Dog owners again.

Every dog I have had has 'learnt it's manners' as soon as it sets foot (or should I say paw?) in the house. Positive based training I should add.

That includes barking. Alert barks are OK but nothing else.

I, like many others have already said, think it is the owners in the main. Yes, you do get a yappy/barky dog that is tricky to train but on the whole it is down to the owner.

There's been a marked increase in recent years - especially since COVID, in dogs dragging their owners hither and thither (usually at the end of a long "training" lead), barking and lunging at everything and anything. On the continent, several countries (can't remember which ones but I think Norway is one) that require you (by law) to attend training BEFORE you get a dog (or horse or whatever) and do wonder if it isn't way past time we introduced something similar here.

It sometimes seems to me that people expect their newly acquired 8 week old puppy to be fully trained - just looking at all the ads stating that the 9 week old puppy is up for sale because their work hours have changed - that excuse always makes me suspicious that the reality is a bit too much.

Back to the barking...

I live in a rural area outside of the village. We all have v large gardens or a few acres (or more!) and several people keep hens - and some even keep cockerels (despite just wanting eggs...) so it can get a bit noisy at times with all the crowing.

One of the neighbours complains a lot about the cockerels crowing throughout the day. Funnily enough, she doesn't seem to notice that her 'pack' of dogs are constantly barking day and night whenever they're in the garden - which is a lot.

I love dogs and my family has always had a dog.
However I think it is a sad reflection on the dog owners who allow their pets to disturb their neighbourhood. Barking is a dog’s way of communicating so what needs are the pet owners ignoring? Separation anxiety, boredom lack of exercise, thirst pain etc ?

I quite agree with you. I am about to find out why some local dogs to me are barking a lot and if I discover that they are being left for too long, I hope to have a friendly word with the owners and explain about dog boredom and separation anxiety etc. If I get told to 'eff off' I shall be contacting the RSPCA.

Harmonypuss

@Baggytrazzas

If barking dogs are reported to the local council's environmental services department, they will send someone out to listen to said dog, they will write to the owner demanding that they control the noise. If, after 3 letters the dog is still barking, they get a court order for the seizure and destruction of said dog.

It is far better to approach the owner as a concerned neighbour and ask whether training not to bark would be appropriate as if people report to the council, the above could be the consequence, and we're sure they don't want this happening.

That certainly wasn't the case when I complained about a neighbour's dog. The council was absolutely useless (to be honest, they're fairly useless in all departments, though). It may be different in other parts of the country.

Apologies for above typos, I'll try again....

@Smurf44

How can you say "forturnately one died", what a horrible attitude.

I'm sure no-one wants to sit and listen to a bunch of yappy dogs but being pleased that one has died is totally wrong.

(In my defence regarding the typos, they could well be happy dogs).

Agreed.

@Smurf44

How can you say "forturnately one died", what a horrible attitude.

In sure no-one wants to sit and listen to a bunch of happy dogs but being pleased that one has died is totally wrong.

@Baggytrazzas

If barking dogs are reported to the local council's environmental services department, they will send someone out to listen to said dog, they will write to the owner demanding that they control the noise. If, after 3 letters the dog is still barking, they get a court order for the seizure and destruction of said dog.

It is far better to approach the owner as a concerned neighbour and ask whether training not to bark would be appropriate as if people report to the council, the above could be the consequence, and we're sure they don't want this happening.

I’m so sorry you have lost one of your beloved dogs undines. My sincere condolences. ?

As an owner of two (sadly, last week it was three!) beloved dogs I have to say that I cannot stand dogs barking. I suppose it has something to do with the breed, but when mine bark, it is for a reason. I take note and make sure they are quiet again.

My “newish” neighbours arrived with 3 small, very yappy terriers. They never play with the dogs nor take them out for walks - in nearly 2 years! Fortunately one dog was old and died a while ago but the other 2 are left outside to bark at every passer-by or bark at nothing for quite long periods. They went into kennels for a week a while ago and were much quieter on their return, but now are back to barking madly in the garden and even in the house. I feel sure the barking is due to pure boredom as it’s only a small garden with no doggy friendly activities - not even a ball!

Until they moved away, our neighbours had 6 Rottweilers that didn’t bark but howled like wolves every time an ambulance/police car/fire engine drove past. We lived on the main route from our town to the nearest A&E so it was frequently and because their hearing is acute, they knew the vehicles were coming long before we heard them. We were so glad when the family moved.

Record it and keep a diary of dates and times then report it to Environmental Health. Dog owners are responsible for making sure their dogs are not a nuisance. If mine barks she is told to stop and if she continues is put indoors.

I've tried 3 times to attach photos of Whatsapp messages with my neighbour about his yapping dog, but it didn't work! GRRRR!!!

My conversation with my neighbour

My neighbour opposite me complains about her neighbour 's dogs barking next door. But funnily enough she doesn't seem to hear her own ankle biter yapping and barking at anything and everything.....

readalot

My neighbour has three dogs, one lives in the yard and howls all day and two live in the house, who when let out to do their business in the yard tap constantly to be back in again. The yard stinks of wee. They are driving me and my husband insane

Please report your neighbours to the local authority and the RSPCA. These dogs are not being treated properly. In fact they are being ill treated. Don’t let it continue. They are in far greater misery than you.

I have trained my dog really well. I think she is going a bit senile

My German Sheps didn't bark either, unless I said 'who's THAT?' if I heard anything outside.. :-)
Training is easy, esp as GSD mum says, with intelligent dogs.

On the other hand, the dog over the fence from us is a barker. The ownder SCREECHES at it to shut up & makes more damn noise than the dog.. :-0

we have a rescue and I try to just do stuff she can cope with but someone has recently complained that she is barking when I am out and I'm really upset about it and I think it is most probably due to covid and her happy with me there etc. I had no idea she was barking, she is apparently committed to the cause

My neighbour has three dogs, one lives in the yard and howls all day and two live in the house, who when let out to do their business in the yard tap constantly to be back in again. The yard stinks of wee. They are driving me and my husband insane

Apparently German shepherds have the loudest bark of all dogs. However I know someone who has an ex-forces black GSD, which was (for obvious reasons in Afghanistan) trained not to bark. I can only hope it was trained in a humane fashion, but it's a happy dog. Not long ago, when walking the dog at night, she was accosted by some youths. As soon as they saw the dog, which due to its colour wasn't straight away, they ran - no barking necessary. I feel very sorry for dogs who bark a lot. It's a sign of frustration, boredom, loneliness - don't blame the dog, blame the owner. A well-trained, happy and well-adjusted dog should bark only to protect its owners or its property when a perceived intruder comes to the property,or maybe from excitement when a known friend calls. My (rescue) GSD doesn't bark at the postman or the usual delivery vans because she knows they're ok. Intelligence.

The dogs near me don't bark they are working dogs and not allowed in the house. They did have one they never managed to train that tried to round up cars and it disappeared. We also have the poo bag lane full of trees covered in tidily hung up poo bags
I lived next door to a dog that used to come and suck the socks and knickers off the line. DH felt so sorry for its lack of training that he wanted to sit the owners down to a supper of underwear as a joke.
He is used to dogs and his parents had them but he used to train them not his mum.

And as refuges fill up, more and more breeders breed more dogs.

We have one next door. I honestly don't think they hear it any more as it barks even when they are in. We have tried having a word but just got a load of abuse. Luckily they have just sold their house so will be moving soon.