What can you legally do in this situation.

[IggyBcool]

My neighbor recently got a new dog which they have been keeping outside. It is probably about a year old lab. Anyways, this dog squeels and cries all day, all night long. I mean to tell you, its not just a little whimper, but it sounds like it is dying or like a small child is screaming. Long story short, its freaking loud and can be heard throughout the whole neighborhood and is waking us up at night. Any ideas on what we can do before I lose it?

[Garufa]

Have a nice, rational discussion with the neighbors. Remind them again when needed.

Then call the law if it continues.

[TMF]

Have a nice, rational discussion with the neighbors. Remind them again when needed.

Then call the law if it continues.

+1 Always talk man to man before calling the law. It's the grown up man thing to do. When you do it don't be at all inflammatory. A lot can be avoided in terms of a$$ pain and neighborly relationships. Of course, if he decides to be an a-hole about it wait until the dog is carrying on in the middle of the night and then call the law. Trust me, a few times of being woke up at 2 am by a police officer knocking on his door, he's gonna get tired of it and do the right thing.

We had a similar situation at my house only the reverse. We were dog sitting for friends (only had the dog for a day) and it had been carrying on a little while my wife was outside with it mowing the yard. The neighbor hurls a boulder at the dog (injuring it) which resulted in police being called, charges being filed against him and a subsequent deferred sentence for animal cruelty. This could have all been avoided if he simply came next door and let us know that the dog was bothering him. We would have explained we were watching him for a few days and that we would do our best to keep him quiet. I would have been receptive so long as he was a man about it.

[bluedog]

Def. talk to them first. Get animal control/ police involved only as a last resort!

[Guest lostpass]

I think I moved over a similar issue.

A few years later here is what a lawyer told me:

Kill the dog. Just poison it. Everyone hates the freakin thing anyway so no one will look at you. If you talk to the guiy about it they'll think you did it. If you get caught you are out a couple hundred bucks, dogs aren't worth much.

Or something like that. I was kinda drunk at the time but the gist of it was: just kill the dog, it is the easiest/quickest/least messy solution.

Sure, the move cost me several thousand dollars and the lawyer guy is probably right but if I could go back in time I don't think I'd take his advice. Don't like to kill anything, from mice to moose, unless I'm going to eat it.

[10-Ring]

IRRC killing a dog is a felony offense. Probably not the best advice. I was on the opposite end of this situation one time. My dogs back at everything that comes into the yard, which I like. Other people in the neighborhood let their dogs and cats run loose and my dogs would bark at them when they would come into the yard. My dogs stayed in a fence all the time BTW. No one ever approached me about the dogs. They went straight to the police. I happened to be very well connected with the local PD through work and knew the officers everytime they responded, they told me that the person calling was just an old kook and not to worry about it. Then the neighbor got a hold of animal control. They left a warning on my door one day, it said that if the problem continued I would be cited and have to appear in court and be subject to a $500 fine for each offense. My dogs at that point became indoor dogs. I'm really glad I live in the sticks now, don't miss the city life one bit.

[wcsc12]

My neighbor recently got a new dog which they have been keeping outside. It is probably about a year old lab. Anyways, this dog squeels and cries all day, all night long. I mean to tell you, its not just a little whimper, but it sounds like it is dying or like a small child is screaming. Long story short, its freaking loud and can be heard throughout the whole neighborhood and is waking us up at night. Any ideas on what we can do before I lose it?

Garufa hit the nail on the head. Just talk to them, knock on the door or just catch them when they come home from work and tell them about it. If it continues to happen again, talk to them once more. If you have a home owner's association, check your HOA rule book. If there's anything in there, use that against them and then call the police. I would honestly talk to them twice and then call the cops to solve the problem and continue to call the cops on them until they keep their dog inside or at least help the dog get rid of it's separation anxiety. However, I think after they get their first $200 ticket for a noise violation, they'll be more than willing to keep the dog inside. Afterward, just explain to them and you did ask them twice and it was nothing personal against them but you have a life to live as well and hope they understand..

