Barking Dog Is Ruining My Life

[graceous]

I live in a neighborhood with its fair share of barking dogs, but almost all stop barking by 10:00 PM at night and do not start up until later in the morning the next day. The exception is the next door neighbor who lets the dog out before 6:00 AM for almost an hour, and/or let's the dog out past 10:00 up to 11:30 at night. Every time the dog goes out it starts barking up to 10x, may stop, but then intermittently bark.

I live in a state of chronic sleep deprivation. Sometimes I almost fall asleep at work. My work is suffering. I cannot concentrate at home. I may fall asleep on the couch, which does nothing for my back either. I find myself looking at the clock at 3 AM, 4 AM, 5 AM, awaiting the inevitable jolt of dog barking. I do not even bother going to bed early, as I usually am awakened by barking

I filed a previous complaint on another one of their dogs years ago. I have tried ultrasonic devices that do not work; started being consistent in yelling for the dog to "be quiet", "stop it", etc. to no avail. I hear her getting annoyed I am doing this, but this also confirms that she knows it is a problem.

I dread filing a formal complaint, but what else is one supposed to do? I own this house. Last time I got involved with filing a complaint for one of their junk vehicles on the road for months, their house guest started a war. I found broken eggs on the driveway, dog crap in other places, frequent flat tires, and a cut sprinkler line that was expensive to repair, along with a broken windshield.

This is neither the loudest or the more frequent barking dog in the neighborhood, it just happens to be the dog that ruins my sleep, and I really think the people next door enjoy the torture, although I cannot prove it.

I am thinking of filing the complaint with Animal Control (it stopped the problem last time), filing a police report if any of these attempts at property damage occur, and if not mitigated, getting a security camera to monitor my front yard. I just do not know what else to do. What I would do for a good night's sleep.

Oh, and please do not tell me to talk with them or leave a note. That does not work.

 

[TheGeekess]

I live in a neighborhood with its fair share of barking dogs, but almost all stop barking by 10:00 PM at night and do not start up until later in the morning the next day. The exception is the next door neighbor who lets the dog out before 6:00 AM for almost an hour, and/or let's the dog out past 10:00 up to 11:30 at night. Every time the dog goes out it starts barking up to 10x, may stop, but then intermittently bark.

I live in a state of chronic sleep deprivation. Sometimes I almost fall asleep at work. My work is suffering. I cannot concentrate at home. I may fall asleep on the couch, which does nothing for my back either. I find myself looking at the clock at 3 AM, 4 AM, 5 AM, awaiting the inevitable jolt of dog barking. I do not even bother going to bed early, as I usually am awakened by barking

I filed a previous complaint on another one of their dogs years ago. I have tried ultrasonic devices that do not work; started being consistent in yelling for the dog to "be quiet", "stop it", etc. to no avail. I hear her getting annoyed I am doing this, but this also confirms that she knows it is a problem.

I dread filing a formal complaint, but what else is one supposed to do? I own this house. Last time I got involved with filing a complaint for one of their junk vehicles on the road for months, their house guest started a war. I found broken eggs on the driveway, dog crap in other places, frequent flat tires, and a cut sprinkler line that was expensive to repair, along with a broken windshield.

This is neither the loudest or the more frequent barking dog in the neighborhood, it just happens to be the dog that ruins my sleep, and I really think the people next door enjoy the torture, although I cannot prove it.

I am thinking of filing the complaint with Animal Control (it stopped the problem last time), filing a police report if any of these attempts at property damage occur, and if not mitigated, getting a security camera to monitor my front yard. I just do not know what else to do. What I would do for a good night's sleep.

Oh, and please do not tell me to talk with them or leave a note. That does not work.

A good white noise machine. And earplugs.

 

[LdiJ]

I live in a neighborhood with its fair share of barking dogs, but almost all stop barking by 10:00 PM at night and do not start up until later in the morning the next day. The exception is the next door neighbor who lets the dog out before 6:00 AM for almost an hour, and/or let's the dog out past 10:00 up to 11:30 at night. Every time the dog goes out it starts barking up to 10x, may stop, but then intermittently bark.

I live in a state of chronic sleep deprivation. Sometimes I almost fall asleep at work. My work is suffering. I cannot concentrate at home. I may fall asleep on the couch, which does nothing for my back either. I find myself looking at the clock at 3 AM, 4 AM, 5 AM, awaiting the inevitable jolt of dog barking. I do not even bother going to bed early, as I usually am awakened by barking

I filed a previous complaint on another one of their dogs years ago. I have tried ultrasonic devices that do not work; started being consistent in yelling for the dog to "be quiet", "stop it", etc. to no avail. I hear her getting annoyed I am doing this, but this also confirms that she knows it is a problem.

I dread filing a formal complaint, but what else is one supposed to do? I own this house. Last time I got involved with filing a complaint for one of their junk vehicles on the road for months, their house guest started a war. I found broken eggs on the driveway, dog crap in other places, frequent flat tires, and a cut sprinkler line that was expensive to repair, along with a broken windshield.

This is neither the loudest or the more frequent barking dog in the neighborhood, it just happens to be the dog that ruins my sleep, and I really think the people next door enjoy the torture, although I cannot prove it.

I am thinking of filing the complaint with Animal Control (it stopped the problem last time), filing a police report if any of these attempts at property damage occur, and if not mitigated, getting a security camera to monitor my front yard. I just do not know what else to do. What I would do for a good night's sleep.

Oh, and please do not tell me to talk with them or leave a note. That does not work.

