very annoying neighbours dog

[funkychicken]

Sorry this is long...our neighbours have a very annoying dog, everytime you open the back door or go in the garden it doesn't stop barking the whole time and even if you don't go in the garden it does it and continues long after you've come in or closed the door. is there anything we can do? talking to the neighbours wouldn't really help as its obvious they couldn't care less. Occasionally when the dog really annoys me I throw water at it (not a huge amount, like quarter of a cup) as this is the only way to make it shut up. Am I doing wrong by doing this? Everyone who visits our house comments on it, we can't have barbeques or even sit in the garden in the summer in peace. What can we do? =(

[woofgang]

RSPCA and/or the local council spring to mind

[tetherend]

As your earlier answer says, RSPCA or local council.  There is a reason why the dog barks constantly and if your neighbours don't care, then possibly the dog is not being looked after properly.  I know it's very annoying, but the dog wouldn't keep barking just to annoy, there must be a reason for it.  Perhaps he's kept in the garden with no water or maybe he's just bored with being left there.  Good luck with it, hope you and next door's dog get some help soon.

[oxeyedaisy]

sometimes dogs do that if they can see you if you had a 6 foot enclosed fence up and he couldnt see you then he may not do it..its territorial with the dog..you may find the rspca wont do anything unless the dog is mistreated..a lot of people keep their dogs outside and as long as they have food..water and shelter their isnt a law saying they cant be outside..if the noise is constant its the enviromental health you need to deal with..best of luck..

[ianess]

A few years back we had a similar situation with a neighbour we were on pretty good terms with, but after he got a dog and left it in the house while he went out to work at 5am things deteriorated badly.  The poor beast was demented at being left alone and was waking up the street with its barking until his return in the early afternoon.  With company there was no problem but our neighbour wouldn't listen to anyone's complaints until he received a lawyer's letter about the situation.  Even then he took umbrage, sold his house and moved elsewhere rather than train the dog. 
It was a sad episode all round because up to that point he had been a really good neighbour......sorry I don't have an easy answer for you but I do hope things are resolved amicably.  Good luck. 

[Loosehead]

Surely this is a noise nuisance, your local authority should be able to help. As a side issue, I've always wondered why this does'nt seem to annoy the dog owners as much as it does you. If it was my dog I know it would soon P!ss me off, are they deaf??

[Gilli]

I agree with all the other answers re: the dog's welfare etc.

However, another thing you might look out for is some sort of "sonic" whistle which emitts a sound that only dogs can hear - and apparently quietens them. Sorry I can't be any more specific, I have no personal experience of these, but they're the type of thing you often see in "Innovation" type catalogues.

[Emily Ball]

I agree with oxeyedaisy that it's a territorial thing. He's telling his owners that there is activity going on near their house. Let's face it- it's the only way a dog can communicate vocally and as far as he's concerned he's protecting his territory. He may well be bored too if he has no-one in his own garden to interact with. Responsible  dog owners are not deaf to their dog's barking,' loosehead ', and they do get concerned if they think that their dog's behaviour is causing any annoyance to neighbours and take steps to minimise it. ( I know- I am one of those owners)- UNLIKE some parents who allow their children to play football in small suburban gardens , causing huge annoyance to their neighbours by the continual slamming of footballs into wooden fences and screeching and yelling for anything up to 4 hrs each evening and for a large part of the weekend, not to mention kicking the balls into said neighbours gardens and expecting them to retrieve and return them indulgently. Again, I know, because I happen to be one of those long-suffering neighbours!  So if I had to choose between a barking dog and football-crazy kids, then I'd plump for the dog every time. 

[woofgang]

Its a lovely sunday folks, lets agree that undisciplined kids and dogs are both pains in the .....ear and in both cases at root, it is not the fault of the kids or the dogs, but the adults who are responsible for them.

sadly my dog tends to bite and puncture footballs punted into our garden and chew the smaller tennis type ;-} I always do return them of course but they aren't much use!!

[Tom4]

i wouldn't go chucking water at the dog, as if the nieghbour catches you doing it, you could be accused of of tormenting the dog. You wudnt like water chucked over you for speaking too loudly, so i wudnt do it too the dog, Maybe install a higher fence, and get onto the council, for noise nuisance.