Neighbor's barking dog driving us nuts

[Slick]

A few years ago I had a neighbor's dog that would bark at me when I was at my pool in the backyard. I kept a bucket near the fence and when it barked, I tossed a bucket of water on him. He got tired of that and left me alone. Just an idea...

I wonder if his owner ever figured out how the dog help getting wet for a while..

 

[Tenchi]

The chocolate thing:

The reason behind that is supposedly the Bromide concentration of chocolate is dangerous to dogs in large doses. In small doses it's fine. My old dog ate half a block of chocolate and suffered no ill effects. That being said, dark chocolate is worse for the dog.

The dog barking thing:

Sounds like you might need to employ guerilla tactics on them. If a dog whistle sets them off, blow it at random times while the owner around. I say keep it on your side of the fence though, you don't know who has cameras nowadays. If you're old and they're young'ish, you can try the mosquito device thing. The general idea of being able to annoy your neighbour while they're sleeping with this noise, but you can't hear it. If they say something about it, "I don't hear anything. I hear your dogs barking all day long, but I don't hear anything. Maybe if your dogs stop barking the sound will go away." In accordance with your local noise ordinances, feel free to play loud music on their days off early in the morning, directed at their house. I hear it works best after a hard night of drinking. Go for a walk in the meantime; relax, take a break and enjoy the spring weather. Come back in 2 hours and turn the music off. Do some experimentation to see how much fun you can have with their dogs barking. If a single "THUMP" from a bass speaker is enough to set the dogs off, set it off at different times of the night for 3-4 nights in a row randomly, no more than 4 hours apart, between the hours of 11pm and 4am. Using windows task scheduler, an amp, a computer and a WAV file, I don't see this being a problem. You should probably stay with friends to ensure a decent night's sleep for you, and it wouldn't hurt to set up video surveillance of areas that may feel the aggression of a angry neighbor.

In general, you want to give them the gift of the same discomfort that you experience. Why should you be the only one to enjoy it? Make sure they know why first though. I wouldn't try to modify the dog's behaviour, because that's not the issue. The issue is that there's an asshole who's letting the dogs bark. More specifically that they're being an inconsiderate asshole.

Leave them a letter in their letterbox if you don't want to confront them btw. Typed, in big lettering and not in an envelope works best.

 

[Mizz Bustanut]

How many of you have actually watched a poisoned or otherwise maliciously treated animal suffer and die?
I have; more than once. NOTHING should have to suffer and die like that, nothing.

Deal with the real problem (the owners). Don't punish or torture the animal.

That's like decapitating your postman for delivering junk mail. Schmart, reeeeeeal schmart. :angry:

+1

Too bad you can't put a bark collar on the dog's owner so they can find out real fast how often the dog is barking. <_<

 

[wheatonFJR]

How many of you have actually watched a poisoned or otherwise maliciously treated animal suffer and die?
I have; more than once. NOTHING should have to suffer and die like that, nothing.

Deal with the real problem (the owners). Don't punish or torture the animal.

That's like decapitating your postman for delivering junk mail. Schmart, reeeeeeal schmart. :angry:

+1

Too bad you can't put a bark collar on the dog's owner so they can find out real fast how often the dog is barking. <_<

Jack Bauer could. Give 'im a call.

 

[CHRIS_D]

The chocolate thing:The reason behind that is supposedly the Bromide concentration of chocolate is dangerous to dogs in large doses. In small doses it's fine. My old dog ate half a block of chocolate and suffered no ill effects. That being said, dark chocolate is worse for the dog.

The dog barking thing:

Sounds like you might need to employ guerilla tactics on them. If a dog whistle sets them off, blow it at random times while the owner around. I say keep it on your side of the fence though, you don't know who has cameras nowadays. If you're old and they're young'ish, you can try the mosquito device thing. The general idea of being able to annoy your neighbour while they're sleeping with this noise, but you can't hear it. If they say something about it, "I don't hear anything. I hear your dogs barking all day long, but I don't hear anything. Maybe if your dogs stop barking the sound will go away." In accordance with your local noise ordinances, feel free to play loud music on their days off early in the morning, directed at their house. I hear it works best after a hard night of drinking. Go for a walk in the meantime; relax, take a break and enjoy the spring weather. Come back in 2 hours and turn the music off. Do some experimentation to see how much fun you can have with their dogs barking. If a single "THUMP" from a bass speaker is enough to set the dogs off, set it off at different times of the night for 3-4 nights in a row randomly, no more than 4 hours apart, between the hours of 11pm and 4am. Using windows task scheduler, an amp, a computer and a WAV file, I don't see this being a problem. You should probably stay with friends to ensure a decent night's sleep for you, and it wouldn't hurt to set up video surveillance of areas that may feel the aggression of a angry neighbor.

