Here’s What To Do When The Neighbor’s Dogs Bark Incessantly Night And Day: Block Talk

Kaycee aches when her neighbors’ dogs start their nightly serenade.

“Dogs are our friends and our family, and to hear them barking, whining, and jumping and scratching and trying to get inside hurts my heart so bad that it makes me wonder, ‘Do people who can keep their dogs out all night deserve them?’ ” the Lindenhurst (New York) Patch reader said in response to an informal survey for Block Talk, Patch’s exclusive neighborhood etiquette column.

We asked what can be done when neighbors let their dogs bark all day and night.

“Why do you own a dog if it is in the yard, tied up, in in an outdoor dog run all day and night?” Murrieta (California) Patch reader Christina said, echoing a question many other readers raised. “You probably should not own a dog if this is you.”

Christina tries to ignore the symphony of barks and howls.

Kaycee has tried to talk to her neighbors about it numerous times, but only on one occasion has someone been at home. One of those times, on a bitterly cold night when the dogs had been outside for an hour and were howling to get inside, “I called the cops,” she said.

Illinois Patch reader Lisa is on the same page.

“If a dog is left outside in an 8-by-8 enclosure, it is animal abuse even if it has food, water and shelter,” said Lisa, who lives in Willow Springs, Illinois. “Dogs require attention.”

‘Treat Them Like Family’

“Treat them like a family member or don’t own a dog,” Toms River (New Jersey) Patch reader Mary agreed.

Years ago, she had neighbors who both worked the night shift and habitually left their two German shepherds outside all night. They barked constantly. Mary said she and many of her neighbors talked politely with them about making better arrangements for the dogs but to no avail.

Finally, the neighbors banded together, filed a civil complaint and eventually settled the matter in court.

“The judge ruled that if it happened again and was reported, the neighbors would lose custody of the dogs,” Mary said. “It solved the problem, but it was unfortunate it had to be taken to that extreme.”

Chris, a Crofton (Maryland) Patch reader, said filing a nuisance complaint is “a bit of a drawn-out process” requiring documentation of the barking over time. The dog owner typically gets a written warning stating that if the dogs’ behavior persists, “they can find themselves in court and even have their dogs taken away,” Chris said.

Although time-consuming, “sometimes there is no other choice,” the reader added.

Farmington (Connecticut) Patch reader Eclair has tried reaching out to neighbors with genuine concern for the well-being of their dogs while also making clear that “we are suffering.”

“Trying to be nice doesn’t always work,” Eclair said. “We are dealing with an ongoing barking incident where we’ve reached out to our HOA, haven’t gotten full cooperation, and may need to pursue other avenues as this has been a total disruption in our lives!”

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Tredyffrin-Easttown (Pennsylvania) Patch reader A Rose’s issue is with the neighbor’s pet sitter who leaves the dog outside for hours in the fenced yard, apparently with the owner’s permission.

“The dog barks and there is no one home to stop it,” A Rose said. “This seems abusive to the dog and is certainly to the neighbors and should be illegal. Can I call the police? If I did call them, what would they do? “

A Rose is organizing her neighbors. She’s put notes in their mailboxes outlining the problem. She works from home, and even though her house isn’t that close to the noisy dogs, their barks penetrate work phone and video calls if she has the windows open.

“It also keeps us from relaxing in the evenings and wakes us up at night,” A Rose said. “I’ve encouraged the good dog owners and the non-dog owners to help explain to the culprit owners that this is a problem.

“Unfortunately, any effect of the notes is short-lived and, before long, people revert to letting the dogs bark,” she said. “Also, bad behavior by one neighbor seems to encourage the same behavior in others, so when one person allows their dog to bark, others do the same, creating an annoying chorus.”

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‘Just Stew’; ‘Suck It Up’

Concord (New Hampshire) Patch reader Grams said “nothing” can be done. “Just stew,” she said.

“Close the windows, spend money running my AC, fume internally,” said Geneva (Illinois) Patch reader Sean.

That may be the best plan, according to Murrieta (California) Patch reader Bob, who knows from experience.

“I just have to suck it up, as there is no fix with the neighbor or Animal Control,” Bob said. “The first time I confronted the neighbor about barking, my house was egged from his side of the front yard. Retaliation is the problem when dealing directly with a neighbor.”

Train Dogs, Rinse And Repeat

Why should neighbors have to find a solution to barking dogs, several readers wanted to know.

JB is caught in a cycle of “get frustrated, call animal control, call the neighbor, distract the dog, feel sorry for the neighborhood” the Beverly (Massachusetts) Patch reader said, adding the issue is entirely preventable.

“Please train your dogs,” JB said. “Don’t leave them outside longer than 5–10 minutes, and if they start barking while they’re outside, know that your neighbors hear it and it affects them.”

