Pretty Miss Emma Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 So, I'm house sitting for just over a week. I'm here because there is a 3yo choc lab who needed looking after. Anyway I've been here less than 24hrs and one neighbour has already been at me because the dog has been barking all day apparently while I was at work. As I told them it isn't my dog and I don't know if it is usually inside during the day or not. He reckons she's been barking every 30 min since 630 (i didn't leave for work until after 8 and she didn't bark much before I left so who knows!!). When I'm here with Kenzie she whimpers a bit and barks every so often for attention, but any time either of the dogs bark at all I can hear him yelling to shut up. In all honesty she's not a bad barker when I'm here, although she has an exceptionally loud and annoying sounding bark! Part of me doesn't care as I'm only here for a little while, it isn't my dog or my house so many of the things I would try at home I can't really do (eg leave inside, buy bundles of toys, etc). But I also get that it would be annoying if she really is that bad. He was complaining about the millions of dogs in the neighbourhood and how noisy they are, I have heard very few, I think he wants the streets to be completely silent!! So if anyone has ideas that can get me through the next week or so, particularly when I have to leave her home alone it would be most appreciated!! Thanks in advance!! Oh, and as of tomorrow she will be getting a walk every morning and every evening as a minimum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozzie Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Didn't whoever you're housesitting for give you a management plan for the dog? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coogie Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Are the owners contactable at all? Maybe you could ask if they have had issues with the dog barking (or the neighbour complaining) -maybe she is unsettled by the change in routine. If you are able to get in touch with them they might be able to let you know how they deal with her barking so you can follow her usual routine. Do they have a kong or anything you could leave to occupy her when you have to leave her alone? Whilst the neighbour may just be a serial complainer a week is a long time to listen to incessant barking, and I would be worried he will call the council or worse lose his temper and take matters into his own hands; especially if he is already yelling at the dogs after less than 24 hrs. I hope it settles down for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Did the owners not tell you teh dog's routine ..possible bad habits etc ?Hard for you to manage if you don't know what is 'normal' ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tralee Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 So, I'm house sitting for just over a week. I'm here because there is a 3yo choc lab who needed looking after. Anyway I've been here less than 24hrs and one neighbour has already been at me because the dog has been barking all day apparently while I was at work. ... He reckons she's been barking every 30 min since 630 (i didn't leave for work until after 8 and she didn't bark much before I left so who knows!!). ... But I also get that it would be annoying if she really is that bad. He was complaining about the millions of dogs in the neighbourhood and how noisy they are, I have heard very few, I think he wants the streets to be completely silent!! So if anyone has ideas that can get me through the next week or so, particularly when I have to leave her home alone it would be most appreciated!! Thanks in advance!! Hi pretty Miss Emma The first thing is to ask the people on the other side of the house or behind the house if they thought the dog had been 'nuisance' barking. That will put your mind at rest or give you an idea of what needs to be done. We have a dentist next door and I was ludky enough to catch the dental nurse leaving one afternoon and she said that you wouldn't know there were dogs here. Once I had a similar complaint and it turned out that a strange dog had been hanging around on the other side of the fence all day. There could be a similar reason if the dog was barking. If the dog is barking, then restrict it to an area where there is less visual stimulus. Try to leave as late as possible and arrive home as early as you can. Make a fuss about the dog, particularly when you return from being out, over this weekend so the dog will be reassured that even if its owners left it won't be alone on your workdays. Leave some music on in the house or some other auditory stimulus and sneek out the front of a morning. You will need to move your car up the street before hand. Good Luck :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted December 23, 2011 Author Share Posted December 23, 2011 Yeah, he strikes me as someone who will complain about anything (so far other than the dogs I've also heard him complaining about the birds in the trees and general noise on the street!), but I reassured him that I would do my best with her. I think the walks will help, I've bought her a treat ball to dish out her dry food & I'll also give her a yummy bone when she has to stay home. There is little visual stimulus in the yard. I think she is just barking to get attention, which she unfortunately gets if he yells at her. As for management plans etc, the owners are what I would call your standard dog owners not dog people; so I have quite a bit of info from them but not really problem solving info, but I also think they may not have expected this as I know she has been minded by somone else before and this isn't one of the issues anyone mentioned (heard lots about jumping and lead pulling!!). So maybe this is a newer issue, even according to the neighbours comments. