My Neighbor's Dog Barks Constantly What Can I Do

What to Do When a Neighbor's Dog Won't Stop Barking

• Dogs bark, but non-stop barking is disruptive
• There are several ways to address a noisy dog and fix the problem
• Your neighbor's dog barking doesn't have to disrupt your day and night

Dogs are loyal, playful and generally adorable, but they'll inevitably bark. An occasional "woof" here and there is normal, but what happens if your neighbor's dog barking is nonstop? The continual yapping is bound to turn disruptive.

As a neighbor, you should understand that all dogs bark, but at the same time, you deserve your peace and quiet. So, what can you do about a noisy dog? Here are some tips and tricks to handle a neighbor's dog barking.

Understanding why dogs bark

Before you get so frustrated that you call animal control on your neighbor and their furry, four-legged friend, it's important to understand why the dog is barking.

• Anxiety: Just like humans, dogs can experience anxiety. When a pet is left alone, it can start barking to express its anxiety.
• Boredom: Dogs are social and like to interact with other animals and people. So, when it's left alone without company or entertainment, it may start to bark.
• Protectiveness: The phrase "guard dog" exists for a reason — dogs are naturally protective. If a dog hears people walking down the hall, knocking on the door or hears the TV from the neighboring apartment, it may start to bark as a warning.

Understanding why the noisy dog next door is barking won't necessarily change the sound level, but it may give you more sympathy as to what's going on.

Steps to take when the neighbor's dog is barking

Fido's bark has become too much to bear and you need to address the noisy dog situation in the apartment next door. So how do you handle the situation? There are several steps to take that can help defuse a situation between you and the noisy dog.

1. Document the issue

The first thing to do is to track and document every time you notice or hear the dog barking. This will help you determine if it's a recurring issue or a one-off yap. Write down what time of day it is, what is going on in the environment (did the UPS delivery person just drop off a package?) and how long the barking lasted. When you go to talk to the neighbors, it'll be beneficial to have a dog barking log you can reference and highlight patterns you've noticed.

2. Talk to your neighbor

The next thing to do is to simply talk to your neighbor in person. It is tempting to write a note or send an email, but it's always better to approach situations like this candidly and face-to-face. Your neighbor may not even realize that their dog is barking or that there is a problem. Chances are, they'll hear you out, apologize and work to solve the problem.

3. Offer solutions

Once you've presented the problem to your neighbor, you could suggest some solutions that may help the dog quiet down. For instance, if you're home during the day and your neighbor (the dog owner) works, you could offer to walk the dog or check in on it throughout the day. That's definitely a proactive solution, but if you're a dog person, it is a nice way for you to see the dog and stop the barking.

Other suggestions could include having the dog owner hire a dog trainer, take the dog on mid-afternoon walks, have the dog attend doggy-day care or be left with toys, food and entertainment to reduce the barking.

4. Meet the dog

Dogs are protective beings and will guard their territory from strangers. The dog could be barking at you simply because he or she doesn't recognize you. Take some time to get to know the dog so when you walk past the apartment, it'll recognize your face, sound and smell.

5. Play with the dog

If you are a dog owner, you could suggest a puppy play date with your neighbor's noisy dog. One day, you offer to have both dogs over to play and then your neighbor will take a turn. This is a great solution because you'll be entertaining both dogs, they'll get exercise, avoid loneliness and boredom and put a stop to barking.

6. Intervene with the delivery person

Does your neighbor's dog bark every time the mail comes or the Amazon truck makes a delivery? If this is a pattern you've noticed, you may decide to intervene with the delivery person and keep your neighbor's packages at your house until your neighbor can retrieve them. This ensures that no one barks on the door, causing the dog to woof away.

7. Block off the area

Dogs bark at things that they can see or hear. So, if you cut off the stimulus (i.e. sound and sight) this can reduce the barking. You could consider putting up a privacy screen or a fence in the backyard or between patios so the dog cannot see you and therefore won't bark. You can also try soundproofing your room as a solution, too.

8. Get a noise whistle

Noise whistles emit a high-pitched sound that irritates dogs. This is a great method for training noisy dogs to quit barking. Every time they bark unnecessarily, you blow the whistle. They won't like the sound and will soon realize that they need to stop the barking to stop the noise whistle. Before you purchase a dog whistle, talk to the dog owner first.

9. File a noise complaint

If you've tried all of the solutions above and the neighbor's dog barking is still a problem, you may need to turn to more drastic measures. You can file a noise complaint with the landlord, property manager or city officials.

Call the police: If all else fails, you can try filing a police report. While a barking dog isn't the top priority for the police, they may give your neighbor a citation which will send a message you're serious about quieting the barking dog.

Noisy dogs and apartment living

When you live in an apartment setting, you're likely to hear your neighbors above, below and next door. Some noise is normal and even expected in communal living. Apartment dogs bark and some barking is normal. However, if the noisy dog is a perpetual problem, you can take several steps to try and address the issue between you, your neighbor and Fido.

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My Neighbor's Dog Barks Constantly What Can I Do

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