PITA neighbor hates my dog

[Henrythewound]

I live in one of those "cookie-cutter" style neighborhoods with the stucco houses that all look the same and are located pretty close to one another. My wife teaches and I am in grad school pretty much all day M-F while my old neighbor is retired and has nothing better to do than complain about my dog barking. Granted my dog does bark, but only when he sees my Q-tip neighbor walking by our wall or when he hears another dog is going nuts elsewhere in the neighborhood.

I used to put a shock collar on my dog to train him not to bark, but I feel that is somewhat cruel since he is just being a dog and thinks he's defending his territory. I'd like to put the shock collar on my neighbor so he ges zapped every time he complains.

Anyways the dog stays inside at night so the only time anyone might actually be annoyed by barking is during the day while we are at work (something I feel is reasonable and doesn't warrant any real complaint). Incidentally, there are many other dogs in the neighborhood who bark day AND night, I just happen to live next to an old guy who likes to complain.

Heres a pic of my dog "True"
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/Joecook/118_1804.JPG

smaller pic for 56K
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/Joecook/118_1804_1.JPG

Any one else have similar experiences? Any thoughts on what can be done? We have a homeowners association which states no pet can be a "nuisance" but that is determined by the homeowners board which my neighbor is a member of! Next house I get will have some land around it so I don't have to live right next to anyone else.

Joe

more pics

True w/ Aspen
118_1802_2.JPG

True w/ Aspen looking hideous
118_1803_2.JPG

 

[AdamSnow]

Didnt read the post... but looked at the pic...

Beautiful dog!

 

[conjur]

Put him in the garage during the day?

 

[pyonir]

My upstairs neighbor (apartment) has a dog that barks for at least an hour straight every morning or anytime they leave. It sits at the front door and barks non stop. at 7am. I'm tired of it and I'm going to complain to the complex...

 

[purbeast0]

WTF ... why do people NOT KNOW HOW TO RESIZE PICTURES!!!

 

[TheAudit]

Nice looking dog!!

 

[phreakah]

SHE KICK MY DOG

 

[maziwanka]

gorgeous dog

 

[torpid]

Why is it reasonable for the dog to bark during the day? Sure once in a while, but if it's barking frequently every single day, that can be quite irritating if other people don't have the same schedule that you do.

I am guessing that your neighbor probably tolerated it as long as he could and now is in extreme irritation mode. I doubt it was an immediate reaction.

Just because other people have dogs that bark all of the time doesn't mean it's ok. I realize that you are doing the best that you can (probably anyway), but the fact is that some people don't have the same hours at home that you do.

 

[Goosemaster]

Dude, I really don't know how to put this, but that is the cleanest dog I have ever seen.

 

[Henrythewound]

I guess my viewpoint is that it is reasonable to expect people to be at work during the day. I cant be at home all day to discipline my dog every time he barks. Its unfortunate that it is annoying to my neighbor, but when you live close to other people there are going to be plenty of things that annoy you.

I get annoyed that my other neighbors park their cars in such a way that it is difficult to park in my own driveway. That doesn't mean Im going to call the cops on them. My neighbor on the other side of me didn't even know I owned dogs so I dont think they are excessively barking all the time.

 

[zixxer]

no offense but shut your fscking dog up. It's not their responsibility or obligation to listen to your annoying dog. If you and your wife are THAT busy maybe you shouldn't have a dog in the first place.

 

[Aharami]

you have a very nice looking dog. but i think you need to train your dog a little. it can be quite irritating hearing a dog bark all day long.

if you can afford it, take him to a dog training school and im sure they can do something about it

 

[imported_cello]

There are "nuisance barking laws" you may be in violation of. I recall a similar situation in my hood a neighbour was cited and required to appear in court. I don't know what happened but I don't hear the dog any more.

 

[shilala]

Originally posted by: torpid
Why is it reasonable for the dog to bark during the day?

