Eeeps! My First Complaint :(

[cannibalgoldfish]

Was a bit of a scary week for me. I got home on Monday to find a card on my door from the council Regulations officer with a message on the back saying please ring to discuss your dogs! Naturally I freaked out. With Lokis on going issues I was suprised it took so long. He has been escaping again after a few months of peace (long story some may remember) So I figured he had annoyed someone somehow. So I called back the next morning only to be told the guy was on a training course that day and call back on Wednesday. You would think he would mention that on his card...

So a frantic day later he rang me before I got a chance too. I had been thinking all kinds of bad things. They were barking? Someone complained about him getting out? Loki looks too skinny and ratty? (shedding)

So they guy tells me he had received a complaint about my dogs. Then went on to say he didnt think it was much of a complaint and not to worry. Apparently someone rang to say they had been barking all day long on Monday. My dogs are not barkers. They bark if there is something there, not if they are bored. I explained that and he said they have no problem with that. He turned up to check out the complaint and the pair were sitting quietly without the slightest noise. He even went up and patted my "miniature akitas" (lol) and the little buggers didnt even bark at him. Some guard dogs... Turns out the people across the road are doing roof repairs and my dogs thought the people on the roof were a bit creepy. Thankfully they got bored which is good because the guys were there for three days.... So the council guy was not worried at all and told me to disregard the complaint. He did let on by letting me read between the lines who it was who rang to complaint. It was my neighbour who is an elderly almost bed ridden lady. I have talked to her before because I worry about the yodelling screams I get when I get home. She always said she had no problem with my dogs because they made her feel safer as she knew they only bark if there is a reason. Obviously they just pushed her over the edge that day. Barking dogs can drive you mad so I do understand her getting annoyed.

So there was my first and hopefully only complaint about the pair of nutters I'm not sure what to do now. I would give her an apology gift or something but I dont think I should let on that I knew it was her. The council guy didnt tell me outright but hinted enough for me to get it.

Thank goodness they guys were nice and quiet when he came round. It is strage they didn't bark at him but hey, it worked in my favour. The poor guy thinks they are well behaved or something?

[Tralee]

You could tell her that you are aware that the dogs barked all day, Monday, and that you are talking to all the neighbours, not just her.

Explain why you think it was reasonable that they were barking all day.

You might suggest that she let you know personally if there is another occurrence.

Unfortunately, my neighbour was not so understanding and we ended up in court. But then, so did the people before us.

[Jed]

Toddle next door with a bunch of flowers - not too big, and not too flash. Tell her the council called because the dogs had been making a nuisance of themselves, and although you had no idea who complained, you figured she would have been hearing them too - and the flowers were to make up for that.

Tell her they were barking at the men on the roof. Give her your ph number, ask her to drop you a note or phone if the dogs bark too much again.

Suck up, suck up!! Time to do the nice thing. She will be happy. And next time, she will probably tell you not the council.

Dogs barking drive me insane. There is a lttle lonely white dog who lives on the spare room side of my daughter's house. When I stayed there, he started barking at 2 every afternoon and continued until dark, when I presume his owners returned.

He drove me insane. We discussed whether it would be possible to dognap him and debark him and have him awake again by 6pm

No, I didn't complain, but I could have. When you are sick, things like that become Mt Everest.

[Cookiez]

I am glad it kind of all worked out. At least it's not any of the things you thought initially- and that it was set off due to the people working on the roof!

I have my own story of neighbour complaining a few years ago. When I was in high school, we had a neighbour who used to complain about my Cavalier. I don't know how, but he got our number and would ring our house as soon as she barked at night- even if it was only for 30 seconds. The he would scream over the fence at me if I had friends over on the weekend and we were in the pool making noise. It was just ridiculous.

One day I came home early due to a study period, and saw my dog barking at the fence outside. I called her to get inside because I was worried my neighbour would complain. I then see him at the back fence, provoking her by throwing rocks and banging on the fence with a hammer!

A few days later a person from the council arrived to tell me a neighbour had put in a formal complaint about my barking dog. I was so angry because it was actually him who was harassing us, and aggravating our dog to bark! I ended up speaking to all my neighbours, who agreed they barely hear my dog. I then sent off a letter to the council explaining my situation and what he had been doing to us!

Let's just say that we didn't get another late night phone call, or any complaints from him ever again.

[nikitaken]

its good that at lease ur neighbour thinks that ur dog's barks make her feel safer. our neighbour doesnt...

[cointreau]

Like Jed said take your neighbour some flowers and and appologise for the dogs barking, you know because the council got a complaint.

Obviously it is unusual for your dogs to bark so much and on a positive note it is good to know your neighbour noticed she may not have known the reason and if unable to contact you did what she thoght was best.

My neighbours dog barks at me when she is outside and any time I go out my front door, drives me insane at times and also limits my privacy too. No I won't complain about her because otherwise my neighbours are great and I don't want to loose good neighbours, they do try to stop her barking and will put her inside when they are home.

[poochmad]

Toddle next door with a bunch of flowers - not too big, and not too flash. Tell her the council called because the dogs had been making a nuisance of themselves, and although you had no idea who complained, you figured she would have been hearing them too - and the flowers were to make up for that.

Tell her they were barking at the men on the roof. Give her your ph number, ask her to drop you a note or phone if the dogs bark too much again.

Suck up, suck up!! Time to do the nice thing. She will be happy. And next time, she will probably tell you not the council.

I agree with what Jed said.

We have dogs surrounding us and although our dogs rarely bark, I won't complain about the neighbour's dog that barks throughout the night (and has one of those piercing barks that beats around in your head) as I worry that if my male dog barks, then they won't hesitate about complaining about our dog.