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chezy Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 good ol fashioned tape recorder would come in handy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tralee Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 (edited) Yeah, he strikes me as someone who will complain about anything ... but I reassured him that I would do my best with her. I think the walks will help, I've bought her a treat ball to dish out her dry food & I'll also give her a yummy bone when she has to stay home. I think she is just barking to get attention, which she unfortunately gets if he yells at her. Thanks! When we moved in here, the dogs were going ballistic one afternoon. There was a guy on the other side of the fence and he started complaing about the dogs barking. He came back about a week later and began to yell out that it used to be a nice neighbourhood before I moved in. I followed him to talk with him but he walked away. Turns out he doesn't even live here, he only walks past occasionally, and if he did live here he could hardly miss the busses and trucks, with a whole lot of other cacophony, that is our nice neighborhood. I have an attention barker but she settles down and sleeps most of the day. I would ask, if the dog is barking, why isn't it sleeping when people are out? If the dogs allowed inside, then let it be with you while you're home, at night, etc. so the dog will be reassured that even if its owners have left, it won't be alone all the time. Px Edited December 23, 2011 by Tralee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Why not just leave the dog inside? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 welll she could leave the dog inside...................................to find out it shreds things, eats the walls and chews the doors off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzzycuddles Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 welll she could leave the dog inside...................................to find out it shreds things, eats the walls and chews the doors off True.. Any chance it would respond ok to a crate or perhaps the laundry? Not too hard to clean up and with some toys and the radio on pup may settle better and less barking? (remove all shreddables first as ososwift is right you may come home to a few less than ideal surprises if you don't know how this dog will react ;) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skruffy n Flea Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 hello i have nothing to add but to wish you good luck the following posts made me laugh or giggle and i just wanted to say that too Yeah, he strikes me as someone who will complain about anything ... but I reassured him that I would do my best with her. I think the walks will help, I've bought her a treat ball to dish out her dry food & I'll also give her a yummy bone when she has to stay home. I think she is just barking to get attention, which she unfortunately gets if he yells at her. Thanks! When we moved in here, the dogs were going ballistic one afternoon. There was a guy on the other side of the fence and he started complaing about the dogs barking. He came back about a week later and began to yell out that it used to be a nice neighbourhood before I moved in. I followed him to talk with him but he walked away. Turns out he doesn't even live here, he only walks past occasionally, and if he did live here he could hardly miss the busses and trucks, with a whole lot of other cacophony, that is our nice neighborhood. welll she could leave the dog inside...................................to find out it shreds things, eats the walls and chews the doors off tres eloquent ms swift True.. Any chance it would respond ok to a crate or perhaps the laundry? Not too hard to clean up and with some toys and the radio on pup may settle better and less barking? (remove all shreddables first as ososwift is right you may come home to a few less than ideal surprises if you don't know how this dog will react ;) ) solid advice and i just wanna add that i love your name Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 How did you go??? have you found any solutions and no shredded things?? S&F I had this visual pop up in me head of potential aftermath if doggy was not the best inside. It was something along the lines of what happened when my uncle let my mums dog inside once whent hey were not home. She was fine outside, but accidentally lock her in and she mega freaked out!!!! Needless to say there was more than one pair of new curtains and blinds, carpet mats and cushions and lots of messes to clean up. Mum was not amused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted December 26, 2011 Author Share Posted December 26, 2011 Well, yesterday she was here on her own for about 8 hours or so. I left her in the back yard, but this time I left her with... raw bone bone inside a dog popsicle dog popsicle with liver treats, dry food, yoghurt drops scattered meaty "chunkers" around the yard and left her with a wading pool to play in I'm going to assume it was ok - haven't had the neighbours knocking on the door, and when I arrived back here all was quiet. She was awake but not barking. Oh and we had an hour long walk in the morning before I left. So I'm just hoping and assuming it was ok!!! Have already prepared the dog popsicles for tomorrow!!! Although, I am thinking the neighbours are probably serial whingers. When I was putting stuff out for her yesterday she was in the house and barked maybe 5 times (had not barked at all at anytime in the morning and only a few times the previous day seeing as though I have put my life on hold to stay with the dogs and not upset the neighbours!!!) and the neighbours were already screaming at her from behind the fence. It's just unfortnate as when they do that it makes her happy - she stops for a few moments and then starts again until they yell at her again!! But I guess this will be good for mine and Kenzie's fitness as we are doing double long walks!!! And I'm so happy that I don't have a dog that does this attention barking thing!!! But I think she is becoming a bit more settled and manageable. Only a week to go til some of her family are home!! Thanks for asking!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pebbles Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 Sounds like a neighbour I had a few years ago. Any dog in hearing distance barked and mine got the blame. Best one, went out one evening, got home at about 1.15am, 1.20am phone rings "Your b****y dogs have been barking all night." Had great pleasure in tell him that "My b****y dogs had been with me" and hung up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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