Whinging Neighbours!

[Keira&Phoenix]

Agree with all the suggestions here definitely double check it is absolutely not your dogs and then play nice with your neighbours make them aware you have taken it seriously and are going to look into it.

Barking dogs can make people very angry. A few years ago when I was renting their were yappy dogs next to me an across the road and they would bark all hours of the day and night and it turned me into a crazy person, I love dogs but I HATED those dogs. The dog in the house right next to me, its owners were always home and they did nothing about it, I couldn't even move around my house without it going nuts.

[Adza]

As Winterpaws said, you just don't want the wrong person to do any harm to the dog either. There are plenty of sicko's who if given the chance can bait the dog because they are angry. You have to be careful.

[LizT]

My GSD barks at night.

Only I ever heard it in our family and it wasn't a problem as I used to get up and "ask" him to "show" me what was upsetting him. This was the advice I was given by our obedience trainer.

It did, however become a problem when I started to work night shift and the rest of the family let him bark and bark and bark and didn't wake up.

Our next door neighbour wrote me a nice note (it was!) saying that the dog was barking at night and it was keeping her awake.

I wrote a note back saying I thought this was the problem with being a mum and a light sleeper and I had purchased a bark control collar that day and would put it on him at night before I left for work but that it could take a few days to work (according to the instructions).

It worked instantaneously. That was three years ago and we haven't had to use the collar much these days and haven't really had a problem with his barking since.

He does still bark at the odd possum, wombat or if people are walking up the street in the wee small hours. He is a German Shepherd and alerting us is in his instincts.

Nowadays my OH hears him bark and just puts him on the chain near his bed at the house so he settles down and forgets about whatever it is 'at the bottom of the garden' that set him off in the first place.

[Diva]

People do sometimes blame the wrong dogs. It happened to me a few years ago and I turned myself inside out tryng to find out when they were barking and trying to stop it but the anon notes kept coming. The dogs already slept inside and no matter when I snuck home during the day I couldn't catch them barking. Even my cleaner said they never barked at her and she never heard them bark at anything else either. No neighbour admitted to hearing them. I went through enormous angst trying solve it.

Then one long weekend I went away and boarded them - and came back to a particularly threatening note about barking when the dogs had been miles away.

This time I revisited the neighbours and was very direct - it wasn't my dogs barking, I had proof of their absence inkennels that weekend despite the note and if anyone hurt them I would not only call in the police I'd spend every penny I had to identify and legally pursue whoever harmed them. If the notes didn't stop I'd hire a PI to try and find out who had sent them. The notes stopped.

[Gayle.]

Hi all,

I'm so pleased I found this site! I need some advise. I have been dealing with some whinging neighbours who clearly don't like dogs. They claim that my German Shephard (Sam) barks non-stop especially at night. My family and I are home at night and know this is not the case. In the day both my husband & I are at work and my daughter at school however everyone knows about the breed they are definitely not the type of dogs to be barking non-stop just because... ?

I also received a note no name or address saying to basically do something about my barking dog. I was very upset with receiving this notice as I know very well that my dog is extremely obedient and well trained.

What shall I do? I need some advise please

I had a barking dog, I knew he barked a fair bit but the neighbour confirmed it for me when she told me he (or they, as once he starts the others bark too) barks all day at everything while we're at work.

Problem solved with an anti-bark collar. He wore it for a week, although he didn't bark after the first five minutes of wearing it. Instant peace and quiet.

I'd like to think my dog doesn't bark, he IS very obedient and he's a lovely boy with beautiful manners.....but he does bark and it's bloody annoying and I can't blame the neighbour for bringing it to our attention.

He doesn't bark at nothing, the breed isn't like that. He barks at people going by out front, he barks at birds in the trees, he barks at the dog next door, he barks at the neighbour hanging out her washing. He's not barking at nothing, to him it's something and he's just telling everyone about it. But he likes the sound of his own voice way too much so now he's made to be quiet.

What you need to do is make your dog be quiet.

[Lady Flying Furball]

easy, keep the dog inside at nights.

if the barking stops , then maybe it was yours. If not, you can nicely inform the neighbours, or even let them know before hand that your dog will be inside from now on so that if they do hear a dog barking, they may realise it is not yours.

This is a great idea...and it is so nice to have the doggies in!!

