Dog & Neighbour Issues
Discussion
eldar said:
11 months, so far. Sounds like the OP is being as reasonable as they can to keep the dog quiet, but failing. The neighbour is getting pissed off with a years worth of barking. Something has to change, either the OP gets the dog properly trained or a replacement. Or deaf neighbours.
Gotta admit, I'm with the neighbours on this. ELEVEN MONTHS?
Thank you for all your replies; I had a feeling this would split opinion and indeed it has.
To answer those mentioning the length of time etc, I should have been clearer in my OP. We want to train the dog, are perfectly capable of training the dog and could probably do so in a relatively short period of time. However, you cannot do it without leaving the dog alone at some point.
The problem is that as soon as we begin this process by leaving it for 5 or 10 mins we get the notes etc as previously described; this results in us stopping and going back to taking it everywhere/farming it out to friends and family members every time we go out (apart from the odd occasion as explained in the OP).
Each time this has occurred we have given it a few weeks to let the dust settle before trying again, half in the hope that the dog will perhaps have grown out of it a little so that we can train it with no noise. Of course this doesn't happen and thus the cycle repeats itself as it has for several months.
What he is asking us to do is, to me, equivalent to teaching someone to pass a driving test without ever sitting in a car, or to play the violin without ever picking up the instrument. Surely even the most ardent dog hater can grasp the difficulty of training a dog to be alone without actually being able to leave it alone?
All we have asked is for him to put up with, say, a couple of weeks' nuisance (ie a few minutes of potential barking each day) in order to get the problem sorted so we can all move on with our lives but he won't. Of course the obvious thought is to just say bugger it, do it anyway and deal with the grief but we are scared to do this in case we end up being reported - hence my asking what happens in that instance. The daft thing is that should he be instructed to make a note of any barking for a fortnight he would probably return a blank sheet of paper most weeks, such are the lengths we go to to keep the peace.
I think the camera suggestion is good - whilst I do not at all dispute that the dog barks, there have been a number of occasions when he reckons to have heard it and it has either not been here or has been here but sat quietly with us.
To re-iterate, we know that there is a problem, we are not ignorant of it, we are perfectly capable of sorting it out but we are simply not being allowed to. Whilst the original problem is absolutely not of the neighbour's making, the lack of a solution is as he simply will not allow us to do anything about it.
To answer those mentioning the length of time etc, I should have been clearer in my OP. We want to train the dog, are perfectly capable of training the dog and could probably do so in a relatively short period of time. However, you cannot do it without leaving the dog alone at some point.
The problem is that as soon as we begin this process by leaving it for 5 or 10 mins we get the notes etc as previously described; this results in us stopping and going back to taking it everywhere/farming it out to friends and family members every time we go out (apart from the odd occasion as explained in the OP).
Each time this has occurred we have given it a few weeks to let the dust settle before trying again, half in the hope that the dog will perhaps have grown out of it a little so that we can train it with no noise. Of course this doesn't happen and thus the cycle repeats itself as it has for several months.
What he is asking us to do is, to me, equivalent to teaching someone to pass a driving test without ever sitting in a car, or to play the violin without ever picking up the instrument. Surely even the most ardent dog hater can grasp the difficulty of training a dog to be alone without actually being able to leave it alone?
All we have asked is for him to put up with, say, a couple of weeks' nuisance (ie a few minutes of potential barking each day) in order to get the problem sorted so we can all move on with our lives but he won't. Of course the obvious thought is to just say bugger it, do it anyway and deal with the grief but we are scared to do this in case we end up being reported - hence my asking what happens in that instance. The daft thing is that should he be instructed to make a note of any barking for a fortnight he would probably return a blank sheet of paper most weeks, such are the lengths we go to to keep the peace.
I think the camera suggestion is good - whilst I do not at all dispute that the dog barks, there have been a number of occasions when he reckons to have heard it and it has either not been here or has been here but sat quietly with us.
To re-iterate, we know that there is a problem, we are not ignorant of it, we are perfectly capable of sorting it out but we are simply not being allowed to. Whilst the original problem is absolutely not of the neighbour's making, the lack of a solution is as he simply will not allow us to do anything about it.
I'd be trying one of these..
http://www.amazon.co.uk/PetSafe-Anti-Bark-Spray-Co...
(other models are available etc. YMMV)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/PetSafe-Anti-Bark-Spray-Co...
(other models are available etc. YMMV)
Perhaps you could try using rewards and punishment for training. Get a small supply of biscuits or chocolate drops, and when you leave the dog alone, and the neighbour doesn't write a note about the barking, give him one of the treats. If he does write a note, give him a sharp tap on the nose and reinforce it with a firm "NO!" (do this immediately, so he properly associates the negative response with his action).
It may take a couple of weeks, but I think the result will be what you're after.
It may take a couple of weeks, but I think the result will be what you're after.
Tricky one. I can see both views but dont know what to suggest. I would have said discuss it with him but it appears that hasnt worked.
As another poster said, makes me thankful for people who live near us. We got a puppy last year, warned next door (dog owners themselves) about it and they've been great. They would let me know if he was in view from the back garden and what he was up to etc. Whenever I apologised for any noise they said they didnt notice (not sure if they did or not and were just being polite).
I did use my GoPro for keeping track of what he was doing which was a god send. I could literally count in minutes how long he cried for each time he was left. Started at about 2 hours crying and within a fortnight was pretty much nothing. We've never had a dog but the breeder and others advised if he was to be left alone just throw him in head first, we knew he'd need to be alone for up to 5 hours sometimes so just went about our days as normal.
