushes barking at us from behind a fence, then I won't proceed along the footpath until my girl is walking nicely. I don't want to let her pull, even if another dog is barking, that just teaches her that it's OK to pull. If she's not walking nicely, sometimes we deliberately walk back & forth past the loud dog a few more times in order to get some loose leash walking practice in. I figure, we're allowed to walk on the footpath. If us walking on a public footpath upsets someone's dog, that's just too bad.

The dog might think it owns the public footpath outside the property, surely the owners are smart enough to realise that they don't?

If somebody super-soaked me, or said anything at all unpleasant to me as a result of their own dog's excessive barking, I would report their dog to council.

[Narcissa]

Some good suggestions here - I might do the sign saying "Dog recovering from kennel cough" hehe.

I don't dare to make the owners unhappy as they can do nasty things to my dogs, or can be very rude to us. Maybe I am just the sort who's a little shy and want to avoid conflict. I know of one woman who does the same routine in the morning (no dogs, just her), standing outside my gate and scolding the dogs. I see her from the window pointing at them and yelling "shut up! stupid dog! you're so stupid! Irritating!" etc. I don't dare to go out and say anything! >< I know it's very lame but she lives right next to me and has never been friendly.

I have a ] shaped yard - front, along the side of the house, and a bigger back yard. I keep them inside most of the time, except for toilet breaks, and evenings when the maid is doing the gardening and they like to be outside with her. Only one dog, the Chihuahua, can slip through the smallest of grills and gets access outside anytime he wants. He rarely barks though, but will join in if another dog starts first. So it's like a medley, one starts and the rest all follows. Sigh.

I wouldn't have the dogs in the front to begin with - what is wrong with the back yard??

Maybe I'll seal off the side yard so they only get an L shaped yard. But then they would just be barking inside the house lol, but it would definitely deter *some* dog owners from standing outside since they see no dogs at the gate I suppose. Thanks for the suggestion

My dogs aren't aggressive and I don't mind them making a tiny fuss if they see someone outside (afterall, they're trying to warn us, yes?) and I definitely don't mind people walking their dogs past me - I have made some friends with neighbours with great dogs, and they walk by calling out my dogs' names and my dogs are totally cool with that. They don't make a peep if so, just happy to see a familiar face and want to sniff their friend. It's just the people standing there for quite a length of time with their dog lunging at the gate and barking and my dogs reacting, either inside the house or out.

from the other side of the gate. If a dog in a front yard runs up to the fence barking at my dogs being walked past I do stop. I refuse to be pulled around by my dogs who want to get to the fence barking dogs, I refuse to let the fence barking dogs win by seeing mine off. I walk off when my are back under control and the other dogs let us go quietly ie not chasing us the length of the fence barking, snarling, yapping. If, very rarely, a person actually comes out I tell them what I am doing, politely. If they don't like it too bad.

I totally accept this. I would even commend the owner for exercising such discipline with their dogs. Like I watched on Cesar Milan, once the walking dog is calm, all the rest are too. When I walk my dogs up and down the street, they don't bark at the others, and no one else does. It all makes for a nice, quiet walk

In Singapore, all properties have gates/walls - I was totally surprised when I moved to Australia at 17 and realised people have beautiful lawns out in the open. It was a very pleasant surprise actually, I felt that everyone was so much more neighbourly. Having lived in Australia for 10 years, it's so odd being back here where people are not dog-friendly, and most places aren't - there is only ONE dog park in the whole country where dogs can run offleash. It's an entirely different culture, with NO dog/cat breeders, just pet farms. And we have many strays - so I work with TNR groups for cats and help with dog rehoming programs here.

[Staranais]

I don't dare to make the owners unhappy as they can do nasty things to my dogs, or can be very rude to us. Maybe I am just the sort who's a little shy and want to avoid conflict.

I feel the same way. I might be very tempted to water spray people like that, but at the end of the day I wouldn't because my dog is home alone by herself and vulnerable all day. No one sensible would be game to enter the yard to hurt her with all the racket & teeth clacking, but someone vindictive or petty could throw things at her, or bait her. I'm paranoid perhaps, but not all people are nice people.

The sign sounds like a smart idea. So does fencing your yard so the dogs can't get to the front.

[Red Fox]

ps I never stop to talk to dogs inside fences so never incite barking but be buggered if I am going to rush past certain houses because people think they can leave their dogs in the front yard to rush at innocent people and dogs walking by.

Me too.

I never attempt to incite barking, that would be daft, and I'd be annoyed too if I saw anyone deliberately getting my dog to bark or teasing her.

But if I'm walking on a public footpath minding my own business & a dog rushes barking at us from behind a fence, then I won't proceed along the footpath until my girl is walking nicely. I don't want to let her pull, even if another dog is barking, that just teaches her that it's OK to pull. If she's not walking nicely, sometimes we deliberately walk back & forth past the loud dog a few more times in order to get some loose leash walking practice in. I figure, we're allowed to walk on the footpath. If us walking on a public footpath upsets someone's dog, that's just too bad.

The dog might think it owns the public footpath outside the property, surely the owners are smart enough to realise that they don't?

If somebody super-soaked me, or said anything at all unpleasant to me as a result of their own dog's excessive barking, I would report their dog to council.

Yeah but training your dog and standing outside someone elses gate while your dog goes off and "praising it for being fierce" or yelling are 2 very different things :D And I'm sure that those who use the opportunity as a training exercise would have no trouble calmly explaining what they are doing if the owner of the house happened to ask.

Narcissa- there are a few things that you can do here. Firstly, block of access to the front yard/fence line. Even if it means penning off part of the back yard for them only.

Don't let the dogs outside at the times you know people are likely to walk past (or that your neighbour is likely to stand out there and yell).

And, if you know that the dogs will continue to bark from inside the house move them away from the front door (or anywhere they can see out from) - so either another room where they can't see the front of the house, or crate them.

Teach the dogs an alternate behaviour other than barking.

My dog will go off his nut if there is someone hanging around our fence too. So rather than let him tear down the curtains, bark and whine or scratch at (and destroy) the front door I tell him "in your crate", close him in and give him a treat instead. Problem solved

[daisygirl]

A spray bottle with water and vinegar mixture (or a super soaker water gun) should be used on the dogs doing the barking (ie the ones in the yard). If you happen to accidently spray the ones on the other side of the fence it wont hurt them either. If your dogs are barking in the house at the window then still spray them as a bit of vinegar and water wont hurt the house. Always remember to praise them once they are quiet so they know when they are doing the right thing as well as the wrong thin. They soon learn pretty quickly what they can and cant bark at.

I too walk around the block and wont let the maniac dogs going crazy win by making us walk quicker. One crazy lady down the road raced out as I was sedately going past with our 13 year old and started yelling at me that the neighbours were complaining to the council about her dogs barking. Simple solution, dont let your dogs bark.

The people that annoy me are the ones that stop outside our house at 5 - 6am and have a chat because we are at an intersection and one of the party goes up the hill and one straight ahead. Havent they done enough chatting going around the block?? Several times I have to get out of bed, get dressed and tell them to shut up. In the meantime all my dogs are still in bed and trying to sleep to.