[ZAUBISTAR]

1. Don't conclude that because your neighbours complained they are dog haters. I hate barking dogs too, especially at night.

2. Go and THANK (yes, you read that right, thank) your neighbours for bringing the problem to your attention (beats dealing with a ranger) and ask them to keep a diary of when the dog is barking.

3. Lose the "my dog is well trained and obedient therefore it won't bark" idea. I live next door to a working police dog - he is highly trained and obedient and barks his head off given half a chance.

4. Sleep your dog inside (garage, laundry where ever) for a week and ask your neighbour to tell you if that's made a difference. Then both of you will know if its your dog that's keeping people up.

I suggest you act on the assumption that it is your dog until proven otherwise.

Yep, agree

GSD's are boundary dogs, it's what they were breed for. Also some can be real whingers! That high pitch....I'm lonely.....I'm sad.....I'm lonely, can really get to ppl.

If you can keep your dog inside away from distractions and away from any large glass windows/doors which may amplify the sound it may improve.

I live next to an overly aggressive fence barker and it drives me mad!!!!! it is occasionally corrected but sometimes it just makes me sad and mad for what the dog is expected to endure while shut outside.

Best of luck.

[Flaves]

Apparently my boy barked all night - impossible as he sleeps on my bed!

We recently had a barking complaint....2 and 3am.....dogs sleep at the bottom of the bed.

Some people typically get over dramatic during their reports because they're pissed off as it is.

They do, but in my area it HAS to be MY GSD barking, no other dog barks in the area not even the GSD that lived next door and was outside all the time.

Mind you since the ferals next door have left, there is no barking complaints ;)

[OSoSwift]

The GSD that lived next door to me barked for two straight years!!!!

Do as Poodlefan suggested

[LizT]

Last night my GSD did the "whingey whiney howley" thingy!!! On and off ALL NIGHT!! I had to keep getting up and "hushing him' Lucky I'm home on Holidays at the moment.

We have had a coloney of Fruit bats (Flying foxes) move into our area recently and each dusk and the chatter like a cross between a troop of monkeys and a flock of parrots after dark. This goes on until about 3.00 am when they must fly off in search of food??!! We have a lot of orchards in the area and this is not going to have a happy ending for the bats I'm afraid!

Our poor GSD doesn't know what to make of them and I think he is a bit scared of them??? Since he doesn't bark but whines and howles when they come in. They have parked themselves right in a Eucalyptus next to the house.

[ZAUBISTAR]

Any luck with the neighbours Caroliina?

[charli73]

Just make sure its your dog barking...

You have been given some great advice which you should follow, all dogs can be barkers even trained ones like my girl. She is indoor with us at night, if she were out she would bark all night at possums to let us know theyre there, thats her job...

Lucky for me when my neighbours love our dog and know if she barking theres a reason and I check regularily that she doesnt make any noise. Now they have new puppies themselves its going to interesting..

maybe shoot your neighbours a note to let them know to contact you, makes the world of difference..

best of luck...

Ps= any way your GSD can sleep inside? She may be barking because she wants to be inside with "the pack"...

[Bracken]

wow, this anonymous note thing seems more common than I had thought! I had a couple a few years ago with my border collie Gwyn. We were trying so hard to find out when she was barking, the notes were accusing us of constant barking day and night! We knew that she barked a little, but all we knew of was her 'normal dog' barking ie, an occasional possum/extremely exciting occurrence of which her amazement and general joy could only be communicated through a bark but only 2 or 3 barks per episode.

Anyway, this brave note-writer continued sending notes about our barking dog and helpfully suggesting that she should be de-barked surgically etc. And we continued being unable to figure out when the barking was occurring. Eventually the note-writer (turned out to be a lady who lives a house or two away) apparently contacted the council (which she had been threatening to do, as she said she was sure the council would seize our dog) and managed to get a council member to visit our house with her while we were out!

We were phoned later and told that what had basically happened was that she and the council member had stood outside our gate while Gwyn sat on the other just staring at each other! No barks or anything! (that was a little surprising to us as Gwyn normally does bark when people loiter around the fence)

And that was still not enough to solve the problem, We were later contacted AGAIN by the council who had been called and told that for the last few days the lady had seen our dog running around our yard barking for hours and hours. Unfortunately her eye witness account was rather spoiled by the fact that on the dates she had given to the council, we were away on holiday with the dog!

