barking and next door?

I live in a semi detached house and when Phoebe goes through her demand barking sessions I'm conscious that she is disturbing the neighbours through the wall. Do you think it would be disturbing them?
I'm trying to ignore her (now!!) but don't want to annoy them. What do you think?

Brid, I feel your pain. I live in a terraced house. Thankfully one of the houses has been empty for 2 years and the lady in the other loves dogs and doesn't mind Cleo. She does hear her. I keep hoping that if I ignore Cleo and don't reward that behaviour she will be a bit less vocal at unsuitable hours. Some days this works. :xfngr: it will eventually.

I too live in a Semi and have incredibly understanding neighbours on either side of me (Thankfully) A young family one side who'se kids are often round playing with Crystal's puppies and the "old girl" next door actually lived in my house for 30 years before inheriting next door from her parents!

Ok getting back on topic, personnally I would go for the direct approach here! When I have had a bad day/night with the kids screaming and/or dogs barking I basically go round and say "We are having problems with the dogs/kids right now, is this a problem for you as well? I just want you to know that we are doing the best we can to remedy the situation as soon as possible". This usually defuses a situation as your neighbour knows that you are thinking of them and are embarrased by what is happening. If I can't get an answer, I usually pop a note through saying roughly the same thing. I also have an agreement with them that if I have a problem with them I tell them and vice versa. This has worked well so far for us, just be up front, open and approachable is my advice on this!!

Hi,

Luckily both my neighbours have dogs and all are pretty well behaved, so i don't have to worry, but just wanted to send you hugs xx

Cathryn said:

Ok getting back on topic, personnally I would go for the direct approach here! When I have had a bad day/night with the kids screaming and/or dogs barking I basically go round and say "We are having problems with the dogs/kids right now, is this a problem for you as well? I just want you to know that we are doing the best we can to remedy the situation as soon as possible". This usually defuses a situation as your neighbour knows that you are thinking of them and are embarrased by what is happening. If I can't get an answer, I usually pop a note through saying roughly the same thing. I also have an agreement with them that if I have a problem with them I tell them and vice versa. This has worked well so far for us, just be up front, open and approachable is my advice on this!!

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I do exactly the same Cathryn

I think you should think about doing something more about it, before they call in environmental health.

Although we have 3 dogs, one of our neighbours dogs was doing our head in.
We told her about it and she dealt with it - but if it had gone on much longer then we would have had to make calls.:blabla:

She used the DAP stuff, which calmed the dog down when she was out. And that sorted it fully.

We have had some problem with ours which we used the multivet spray collar on. This worked a treat (though ours developed a fault - was second hand though).
Not cruel at all. Dog barks - spray of gas (plain or citroenella) in front of his face - he hears it sees it and smells it. Very surprised wonders where it came from - instantly stopped the bark. Only took a few barks and he got the message.

cheers

We live in a mid terraced house, but are very lucky that our neighbours love the dogs, and are really understanding of the odd barking frenzy....when ours set off on 1......we just ignore it and they usually pipe down when they realise no one's paying them any heed

To be honest, it depends on the time the dog barks at and how long the barking lasts for at a time.Most people are ok with a dog barking occasionally for a few minutes at a time during the day as long as they're not shift workers.
I actually moved house over a barking dog.I used to live in a 3 bed semi D bungalow and the neighbours bought a beautiful beagle pup and promptly abandoned it to it's fate in the back graden.It howled dismally for at least 20 hours out of 24 - day and night,mostly from loneliness but it was also ankle deep in it's own faeces after a few weeks.They of course didn't see the problem but when a pregnant woman from a neighbouring estate arrived threatening violence, they put the poor pet in the pound.Neither the council or any other body were remotely interested.They simply fobbed us off with forms to fill out.
So really, unless the barking is excessive and causes a nuisance I think you'll be ok.
Nowadays I live on a detatcahed bungalow on a large site with no immediate doggie neighbours anywhere.
I imagine the only time problems emerege with neighbours and dogs is if the dog is outside at night tied to the washing line.
Sins

I have that problem at the moment, we moved to our house last year and the people behind us had 1 dog that just kept barking, now they got a second (I think to keep the first one company) now I have a doggie corous every day and night!!! I can see into their back garden from my bedroom and the couple are just sitting at the kitchen table with their backs turned to the dogs and letting them bark their heads off!! I am at my wits end with it, when I finally got to sleep the other night I was woken again at 3am by them. I think they are so inconsiderate, one of my neighbours is very sick and he needs his rest, I think I am going to have to take a visit to the garda about it. I know all dogs bark but responsible owners (like everyone on this website) would try to resolve it, our neighbours just dont seem to care who they are upsetting!!!!! Sorry this was a bit long just had to get it off my chest

I used to be concerned about annoying my immediate neighbour, especially when the dogs went mad a walk times, but since his selfish attitude has emerged, I don't care. He has his tv at high volume until the early hours, yet he knows that David goes out to work around 5am. He does realise what he is doing, as he turns the sound down at about 1am.

I agree that it depends on how and when the dog barks if it is an intermittent play bark or a feed me bark that is different to a constant and persistent woof woof woof. I am a shift worker and hear many dogs in the neighbourhood barking when I am trying to sleep but it never bothers me unless they are the ones who do it all day and night and never let up. I do however get wild about next doors kids screaming all the time but their mother is just as bad so I can't complain about it.
Give me a dog barking over a bratty 6 year old and strung out mother anyday !!

I also agree with the direct approach, if it really bothers you that they might be bothered be up front and ask. They may not even have tuned into it ? I guess it depends on how approachable your neighbour is ?