Have you ever considered earplugs? I understand that barking dogs can be very annoying but you know that from 11:30 to 6:00 AM that you are home free, so I do not understand why you are so sleep deprived.

 

[CdwJava]

What state are you in?

Have you checked into any local ordinances regarding dogs, barking, or noise?

If you have tried voluntary compliance and that does not work, then you may have little choice to but to contact animal control or the police in hopes that there is something they can do. However, in many places there may be very little that the authorities CAN do about a barking dog.

 

[154NH773]

As said by LdiJ:

I understand that barking dogs can be very annoying but you know that from 11:30 to 6:00 AM that you are home free, so I do not understand why you are so sleep deprived.

OK, if nothing else works, here's a posible solution used by my brother to stop a neighbor from putting out his barking dog:
Record the dog barking. Set up a stereo with a HUGE set of speakers pointing toward the neighbor's house. On a night when the dog persistently barks at an unreasonable hour, wait for the neighbor to go to sleep (lights out) then blast the recorded barking dog back toward his house. When the lights go on, turn off the stereo. Wait till he goes back to sleep and blast him again. If he calls the police, deny doing anything and play the recording of his dog for them (not on your large stereo) and say it must have been his dog doing the barking because you recorded it.

 

[mmmagique]

One of our Cairn Terrors (yes, terror) barks on garbage day (inside the house) about half the day, beginning VERY early. One thing that helps me is to turn on a loud fan. He can't hear the truck as much (and therefore less barking) and the fan blocks out (some) of the noise he makes. He's really quite annoying.

 

[Ohiogal]

As said by LdiJ:

OK, if nothing else works, here's a posible solution used by my brother to stop a neighbor from putting out his barking dog:
Record the dog barking. Set up a stereo with a HUGE set of speakers pointing toward the neighbor's house. On a night when the dog persistently barks at an unreasonable hour, wait for the neighbor to go to sleep (lights out) then blast the recorded barking dog back toward his house. When the lights go on, turn off the stereo. Wait till he goes back to sleep and blast him again. If he calls the police, deny doing anything and play the recording of his dog for them (not on your large stereo) and say it must have been his dog doing the barking because you recorded it.

So your solution is to have HIM commit a crime: making a false statement to police. Lovely. If he does that, he may find himself arrested and charged with a crime. I don't care if your brother did it. Your brother broke the law and now you are encouraging the same.

 

[154NH773]

So your solution is to have HIM commit a crime: making a false statement to police. Lovely. If he does that, he may find himself arrested and charged with a crime. I don't care if your brother did it. Your brother broke the law and now you are encouraging the same.

I agree, and I apologize for advocating lying to the police. What I meant was that he is under no obligation to incriminate himself.

However, I would still advocate playing the neighbor’s barking dog back at the neighbor if they refuse to address the problem, and there is no other legal recourse. The OP would not have to admit doing that to the police, simply explain that the neighbor’s dog continually barks late at night and he has a recording of that barking. Let the neighbor prove any allegation that the OP had played the recording back.
People who refuse to address a barking dog are inconsiderate. As a former dog owner, I went to great lengths to keep my dogs silent.
By the way, my brother only had to play the recording one time for the neighbor to get the message. My brother did not break the law, as he never lied to the police because the neighbor never called them, and playing the recording did not break any law or ordinance where he lived. Playing the recording would be no more breaking the law than allowing the dogs to bark. (Depending on the local noise ordinances).

Remember, we are talking about a situation that may have no other remedy; as CdwJava said:

However, in many places there may be very little that the authorities CAN do about a barking dog.

 

[sunny days]

I agree, and I apologize for advocating lying to the police. What I meant was that he is under no obligation to incriminate himself.

However, I would still advocate playing the neighbor�s barking dog back at the neighbor if they refuse to address the problem, and there is no other legal recourse. The OP would not have to admit doing that to the police, simply explain that the neighbor�s dog continually barks late at night and he has a recording of that barking. Let the neighbor prove any allegation that the OP had played the recording back.
People who refuse to address a barking dog are inconsiderate. As a former dog owner, I went to great lengths to keep my dogs silent.
By the way, my brother only had to play the recording one time for the neighbor to get the message. My brother did not break the law, as he never lied to the police because the neighbor never called them, and playing the recording did not break any law or ordinance where he lived. Playing the recording would be no more breaking the law than allowing the dogs to bark. (Depending on the local noise ordinances).

Remember, we are talking about a situation that may have no other remedy; as CdwJava said:

I understand your urge to give OP another option in what sort of sounds like a hopeless situation, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree here, though.

OP: This isn't a good idea at all, even aside from the fact that lying to a police officer could result in your prosecution for a crime. For another thing, this type of behavior is likely to cause a huge conflict that will escalate out of control with your neighbor. Plus, it will cause you to lose all credibility later if you end up needing to find a legitimate way to stop the barking dog. It could bother other neighbors, there will be a record of the police being called to your home for loud noise, you could find yourself on the defending end of a lawsuit (however unlikely it would have merit), and so on and so forth.

Call animal control and/or the city where you live (or do a websearch) to find out if there is a barking dog ordinance or another noise ordinance, as mentioned above, and deal with it that way, if you don't want to write a letter. If contacting the authorities doesn't help, do some web research on private nuisance and barking dogs. Find out if there is such a tort in your state and whether or not your situation might warrant at least a small claims case. You'll end up needing to write a letter anyway according to the rules of most small claims courts, if you go that route, but any of these options are probably better than playing back the music to the offending neighbor.