In general, you want to give them the gift of the same discomfort that you experience. Why should you be the only one to enjoy it? Make sure they know why first though. I wouldn't try to modify the dog's behaviour, because that's not the issue. The issue is that there's an asshole who's letting the dogs bark. More specifically that they're being an inconsiderate asshole.

Leave them a letter in their letterbox if you don't want to confront them btw. Typed, in big lettering and not in an envelope works best.

Tenchi,

I'm not sure but it sounds like you may have done this type of thing before. :dribble: :dribble: :lol: :lol:

 

[Auburn]

How many of you have actually watched a poisoned or otherwise maliciously treated animal suffer and die?
I have; more than once. NOTHING should have to suffer and die like that, nothing.

Deal with the real problem (the owners). Don't punish or torture the animal.

Welllll, negative reinforcement (non-lethal) might be okay. But I agree, actual poisoning the 4-legged animal isn't the issue.

I'm guessing that being arrested for cruelty to animals wouldn't be real pleasant.

Not cool to poison the mutts - the owner is the douche bag. Around here you would get more time for poison ing the dogs then if you ran the owner over with a car.

 

[twistedcricket]

If you think the pets are the problem, do whatever. The neighbors can get more. The SPCA/Humane Society are full of 'em.

Now take care of the owners. Call 'em EVERYTIME (you're up anyway). *67 hides caller-id typically.

Or go get an air-horn and set it off every time the dogs bark. (found in the horn section at the parts store)

I have more diabolical ideas, but...nah...not here

 

[Tenchi]

Stuffs

Tenchi,

I'm not sure but it sounds like you may have done this type of thing before. :dribble: :dribble: :lol: :lol:

We had a neighbour with a Jack Russell that wouldn't... shut... up... the owners were pretty big arseholes that were flicking their ciggies over the fence too. It was a split house with a common wall, although the house layout was such that neither house should have been able to hear the other.

I collected all the ciggies, when I had enough I dumped it on their car right over the air vents (where air pushed through by the fan is sucked in, right near the windscreen wipers), and took to guerilla tactics with the dogs. My tweeters were terrible for the computer but my sub was AWESOME. The problems went away pretty quickly and I never had to leave a letter. I didn't leave one because the letterbox was a good 500 ft down the driveway (community housing, retirement village style) and I didn't have a printer (and I try not to do anything that can ever be traced back to me).

We also had a neighbour at my parents place that threw a bunch of parties. In all fairness, they're a good lot, but the parents went away and the kids went nuts. Dad thought he should mow the lawn at 9am on a Sunday morning after they had a party. Then play his favourite music with the windows and doors open on that side of the house as loud as he could. I hated the music, so Bluey (the Dog) and I took a walk. 2 weeks later a pot plant and a sorry note appeared on our doorstep.

EDIT: I know the chocolate thing because in the AirTC, they gave us 24 hr ration packs, which had chocolate and cheese in it. If you know anything about the 24 hr ration packs, you always eat the chocolate and cheese together, because the chocolate is a laxative and the cheese counters it. I wanted to see if it was safe for dogs, so I did my research... the theo bromine (not bromide, my bad) is what causes dogs to fall over and sleep permanently...

 

[Tbird]

If I were you...I'd start with this...

If you can, let the dogs out of their yard. Then call animal control to report strays.

Best case is the dogs don't have tags and the owner never gets them back. Dogs safe

but gone, quiet returns, you're happy, owners don't have a clue.

Or...the dogs are returned and the owners are cited or fined or both. Repeat as often

as necessary...until the owners either keep them inside or get rid of them.

 

[Tenchi]

If I were you...I'd start with this...
If you can, let the dogs out of their yard. Then call animal control to report strays.