Looking back now, it'd maybe have been better to just do the training and put up with his moaning, as long as it was sorted quickly it'd be hard pushed for him to moan and get anything done in the time it took to be completed.
As another poster said, makes me thankful for people who live near us. We got a puppy last year, warned next door (dog owners themselves) about it and they've been great. They would let me know if he was in view from the back garden and what he was up to etc. Whenever I apologised for any noise they said they didnt notice (not sure if they did or not and were just being polite).
I did use my GoPro for keeping track of what he was doing which was a god send. I could literally count in minutes how long he cried for each time he was left. Started at about 2 hours crying and within a fortnight was pretty much nothing. We've never had a dog but the breeder and others advised if he was to be left alone just throw him in head first, we knew he'd need to be alone for up to 5 hours sometimes so just went about our days as normal.
Looking back now, it'd maybe have been better to just do the training and put up with his moaning, as long as it was sorted quickly it'd be hard pushed for him to moan and get anything done in the time it took to be completed.
barmonkey said:
We want to train the dog, are perfectly capable of training the dog and could probably do so in a relatively short period of time. However, you cannot do it without leaving the dog alone at some point.
The problem is that ...
Blah blah blah, excuses.The problem is that ...
You are certainly not capable of training it as you have not managed to do so so far.
I have a dog, yet still I really feel for your neighbours. Several months of a dog barking continuously would drive me mad. I honestly can't believe how patient they have been.
My partner has just spent a couple of weeks redecorating a semi we rent out and there was a dog in the attached property that did not stop barking all day every day she was there while the occupant/s of the house were out.I called down a couple of times and was only there for 10mins each time and it drove me mad.She was at her wits end by the time she had finished the job.Must point out that I have had dogs most of my adult life so like to think I'm a bit more tollerant than those who don't understand the quirks of pets.
t to me.Until you experience neighbours with a badly or untrained dog you can't understand how annoying it is. We had it last year - new neighbour with a yappy Yorkshire terrier. After a week of sleepless nights (she used to put it out in the garden as she worked nights and it used to piss in her house) I was planning on poisoning the bloody thing, and I'm normally a dog lover.
OP - you either need to train the dog (maybe classes?) or get rid.
Our problem was resolved as she was kicked out - her tenancy strictly forbade pets.
OP - you either need to train the dog (maybe classes?) or get rid.
Our problem was resolved as she was kicked out - her tenancy strictly forbade pets.
You cause neighbour problems, you delude yourself that you are being reasonable, you deny your neighbours' right to be peeved, you minimise the issue, you focus on your inconvenience and hurt feelings and make out you are the victim, you trot out the classic NFH line of 'we are working hard to resolve it', then finally you blame your neighbour for preventing you resolving it.
ASTOUNDING!
ASTOUNDING!
I don't blame your neighbour for their actions, it sounds like they've been reasonable but you've taken the piss and expect everyone to put up with the disturbance while you and your wife go about your dog training fantasies.
Barking dogs are a pain in the arse, yet their owners always come out with obtuse statements like "It's a dog, it barks", like everyone has to live with it because they want to keep some yapping mutt. If I was blasting Metallica at all hours, no one would be understanding if I said "it's a hi-fi, that's what it does", nor would the council, who'd probably be at my door in no time. Yet many dog owners think it's a fact of life that dogs bark and that everyone should have to put up and shut up.
So instead of giving them woe-is-me angle about the suffering and plight you've put up with to train this daft animal to stop barking, remember that you volunteered for this, but your neighbour did not.
Barking dogs are a pain in the arse, yet their owners always come out with obtuse statements like "It's a dog, it barks", like everyone has to live with it because they want to keep some yapping mutt. If I was blasting Metallica at all hours, no one would be understanding if I said "it's a hi-fi, that's what it does", nor would the council, who'd probably be at my door in no time. Yet many dog owners think it's a fact of life that dogs bark and that everyone should have to put up and shut up.
So instead of giving them woe-is-me angle about the suffering and plight you've put up with to train this daft animal to stop barking, remember that you volunteered for this, but your neighbour did not.
hedgefinder said:
the simple answer is just to get a second dog. Its highly unlikely that the barking will continue as they will keep each other company when you go out and it will negate the abandonment issues your dog obviously has.
I think not. From my earlier post - "One house has two terriers that often bark for hours even during the night. This has been going on for over 2 years."Perhaps if they had 4 dogs the barking would stop!
Mr GrimNasty said:
You cause neighbour problems, you delude yourself that you are being reasonable, you deny your neighbours' right to be peeved, you minimise the issue, you focus on your inconvenience and hurt feelings and make out you are the victim, you trot out the classic NFH line of 'we are working hard to resolve it', then finally you blame your neighbour for preventing you resolving it.
ASTOUNDING!
A superb summary!ASTOUNDING!
TurricanII said:
Mr GrimNasty said:
You cause neighbour problems, you delude yourself that you are being reasonable, you deny your neighbours' right to be peeved, you minimise the issue, you focus on your inconvenience and hurt feelings and make out you are the victim, you trot out the classic NFH line of 'we are working hard to resolve it', then finally you blame your neighbour for preventing you resolving it.
ASTOUNDING!
A superb summary!ASTOUNDING!
Mr GrimNasty said:
You cause neighbour problems, you delude yourself that you are being reasonable, you deny your neighbours' right to be peeved, you minimise the issue, you focus on your inconvenience and hurt feelings and make out you are the victim, you trot out the classic NFH line of 'we are working hard to resolve it', then finally you blame your neighbour for preventing you resolving it.
ASTOUNDING!
A superb summary!ASTOUNDING!
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