[Lego&Jacub]

I grew up in the country... where there was a field opposite our house, and only three houses on our 1+ mile road (one of those ppl being our cousins). We had space to move, and fresh air to breath.

For the past decade I've been living in town... in a concrete jungle... in a town that isn't very dog friendly.

A couple weekends ago we got a knock on our door first thing in the morning. It was one of our neighbours, saying (nicely) that they had spoken with all their neighbours and thought they should speak with us first before calling on us... about our dogs barking! This was a complete shock b/c this is one thing we've always been very good about. Do the dogs ever bark... yes... a couple times until I can get to the door to let them in. Now I'm afraid if they make a peep when I let them out to potty. It's not that I'm afraid of the city being a problem... but you just can't trust people who decide against you ya know.

Oy... I hate having neighbours all around.

 

[Luci]

Well, at least they said it nicely? Although, even said nicely, it'd make my blood boil a bit.

I'm a country girl too, but where we live now is a VERY dog-friendly neighborhood. I can't imagine ever saying something to my neighbors about their dogs barking, especially if it isn't incessant barking!

Could you maybe go around to all the neighbors and say you've heard that they don't like the dogs barking and try to explain that you're aware and already try hard to keep it to a minimum?

 

[grrrick]

Long post - Venting...

Some people are dog people and some are not. Ruby, our girl that recently passed away, was what I would consider a normal barker, in terms of goldens. But she was an inside dog, for the most part. When she went out to do her business, she would stay out for 30 minutes or so, and bark as squirrels, sometimes other dogs, etc. We had no problems in our last two houses as our neighbors are dog people and all really enjoyed having Ruby around. Our first house, not so much. We had cat people on both sides. The one side in particular hated Ruby. Their cat, I believe, had a "doggie door" that he could use to come in and out. That cat would strut along the fence line, knowing Ruby could not get to it. Of course Ruby would go nuts. Ruby was young and also hated when he mowed, though we did out best to bring her in when he started mowing. But almost monthly, we would get a complaint letter from the HS. And there were a few times we were close to getting ticketed. I can't remember the rule, but if you had 4 complaints in a 6 month period, you got ticketed. They came out once to issue a ticket. Of course, when he came out, Ruby was inside, like she was 90% of the time, and being a very well behaved loving golden. Because of that, I was able to talk the officer out of it by telling him that the neighbors did not like dogs and unjustifiably registered these complaints. I called on the cat a few times because he ran the neighborhood. There is no leash law for cats and they get to do whatever they want. They said I could trap it on my property and call them, which I seriously considered doing. The funniest thing was one time that Cat was strutting along, and Ruby went after it, clearing the 4 foot fence. It was the only time she ever did that. I happened to be outside when it happened. That cat moved so fast!

The cat on the other side of me actually attacked me (and Ruby). He was in our yard and Ruby cornered him in the fence. It was a stale mate until I came around the corner of the house to see what the matter was. As soon as I rounded the corner, the cat, fully clawed, jumped at Ruby and attached himself to her face. I smacked it off and as soon as it hit the ground, it bounced back at me, attaching itself to my chest. I smacked it off and rang their doorbell. When they answered, I said, "Your cat just attacked my dog and I in my own back yard and if I see your cat in my yard again, I'm not calling the HS, I'm going to kill it." I walked away and never gave them a chance to answer. I never got another call from the HS after that, so I think I figured out which one was calling the HS.

Anyway. No advice here, just compassion. I do not like cats and do not like neighbors that unjustifiably call the HS on dogs.

 

[Montana's Mommy]

My neighbor has 3 yippy dogs and that's all they do is bark, bark, bark. They are like 4 houses away. I can't stand it, sitting out at the pool this summer and listening to that. Drove me nuts!!! and then we have our neighbor in the alley that has cats she walks on a leash, no biggie, but then they let them roam at nite and they tear the garbage apart!!!! Wish I lived in the country too!!!

 

[esSJay]

Sorry to hear about your neighbours' complaint! It's nice that they tried to be really nice about it, but like others said, I would be absolutely fuming.

My best friend moved into a new house this summer with her 3 dogs. In the first week, the neighbours called the bylaw office on them and they got a warning for their dogs making too much noise!! My friend doesn't even have a fence in her backyard and doesn't let them outside, but rather takes them for 4 or 5 walks a day for them to get their exercise and potty breaks.

