Phlosphr - It’s pretty slow going. Right now I’m mainly working on getting the =old wallpaper off and tearing up linolium in the kitchen. I absolutely NEED to get the fencing up for the dogs - I can’t move until they’re secure. The horse can wait if he has too, although that’s a need too. Even if there are no houses right nearby and virtually no traffic on the road, it only takes a minute for a tragedy to happen. Once I get the fencinf done I’ll move in and be able to work more than a few hours and Saturday and Sunday. I still want and need your help! I just need to get further along before I can ask for it.
Dinsdale , the fact that these people never tell their dog to shut up shows that they are pigs. They must surely hear you tell the dogs to shut up so they must know that it bothers you.
You absolutely, positively do not have to put up with this! You are being denied the peaceful enjoyment of your home because some pigs refuse to control their dogs. You have every right to take action. This is no time for “tolerance” or “understanding”.
Be polite but be tough. Tell your piggy neighbors that you are being disturbed and that it would be nice if they could stop their dogs from barking and disturbing you. Suggest this or this . Don’t let them make you feel guilty.
If they cooperate, fine. I suspect that they won’t. There is a subclass of dog owners who feel that neighbors who complain are interfering with their dog’s right to bark as much as it wants. I’m afraid that is the situation you face.
Get a camcorder. Make sure that the date stamp is on. Make a vidio of all the times the dogs are barking. Make police reports. Have the police department give you incident numbers for each incident. This will be part of your ammunition for small claims court. Maybe even a higher court. Consult a knowledgable attorney so you know your options.
Don’t put up with this anymore. You have a right not to.
Once you are organized and the pigs have still refused to deal with the situation, tell them they will be sued. Better yet, see if your attorney thinks it is a good idea to have **him ** to send them a letter.
I grew up with 3 dogs, the most vocal of which was a female Great Pyrenees. After she passed, my mother got another GP (a male) from a rescue organization. Both Great Pyrenees loved to be outside, but their primary activity was strutting around the backyard woofing at absolutely nothing. We never really formally tried to keep them from barking, but we would bring them inside if it went on for too long. Other than the barking (and the drooling) the dogs were a great pleasure to own. Domesticated polar bears.
The fact is that some breeds are more vocal than others, and this should definitely be something you consider while shopping for a dog.
My friend cured her beagle of baying with one of those little shock collars. They set it to the gentlest setting and he quit baying on the second test of the collar. Every so often Cowboy will try a little howl and just whispering ‘collar’ quiets him right down. It didn’t hurt him, so much as startle and offend his doggy sensabilities.
After having lived near a hideously barky dog, a few years ago, I have no qualms about calling when it becomes a problem. Problem is defined as ‘when I’ve tried being tolerant and can no longer enjoy my home.’ Ten minutes every day isn’t so bad, but for hours on end? No way.
Dinsdale, your situation sounds annoying, but not unbearable. If they let the dogs out at 3 a.m. for bark-fests that would be one thing, but this sounds more like a “grin and bear it” situation.
This is very in-line with my own philosophy. I’m not thrilled about my neighbor who runs his chainsaw for great lengths of time on a Saturday afternoon. On the other hand, we often have dinner parties, which means that our guests’ cars take up scarce parking space on the street. I’m sure a few of my neighbors would rather we not do that. My neighborhood has a definite “live and let live” attitude, which is part of why I chose to live in it.