Best case is the dogs don't have tags and the owner never gets them back. Dogs safe

but gone, quiet returns, you're happy, owners don't have a clue.

Or...the dogs are returned and the owners are cited or fined or both. Repeat as often

as necessary...until the owners either keep them inside or get rid of them.

Or until you get caught.

 

[twistedcricket]

If I were you...I'd start with this...
If you can, let the dogs out of their yard. Then call animal control to report strays.

Best case is the dogs don't have tags and the owner never gets them back. Dogs safe

but gone, quiet returns, you're happy, owners don't have a clue.

Or...the dogs are returned and the owners are cited or fined or both. Repeat as often

as necessary...until the owners either keep them inside or get rid of them.

Or until you get caught.

or get "smart" and put a lock on the gate latch (?) ...any rate, they'll have a "history" with animal control if they are pit bulls....the warning will be rather serious...repeat offenses might not happen

 

[08FJR4ME]

Well you can do what one of my friends did.

Got as many magazine subscriptions as he could find and started filling there name out and having them sent to there house. And believe me he covered the whole gammit of what's out there. The vile nasty stuff to home cooking. Maybe they will get the hint then.

 

[scubabiker]

Neighbor's two pit bull looking dogs live out in their privacy-fenced back yard, residential neighborhood, houses fairly close together...one of the dogs barks incessantly (woof woof woof woof woof, half-sec pause, woof woof woof woof woof, half-sec pause, woof woof woof woof woof, etc.) anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours at a time without stopping for more than a few seconds, usually in the middle of the night. For example, Friday morning it went on from 3:00 AM to 4:00 AM. This morning from 5:30 AM to 5:55 AM, barking again right now at 7:23 AM. Happens like that several nights each week, sometimes multiple episodes in a night. Dog's owner won't do anything about it (says they only bark when someone approaches their house, "they are guard dogs." Police won't do anything about it. Other neighbors are annoyed also, but nobody seems willing or able to do anything about it...apparently past appeals to the guy have led to big arguments, him threatening the person who complained, etc., so everybody just lets it slide, they say the guy is crazy. On Tuesday night, for example, he reportedly brandished a gun to a group of teenagers that were doing something he didn't like, not sure about details, but according to another neighbor the police were called, came out to his house, and did nothing about it. As far as I can tell, Miami-Dade police are useless for just about anything.
I don't want to poison or really harm the dog....Any ideas?

There are multiple police agencies in any area. City, county, state, park district, etc. They don't always talk to each other or get along. If the other ideas about contacting other branches of the govt. don't work, try a different police agency. Also talk to the teenagers, brandishing a gun is aggravted assault (assault is making a threat, physical contact is battery. Using a weapon aggrevates the charge) They have to vocalize to an officer that they felt in danger. Then your neighbor should get a free ride in a squad car. Since the cops did nothing, call the state police and ask them to check into it (only after you have all the facts and know a gun was used and talk to the teens involved). You can also go to the police station and ask to see the report the officer filed, if any, on the incident. The squeeky wheel gets the grease. Might want to try calling during a different shift, cops are not all the same. Like all people, some are lazier than others.

No matter what, I feel for ya. I'm mighty cranky when I don't get a good nights sleep.

 

[PapaUtah]

There's always shoot, shovel, shut up.

 

[Meltdown]

Just saw this particular topic.

When my ex and I were still married we lived in a nice area of older homes. The house next door to us after we had been there for 2 years got rented out after the owner retired and decided to RV full time. The new neighbors had FOUR YAPPING DOGS. Little Yorkie terriers.

After one week the dogs were deposited in their back yard at night. Yap, yap, yap, yap, yap....

Next morning I wander over and advise them that their dogs kept me up. They seemed apologetic and said it wouldnt happen again.

Next night...yap, yap, yap, yap, yap.

Solution - 4 sets of strobe lights hooked to a remote switch all set to flash at slightly different rates.

The instant I heard them I hit the switch. Immediate silence. Lights off. 45 seconds pass. noise again. hit the switch. silence. Did this for an hour.

It wore off after a week. They were immune.

Next, stop...2 large cone tweeters mounted on fence posts hooked to large amplifier pointed into neighbors yard. Dogs yapped, 25khz noise played at full volume. Instant silence.

That did NOT wear off. Had to use it on and off for about a week. Silent animals after that. YMMV