It’s easier to train a puppy not to bark, but older dogs can be taught to stop barking with patience, consistency and positive reinforcement, several readers said.

Regardless, just do it, said Melrose (Massachusetts) Patch reader Ted.

“Go to a reputable dog training center and get your dog trained, trained, and trained, then practice and practice,” he said. “Keep your dog on a leash when outside the owner’s property. Get your dog socialized properly at a dog training center, letting it run at a dog park is not proper socialization. Dont let it aggress towards other dogs.

“Again, get it trained. Don’t toss it outside and allow it to be a barking fool. If your dog bites another dog, don’t just run away with your dog. Be responsible. And make sure that your dog is current on all of his vaccines.”

Ted was admittedly triggered when he filled out the Patch survey.

“This morning as we walked on the sidewalk, my leashed small dog was attacked for the second time by a loose neighborhood dog,” he said. “Many people in Melrose should not own dogs.”

San Diego Patch reader Stephanie thinks local governments should codify responsible dog ownership with requirements for obedience training as a condition for a dog license and other regulations relating to disturbance of the peace.

“Peace and quiet is a right, not a luxury,” Stephanie said. “For those who refuse to remedy the barking in a timely manner, a financial fee to the dog owner is necessary to ensure compliance. If that doesn’t work, the dog should be removed from the home.”

License Owners, Not Dogs

Instead of training the dogs, how about training people to be responsible pet owners? Illinois Patch reader C, who lives in DuPage County, isn’t kidding.

“I think people should have a license to own pets, with training for the prospective pet owners,” C said. “They are not toys, yet many people use them as props.”

Here’s another idea:

“If you’re a dog lover, you may volunteer to take the noisy dogs on walks and maybe tire them out,” Temecula (California) Patch Carol suggested. “I think dogs bark because of loneliness and boredom.”

For the record, Carol thinks most dog owners are responsible and take good care of their pets.

“It’s the crumby few who always seem to ruin it for others,” she said.

That may be true, but not in North Port (Florida) Patch reader Nan’s experience.

“It's hard to police dog ownership, and it's unfortunate that there are far too many irresponsible dog owners,” Nan said.

After enduring a long night listening to the neighbor’s dogs, she complained.

“The owner simply said, ‘Well, it’s a dog,’ as if it was fine,” Nan said. “It was out at 2 a.m. barking at the top of its lungs for hours and still barking at 7 a.m. — because it’s a dog.”

It turned into one of those “but what about you?” conversations.

“She complained we woke her baby by knocking on the door at 7 a.m.,” Nan said. “There is no reasoning with this type of person. The next step will be calling the police or contacting the owner of the property (it is a rental house). I think the dog is obviously neglected and am worried about the dog.”

‘It’s Not The End Of The World’

“Dog barking isn’t the end of the world,” said Salpal, a Moorestown (New Jersey) Patch reader. “Some breeds bark more than others. If we are going to remain a dog-friendly town we have to accept breed differences.”

In established quiet hours, Salpal is willing to let the dog bark for 10 to 30 minutes.

“Sometimes doggo needs to go out the same time a fox crosses the street,” Salpal said. “And sometimes the owners have to do something like move furniture or paint — where a dog underfoot or a wagging tale can make a mess.

“If this is an everyday thing, maybe talk to your neighbor,” Salpal concluded. “Maybe there's some way you can help out that would reduce the barking.”

Sometimes people get dogs with great intentions but turn out to be lousy pet owners, said Across America Patch reader Johnny.

“The dog needs to be walked and taken care of,” Johnny said. “I would ask my neighbor if I could walk their dog for them — or if they are capable, maybe they could walk their dog.

“A lot of people get dogs for protection but are not able to take care of the dog, so you end up with a dog big enough to protect but too big to walk,” Johnny said. “The owner needs help because they simply can’t do it themselves. I know this isn’t always the situation but talking to your neighbor will let you know if it is or not.”

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“Who sets the standards for responsible dog ownership?” asked Jonathan, a La Grange (Illinois) Patch reader. “Perhaps inappropriate animal behavior comes under animal abuse statutes, for example, neglect, puppy mills, hoarding of animals.”

Minnetonka (Minnesota) Patch reader Rbone02 agreed, saying, “Dogs bark for different reasons and the animals may be abused.”

Both readers said that if the dog owners don’t constructively respond to neighbor complaints, calling the appropriate authorities is the next step for the well-being of the dog.

About Block Talk

Block Talk is an exclusive Patch series on neighborhood etiquette — and readers provide the answers. If you have a topic you'd like for us to consider, email beth.dalbey@patch.com with “Block Talk” as the subject line.

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