Because dogs bark.
If the dog law officer gets a complaint about a barking dog here, she'll go by and check out the situation at random intervals. If she finds that, indeed, the animal is a nuisance barker, the owner is cited.
If she doesn't think it's out of reason, she'll tell the complainer to pound it up his ass.
Along the way, she told me "dogs bark, that's what they do" and it's perfectly within a homeowner's rights to have a dog, barking and all.
If the neighbors don't like to hear a dog barking, they need to move where there are no dogs.

 

[Henrythewound]

There are those laws here (Tucson) but they only apply from 10 pm - 6am, when our dog is indoors. If the police were to respond to all dogs barking in our neighborhood, half of the residents would be in violation.

 

[torpid]

Originally posted by: Henrythewound
I guess my viewpoint is that it is reasonable to expect people to be at work during the day. I cant be at home all day to discipline my dog every time he barks. Its unfortunate that it is annoying to my neighbor, but when you live close to other people there are going to be plenty of things that annoy you.

I get annoyed that my other neighbors park their cars in such a way that it is difficult to park in my own driveway. That doesn't mean Im going to call the cops on them. My neighbor on the other side of me didn't even know I owned dogs so I dont think they are excessively barking all the time.

Yes, there are going to be plenty of things, but there shouldn't be one thing that annoys you every single day. As for the car parking, you can always ask your neighbors about it. There is a middle ground between ignoring it and calling the cops.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: cello
There are "nuisance barking laws" you may be in violation of. I recall a similar situation in my hood a neighbour was cited and required to appear in court. I don't know what happened but I don't hear the dog any more.

Must have fed him some moth balls.

 

[kranky]

Sorry, your dog should not be barking continuously no matter what time it is. It may seem reasonable to you, since you aren't home to hear it. But if you had to live next door, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't like it either.

Your neighbor may be a PITA and a grouch, but that doesn't relieve you of the responsibility of not having your dog barking all the time.

<-- was in the same boat as your neighbor once

 

[Gothgar]

My dog never barked, till I started putting him outside more, and teh next door neighboors dogs bark all the damn time, and now my dog barks

 

[Henrythewound]

Originally posted by: kranky
Sorry, your dog should not be barking continuously no matter what time it is. It may seem reasonable to you, since you aren't home to hear it. But if you had to live next door, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't like it either.

Your neighbor may be a PITA and a grouch, but that doesn't relieve you of the responsibility of not having your dog barking all the time.

<-- was in the same boat as your neighbor once

Judging by your user name, you don't have much tolerance. I think if you want complete silence and a peaceful, noise-free environment around your home, you should buy some acreage where you can get that. You sould not be living in a neighborhood where your house is 15 feet from your neighbors.

 

[purbeast0]

dude just put your dog inside! problem solved!

 

[Stark]

time to call uncle matty!

 

[Steve]

Ask your neighbor to walk the dog.

 

[torpid]

Originally posted by: Henrythewound

Originally posted by: kranky
Sorry, your dog should not be barking continuously no matter what time it is. It may seem reasonable to you, since you aren't home to hear it. But if you had to live next door, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't like it either.

Your neighbor may be a PITA and a grouch, but that doesn't relieve you of the responsibility of not having your dog barking all the time.

<-- was in the same boat as your neighbor once

Judging by your user name, you don't have much tolerance. I think if you want complete silence and a peaceful, noise-free environment around your home, you should buy some acreage where you can get that. You sould not be living in a neighborhood where your house is 15 feet from your neighbors.

What if you want peaceful, noise-free environments MOST of the time, and not only while you are sleeping? There are lots of dogs barking once in a while in my apartment complex. Usually dogs bark when they are coming in or going out of the apartment. I don't mind it much at all. Lots of car noises and machinery once in a while.

However, If someone's dog barked every day from 8am to 6pm I'd be quite annoyed even though I'm rarely home during those hours. When I am, it's because I am SICK and don't want to be kept awake or bothered by someone's dog for 8 hours straight.