Thoughts on dealing with a really bad barking dog problem

In My Humble Opinion
1

The dogs in my neighborhood are out of control. Particularly, the ones right next door sound like they’re in bed with us, barking straight into our ears when they get going. There are 3 of them, and they aren’t the biggest dogs I’ve ever seen (maybe ~85lbs each), but I seriously think they might have the loudest barks. My wife and my mom got together and made a nice-looking padding that covers the window facing that direction in an attempt at some soundproofing, but it really hasn’t helped much.

About half the time when they get going, they’ll get the rest of the dogs in the neighborhood going too, and it’s just a cacophony that seems to go on forever.

Add to that, there’s some guy a couple houses down who will eventually step outside and scream SHUT THE #$%& UUUUUP!!! (in a neighborhood full of kids :rolleyes:)

The whole situation is unbelievably irritating.

I don’t know the neighbors at all. I tried to introduce myself when we moved in, and they didn’t answer their door (even though I knew they were home). I wave and say hi whenever I see them, but they never wave back or say anything. They really keep to themselves.

I know a guy who works as a police dispatcher, so I asked him if they send officers out for dog barking complaints and he said no.

So my next thought was to show up to an HOA meeting with my complaint, but I have absolutely no idea if that’s even appropriate, or what they could/would do. I’ve never been to one of the meetings before.

I guess another option would be to try knocking on his door again, but #1, f them for not answering the first time, #2, they would (perhaps correctly) say a ton of other dogs do the same thing (even though it seems like their dogs always start it, and I never hear other dogs without theirs going too), #3 I’m pretty sure they would do absolutely nothing about it, and then if I escalated the situation through the HOA or whatever they’d know it was me and could retaliate (however unlikely, crazier things happen all the time. I don’t consider people who leave their dogs out to disturb the neighborhood at all hours particularly friendly).

2

It looks like Phoenix has a city ordinance that no one shall have a barking dog that disturbs others, but no real solution to the problem. Just last summer, Tucson Animal Control instituted a new program after a law was passed on animal noise, and now one can make reports on animal noise that are followed up on and the owners will eventually be fined if it doesn’t stop. I hope, for your sake, that Phoenix follows suit on that, and soon. In the meantime, have you tried running a fan in your bedroom? I’ve had to do that, since my neighbors have five pitbulls that bark at the goddamn sun coming up, every single day.

3

Read up on your HOA rules and obligations. Talk with the HOA powers that be prior to any meeting you may attend. The idea is to lay the groundwork with the movers and shakers so any HOA meeting is merely a formality prior to the HOA taking action.

At the same time, check into your town/city nuisance ordinance(s). If you have something there speak with the city officials. Again, lay the groundwork if you may be required to secure a nuisance petition (signed by several neighbors) against the dog owners.

Finally just be aware of the potential that while there is a problem, and other neighbors yell STFU, when it comes to putting pen to paper many neighbors are whimps and won’t sign a nuisance petition nor back you at an HOA meeting.

4

Any chance you could sucker the dogs one at a time or all at once into your yard? ( If you are a ‘hands on’ kind of person.)

Take a video and go to the TV news people.

This is the one good thing the PITA folks are good for. They can get the TV folks to cover it. Give them a call. Most folks don’t want to be in the news in this manner.

5

They may not send an officer out if one guy complains one time, but what if one guy calls several times and gets his neighbors to do the same?

6

Call, call, call. Do not wait. Start today.

Call the cops, no matter what your buddy says.

Call the city.

Call the bylaw enforcement office.

Call the neighbour, or knock on his door, again and again and again and again if need be.

Talk to your other neighbours and rally them.

Call the city.

Call the city again. Plead. Ask for info.

Don’t let up. The key here is you need to make people think that** they will stop your complaining only by stopping the problem.**

Dickheads like your neoighbours let their stupid animals bark because they feel they’re getting away with it. Put the pressure on everyone.

7

Hey, hold on a second, you live in a HOA? Isn’t the point of a HOA to sic the gestapo on people with barking dogs? Denounce your neighbours in front of your HOA, but make sure that you grass is cut in accordance vis ze regulations. Don’t worry, the HOA has veys of dealing vis unruly canines.