I'm happy to say that we only have 1 neighbour and she likes dogs. The rest of our property backs on to a semi-main street and the other 2 sides face our own street. It's the only way I can survive living in suburbia! Hopefully another 8 years or so and we will be moving out to the country for more of our own space!

It's ridiculous!

 

[Lego&Jacub]

Thanks guys for listening. And yes, my blood was boiling for the remainder of that day and then some lol!

Now I'm just letting them out to potty and then straight back in... it's sad that they aren't even allowed to enjoy their own back yard. We've considered getting a citronella spray anti-bark collar, but every time we look we just can't do it. I dunno... maybe I should... just so that hopefully they can enjoy the outdoors again.

I too look forward to the day when we can move... it can't come soon enough for me.

 

[BIGDAWG]

Thanks guys for listening. And yes, my blood was boiling for the remainder of that day and then some lol!

Now I'm just letting them out to potty and then straight back in... it's sad that they aren't even allowed to enjoy their own back yard. We've considered getting a citronella spray anti-bark collar, but every time we look we just can't do it. I dunno... maybe I should... just so that hopefully they can enjoy the outdoors again.

I too look forward to the day when we can move... it can't come soon enough for me.

C'mon up to Bancroft, there are three houses for sale in our neighbourhood, all on 1 acre lots, and our three dogs can play out in our fenced back yard for as long as they want without nasty neighbours complaining. In fact, the neighbour on one side comes to the fence every morning with treats, (approved by Gwen of course) for all three. He just loves them, even though they do make quite a racket when they see Benny coming! He has an older German Shepherd that wanders around their yard and our guys don't bark at her at all. Just a different, more laid back mentality up here in friendly Central Ontario. People actually talk to their neighbours and know them by name!:

 

[Lego&Jacub]

Now that would be the life!!! Beautiful country as you go up north... would just love to go there!!!!

 

[BIGDAWG]

Now that would be the life!!! Beautiful country as you go up north... would just love to go there!!!!

...and I can crank up RUSH out on the back deck as loud as I want!

 

[Lego&Jacub]

oh, well since you added that the hubby might just agree!!! =)

 

[coppers-mom]

I lived in town for 15+ years and I live out in the woods now with only 2 neighbors. Life is good.

Unfortunately one neighbor has 3 dogs who live in a kennel. They bark and bark and bark. One is especially aggravating since he does a double bark - bark, bark....bark, bark.. etc. They used to let him out to roam the woods. My woods and they told me he would bite people. Last time he was let loose, my two dogs and I were roaming the woods (yep - sans leash - it gets too tangled in the rhodedendrum). My bassettX chased the booger home twice. The third time is the charm because Copper saw him. After chasing the dog off my property and across the gravel road the other dog's owner showed up. Copper was gleefully in a free for all by then. No one was hurt and Copper quit as soon as the neighbor came running up, but he sure scared them. The dog is not let loose any more. Good! There's one whereever you live I reckon.

 

[cubbysan]

I feel for you.

When I lived in a neighborhood, and had three dogs, I was always paranoid about every new neighbor we got. I would usually go introduce myself, and come right out and say that if my dogs were loud barking and it bothered them, please give me a call. I always thought that gave me the upper hand. I think maybe once somebody casually mentioned it, and I knew exactly the reason why they were barking at that time.

My Great Pyrenees would bark at noises a mile away!!

I finally got my dream of living in the country last month. Never thought this would be a reality... and Brady is loving life!

 

[Lego&Jacub]

Marie... wahoo for you!!!! That's fantastic!!! Can't wait for my turn

 

[mylissyk]

Thanks guys for listening. And yes, my blood was boiling for the remainder of that day and then some lol!

Now I'm just letting them out to potty and then straight back in... it's sad that they aren't even allowed to enjoy their own back yard. We've considered getting a citronella spray anti-bark collar, but every time we look we just can't do it. I dunno... maybe I should... just so that hopefully they can enjoy the outdoors again.

I too look forward to the day when we can move... it can't come soon enough for me.

Oh please don't confine them indoors! People need to get over themselves.

I had AC come to my door because they had a complaint about my dogs barking, when she got there, there were dogs barking on and on and on in the neighborhood. I opened the door and she started the whole "we have complaints about your dogs barking and I can hear them right now...", then she noticed my dogs standing right behind me in the house - while we could still hear dogs barking. Of course she said, obviously not your dogs.

Maybe you could find out from nicer neighbors when they are hearing the barking and figure out if it's your guys or not, or find out what time of day they are bothering neighbors. I just hate that you feel like you can't let them out in their own yard.