Should I say something about their gorgeous new puppy?

if it was my neighbour i would go and have a nice word with them about allowing their dog to bark so much at that time in the morning, it is very inconsiderate of them , surely they cant think everyone is up at that time of the day.

Have any other neighbours commented?

It is very odd that the neighbours get up at 5am. Have they always done this or do they perhaps do it because the dog is scratching to go out? Lovely though the dog and the owners might be, you cannot be woken at 5 every morning, so I do not think you have any choice but to hold a conversation with them. If they are the nice people you believe them to be, then hopefully they will be concerned that you are being woken.

Ear plugs???

After they have let it out to do its morning business, do they let it back in again or have they gone back to bed and left it outside barking?

Dawn breaks around 4.30 am in our neck of the woods and our dogs start pacing about to be let out. Occasionally they rush out with a bark as though to chase away anything which has been visiting the garden over night. It becomes a bit of a ritual, even at weekends when we would prefer to have a lie in, but the dogs can't be expected to know on which days we go to work and on which days we don't.
What I am trying to say is that if it is bothering you, then you should try to mention it now before the puppy gets set in his ways. It will be harder to stop the barking if he has been allowed to do it over a period of time, it's a sort of learned behaviour.

It sounds like you have a really friendly relationship with your neighbours so will want to go carefully so as not to spoil that. However, I do think it's unreasonable for a dog to be barking continuously at that time in the morning.

I think you should say something, perhaps starting by saying that you feel embarrassed and upset to have to mention it because they are such great neighbours and you don't want to upset them.

(I'm sure there must be advice on the internet about how to train a dog out of the behaviour.)

Luckygirl, so what is so odd about getting up at 5.00? Getting back to Stanley, maybe he needs to go out at that time to relieve himself. Ok, he may bark when he first goes out but perhaps his owners could get him in again straight afterwards. Perhaps they could put his lead on to take him into the garden then take him in again. I agree that his current behaviour could become a habit if not nipped in the bud. (There are a couple of collies who live a few doors away. Every night around 10.15 they are let out for a final wee. One of them barks maybe three times then all is quiet, you could set your clock by him. Always picture him haring down the garden ready to ward off any uninvited cats).

Sorry, forgot to answer. Yes I think you should say something, maybe offering an idea of how to stop him barking.

I would have a word with them in as friendly a manner as I could. I would also ask my neighbours either side if they'd been disturbed too. "Myself and others" may carry a little more weight and make her realise.
I couldn't leave my dog barking for a long perid it would really pee me off never mind the neighbours

Thanks for the replies.

Apparently they always get up at 5am, even before they got the dog!

Same here! Been on the go 3 hours plus!

If he is a NEW puppy he will surely grow out of it anyway?

It's a puppy. Give it time.

I wouldn't talk to the neighbours about it. Herein lies the path to neighbourly discord! Be honest with them while saying what a lovely dog it is and see if they can do anything to stop the barking eg take the dog out on a lead for a walk. Good luck!

How will they know its a problem unless you tell them?

Id talk to them about it , compliment the puppy on its gorgeousness, off to puppy sit( if you like that sort of thing) and go from there.

I wouldn't be offended if it was my dog , Id rather know.

Phoenix - I don't want to raise the ante here but - for various reasons I know a number of cockerpoos. I'll confess to owning one. They often like the sound of their own voice and as has been said, barking can become a habit. They are a mix of two very high energy dogs, poodles are very bright and like to bark. Some are crossed with working cockers, Very bright, high energy and need a job.
I do hope your neighbours get involved in good quality training asap ??

Lots of good suggestions here about how to broach the subject with them. I agree with those who say it needs to be stopped before it becomes a habit. And btw getting up at 5am is one thing, disturbing neighbours at that time is quite another. They probably don't realise and will want to stop disturbing people so you'll be doing them a favour

They must be a bit thick if they don't realise that a dog barking at 5am is disturbing the neighbours.

They won't do anything about it until somebody complains.

I'm sure they are aware that the puppy dashes out every morning to verbally greet his garden and the new day. If you must say something try to sound sympathetic and acknowledge the fact it's a young dog and will have lessons to learn.

My old dog only has one eye and the other is getting weaker every day. When I met him out at night he sometimes gets disoriented and can't find his way back in the dark. So he lets out his 'help me!' howl. Of course I can hear him and I go to rescue him. Luckily my neighbours are aware of his age and problems and cut us some slack.

Puppies must be told that barking continuously is entirely unacceptable.

We have a terrier who left to his own devices would spend a lot of very enjoyable time barking at passers by, birds, cats, paper boy, milkman etc. So we spend a lot of our time telling him to stop.
He is 8 years old - it's an on going project

Best of luck.

How could they fail to realise that the dog is barking and annoying the neighbours? They should be in the garden with him and take him straight back indoors when he has performed, or take him for a walk. If approached in a friendly manner they will surely try to find a solution. I would be mortified if I thought I was upsetting anyone.
I get up at 5am too, but am very careful to avoid waking the adjoining neighbours. My bedroom floor creaks, as does theirs, so I walk in slow motion near the walls. I then have a long bath, hoping they can't hear the water running.
Hope you find a peaceful solution!

If anyone knows how to stop a puppy barking when it wants to go out for a wee first thing in the morning please let me know - my daughters puppy whom she adores has this problem and she is probably annoying her neighbours.

Yes they are so happy to be outside and with all the lovely smells they are exuberant and excited. My older dogs still do this but only a short burst. The puppy can be trained to stop barking on command but this takes time and patience. If it continues have a friendly word with the owners, maybe the puppy will be less excitable as he gets older. Must let my 12 year old JR read this

The other day somebody asked me how long it would be before we finally relocated to civilization instead of living in the middle of nowhere.

Well.....Millie is nine and Peggy six, so given that our last Jack Russell lived to the ripe old age of seventeen, it won't be yet awhile.