So the issue slowly dropped, everyone figured out that it was the border collie next to us, no one complained to it's owner and we were left alone again without having to de-bark our Gwyn

p.s. Sorry for the slight rant, it's still a sore point with me!

But yes, always do your best to be sure it's not your dog. We kept open and slightly frazzled minds about the possibility of Gwyn being the culprit until the 'eye witness' episode. And we always check what is disturbing the dogs if we do hear a bark.

Edited January 28, 2011 by Bracken

[Aidan3]

There is a Golden over the fence from us, and I struggle to tell which one is barking, mine or theirs. If I tell him to shush and it works, I know it's mine.

[Kirty]

I often yell at my dogs to shut up, only to realise it was actually next doors dogs! LOL! They seem to respond to me yelling anyway!

[Pockets]

I disagree with having a dog inside at night, the real problem of why the dog is barking needs to be addressed, otherwise the dog will continue to bark during the day while you are gone.

Its called the "flood and droubt" effect.

You get home from work, you let your dog in and the dog is in with you all night until the morning when you put the dog out in the yard and off you go to work for the day, most dogs can deal with this, but some dogs cant and really do feel the effect of "being alone"....

maybe look at restricting your dogs access to parts of the yard at night, get the dog into a routine...when its time for bed, you give it a tasty treat like a pigs ear or brisket bone in a dog run and go to bed, the dog will then get used to you going to bed is not a bad thing, but the dog gets a nice treat out of it and feels secure in its own little area.

A lot of people are in denial that its their dogs barking, as they take it as a personal attack on themselves, I for one would appreciate a neighbour bringing this to my attention

I second thanking the neighbours for bringing it to your attention, most people just want to know they are being listened to and if you thank them, they will be more inclined to speak with you about it in the future, rather than involving the council, or taking matters into their own hands ....work with your neighbours ;)

[Oskar & Zsa Zsa]

I have been experiencing it from two neighbours dogs for over 6 months now. One from the back fence and one from the side fence. I have spoken to both neighbours again recently with one taking immediate action and the other appearing not to respond as yet.

I naturally prefaced my conversation with the words "I love puppies too and do not wish to cause any ill feelings, however, the barking is starting to wear thin and I would love to assist them with a solution, whatever it may be" This has delivered positive responses from both, but only action from one.

However the neighbour who has taken action, in my opinion is barking up the wrong tree, so to speak. He has taken to locking the dog inside ALL the time, apart from toilet visits. I am not comfortable with this, as I believe this is not beneficial to the dog and is not addressing the barking behaviour. I have read a lot of the suggestions in this thread and will be discussing some of them when he eventually has the time to come over for a chat. (We get on well so far, so I am hoping this won't effect our relationship)

The neighbour at the rear however, appears not to have taken any action. Does anyone have any suggestions which may work apart from what has been posted previously in this thread, as I am frankly at my wits end. The dog, will bark non-stop while ever I am in my back yard. It doesn't seem to matter wether or not I am making any noise, just my presence sets her off. Also, now she has started barking at night. She barked last night from 11pm till 1.15am non-stop. I am sitting here at work, knackered from lack of sleep. (I start early in the morning, so this really eats into my sleep time.)

I do not want to cause any physical or phycological damage to the dog as I know it's not her fault. But I am really starting to unravel over this............ So any thoughts would be appreciated.

Please note....I do not want to take this to council, if I can avoid it, as I know that is a slippery slope for the dog should the barking not be addressed by the owner.

[poodlefan]

I disagree with having a dog inside at night, the real problem of why the dog is barking needs to be addressed, otherwise the dog will continue to bark during the day while you are gone.

Not if the issue is possums!

[Pockets]

I disagree with having a dog inside at night, the real problem of why the dog is barking needs to be addressed, otherwise the dog will continue to bark during the day while you are gone.

Not if the issue is possums!

I Didnt see that the OP said there were possums? as she said the dogs was barking during the day?

Possums are a different story

[all that glitters]

Of course GSDs can and will bark! Many are nuisance barkers - if I left mine outside she would be too It has nothing to do with how 'obedient' they are, they naturally guard their territory and many are very sensitive to any little noise and it will set them off

GSDs are in fact a very vocal breed of dog Barking, whining, howling, sooking...