8

I’m sure they’re not deliberately “letting their stupid animals bark”; it can be pretty hard to stop a dog barking. I imagine they’re just as frustrated.

I’m not condoning it - it is their responsibility, and if they can’t solve it they should move - but you can’t chop out a dog’s vocal cords. They need to hire a dog specialist and work to fix the issue (maybe they are, who knows?); the last resort is leaving the neighbourhood if they can’t do that.

Well, or getting rid of the dog, but I (like many people) would not be able to do that. I’d have to move.

9

You know what? I have a dog, and not one of my neighbors have ever heard her bark. Why? Because I love her, give her plenty of attention, give her discipline and structure through positive reinforcement, and DON’T FUCKING LOCK HER OUTSIDE WITH TWO OTHER DOGS ALL THE TIME.

And - while I’m not saying you should - you actually can snip a dog’s vocal chords.

10

You have a dog who has never barked?

What’s with the all-caps and swearing? Have I offended you? If so, I apologize. Just to make it clear, in case there was any confusion, I am not the owner of the dogs which are annoying you. In fact, I live on a different continent.

You can do all sorts of inhumane things, but that’s not really all that germaine to this discussion.

11

If it’s in an HOA, then they most certainly prohibit loud, barking dogs in their rules. It’s the law…

In every town there is something usually referred to as “peaceful and quiet enjoyment.” Every citizen has the “right” to happiness, and enjoying their home peacefully, without interference. Check your town to see if there’s any profanity clauses. Quincy, MA it is illegal to swear publicly. Or at least it was the last time I checked. Before you start calling people incessantly, make sure you have your complaint in order including: all broken laws(chapter and section quoted), affidavits from neighbors, complaint properly formated.

There are always “rules” on how to complain if someone breaks the rules. Steps. Make sure you’ve taken all of them before you bring this to anyone’s attention. If not, your complaint may get bumped and you’ll have to start all over again. Also, make sure when approaching authorities that you are determined, but NOT emotional. If they think you’re not credible emotionally, they’ll bump your case and call you “complainer.”

Good Luck.

12

Good comparison. A dog that barks occasionally in any context whatsoever is exactly like one that barks loudly and nonstop to the point that other neighbors are screaming at it to shut up. These two situations are practically indistinguishable from each other.

13

Jeez. The snark is flying today, isn’t it?

14

That’s a rough situation. I’ve tried very hard to teach my dog to learn to be quiet, but other dogs in the neighborhood barking incessantly is very difficult for him to ignore. I do take him inside if he’s out on the lead and barking at the neighbor dogs.

I’d go to the HOA if it is that onerous of a situation that you can’t enjoy your home. Hell, you might even bring the STFU guy as an ally.

15

This item on Amazon has mixed reviews, but it’s served a friend very well. YMMV, but $40 is quicker than the hassle of an HOA. I’d certainly not talk to your deadbeat neighbors. They should be hung by their genitals.

16

Other than knocking on their door and being ignored, you could send them a letter. You can probably see their address easily. Make sure the envelope doesn’t look like it’s bulk mail. Don’t sign it if you don’t want to. Mention that you and several other neighbors are getting frustrated to the point that you are going to start calling the police/complaining to the HOA/studying voodoo.

If you really want to make it a little scarier, or if you think you might ever want to escalate it, try sending the letter by certified mail with a signature required.

17

You could probably get a law student to type you up a nice official-looking letter that reminds them of the pertinent bylaws. HOAs can be a ginormouns pita to live in, but in this situation, all those nitpicky rules are your friend. Use them.

18

What I came to recommend. It may not work, but you are certainly within your rights to hang one on your on property, and it’s worth a shot.

Do you know what breed the dogs are? Some dog breeds are better trained by visual than audio stimuli.

19

That’s possible. But I don’t think it’s likely, to be honest.

In my experience - direct experience - most (but not all) people with barking dogs quite honestly don’t give a shit. They’re used to it.

20

It could be worse, the dogs could have cell phones :slight_smile:

Seriously though, I’d rather listen to 25 dogs barking than some moron on a cell phone