You might try going over on a Saturday morning when you hear them using lawn tools or whatever. Don’t enter your neighbor’s property until invited and try not to sneak up or surprise them. Break the ice with some small talk about how their week went, and then ask them if they have time to talk about the dog soon. If your neighbor gets angrily defensive or violent and threatens you in this talk or any future talk, stop trying to solve the problem yourself. Go to the police and tell them about the barking, and that a simple, polite request prompted your neighbor to threaten you.
Give your neighbor time to make changes. It can take time to adjust schedules and/or conduct training sessions that will help curb barking.
If the neighbor is open to the idea, and you are willing to take on the cost/effort, you can even offer to pay for an anti-bark collar, or help them find a skilled dog trainer. You are under no obligation to do this, of course.
If you can build up some level of friendly rapport with both neighbor and dog, you may even choose to offer to walk the dog during the day — for instance, if the dog barks each afternoon while the owner is at work. [5] X Research source Getting involved in this way is always your choice, however. If you don’t like dogs, don’t have one because you don’t want the responsibilities of caring for one, or are plenty busy caring for your own dog, you absolutely don’t have to offer to help with your neighbor’s yappy mutt.
Some municipalities have specific codes regarding barking dogs, while others include it within nuisance or noise ordinances. Within a single metropolitan area, local codes can vary widely, so contact your local government authority for clarification. [8] X Research source If you and your neighbor are both part of a neighborhood association, there may be codes that cover barking dogs. Similarly, if you are renters (especially if you have the same landlord), look into the terms of your lease. Some municipalities may provide, or be able to refer you to, mediation services (binding or non-binding) to keep such disputes out of the courts. Contact your local government, district attorney’s office, or small claims court to inquire. [9] X Research source
You may need to be persistent in your calls and/or be able to provide evidence that the dog is a nuisance for animal control to act. [10] X Research source Call animal control right away if the dog is barking because it is in pain, has trapped itself in a small area, has tangled its chain, or is otherwise unable to access water. Contact the owner first if you are comfortable doing so, but don’t ignore a suffering dog that is not receiving proper care.
Once you make yourself familiar with the relevant dog/noise/nuisance ordinance(s) in your area, call the non-emergency police number to report a violation. Unless your local police uses the emergency number (such as 911) for all calls, do not call it to make a barking dog complaint. It is conceivable that you may be cited for misuse of the emergency line. Many police departments and other services require you to prove that the barking is extreme before they can take action. Here is where your record-keeping — log book, recordings, statements from other neighbors, etc. — can prove invaluable in supporting your claim. [11] X Research source Once the police are involved, your neighbor may feel besieged and try to frame the issue as a dispute between neighbors, in which you are primarily at fault for some reason. This is why it is essential to never give your neighbor ammunition to use against you by making threats, shouting, swearing, hurting the dog in any way, etc. [12] X Research source
You may be able to sue your neighbor in small claims court for causing you loss of enjoyment of your home and property. You’re not going to strike it rich this way (and may even end up losing money in the process), but if you provide a clear, strong case supported by documented evidence, you may be able to get your neighbor to finally quiet that dog. [13] X Research source If you find that the local laws regarding nuisance dogs are lacking in your area, start a petition and contact your elected leaders.
Before taking action, consider whether your limits for the amount of dog barking you want to tolerate are reasonable and feasible. If the dog just yaps for a bit when a person or another dog walks by, or whines when it’s ready to go back inside, or barks when playing with its owner in the yard, it will likely subside soon. If, however, the barking is persistent (consistently ten minutes or more, perhaps), sounds like the dog may be injured or ill, or makes you feel threatened, you probably have legitimate reasons to act.
By taking steps to reduce the amount of noise that actually reaches your living space, you may find that the annoyance factor of the dog’s barking is substantially reduced.
If you can convince your neighbor to use one, there are dog collars that incorporate the sonic device, or release an unpleasant smell or hiss of compressed air instead. The overall effectiveness of such devices at stopping barking is questionable, and while they shouldn’t harm the dog, they do cause a level of discomfort that you may be uncomfortable with (even if that dog is driving you nuts!). [15] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source