My neighbor's dog did this crap when he first got the thing. I don't know why but they got the dog as a puppy, kept it inside for about a month or so and then decided to just start putting it outside and of course it would sit at their backdoor waiting for it to open and whine and cry all day and night long. After 2 days of that of that crap, I just walked over and talked to him. The noise apparently never bothered him but it damn sure bothered me. I even showed him books on how to help with his dog's separation anxiety. It still whined and cried while they were training it but at least he trained it. Now it may whine for about 3 minutes when they put it outside but then it stops and that's okay with me.

Edited October 25, 2011 by wcsc12

[TMF]

I think I moved over a similar issue.

A few years later here is what a lawyer told me:

Kill the dog. Just poison it. Everyone hates the freakin thing anyway so no one will look at you. If you talk to the guiy about it they'll think you did it. If you get caught you are out a couple hundred bucks, dogs aren't worth much.

Or something like that. I was kinda drunk at the time but the gist of it was: just kill the dog, it is the easiest/quickest/least messy solution.

Sure, the move cost me several thousand dollars and the lawyer guy is probably right but if I could go back in time I don't think I'd take his advice. Don't like to kill anything, from mice to moose, unless I'm going to eat it.

That lawyer needs to be punched in the mouth. Hard.

[mikegideon]

After all else fails, enter the Dogblaster 9000.

[hornett22]

That lawyer needs to be punched in the mouth. Hard.

I believe that applies to most lawyers.

[bigwakes]

If you talk to him and then call the cops he will know it's you. Just call the law and tell them it sounds like a small child calling for help next door at 2am. With any luck they will knock the door off the hinges and find the puppy sqealing.

[mikegideon]

The cops won't do anything. They'll even get pissy because you called them. I have been through it.

[daddyo]

I live next door to 7 wiener dogs. In the warmer months, they bark at you coming and going, and they bark at 3 am. Sometimes they bark all night long. Thankfully, they are on the opposite end of the house from our bedroom, so they aren't waking me or the wife up when they start yapping at another dog or a skunk or whatever.

When they first moved in, the husband told me "If the dogs ever bother you, let me know". I went a month and tried to tolerate it, but finally walked over and talked to him. I said "Do you remember what you told me about the dogs when you first moved in?". Oddly, he didn't, so I reminded him and he said he would keep them on the far side of the fenced-in area. That lasted about two months, and they went right back to running over to our side every time we walked outside or did any work in the yard. If anyone comes by for a brief visit, you can't stand outside and talk. It's that bad sometimes.

I tried talking and reasoning. It didn't work. Next step is sending him a registered letter, which I already have written. I just need to mail it. Our county has a nuisance law that very expressly forbids incessant barking. Whether Animal Control will do anything about it; who knows...

I bought a water gun that shoots about 30 feet. It's a lot of fun and it shuts 'em up for while.

[Tenifer17]

+1 Always talk man to man before calling the law. It's the grown up man thing to do. When you do it don't be at all inflammatory. A lot can be avoided in terms of a$$ pain and neighborly relationships. Of course, if he decides to be an a-hole about it wait until the dog is carrying on in the middle of the night and then call the law. Trust me, a few times of being woke up at 2 am by a police officer knocking on his door, he's gonna get tired of it and do the right thing.

We had a similar situation at my house only the reverse. We were dog sitting for friends (only had the dog for a day) and it had been carrying on a little while my wife was outside with it mowing the yard. The neighbor hurls a boulder at the dog (injuring it) which resulted in police being called, charges being filed against him and a subsequent deferred sentence for animal cruelty. This could have all been avoided if he simply came next door and let us know that the dog was bothering him. We would have explained we were watching him for a few days and that we would do our best to keep him quiet. I would have been receptive so long as he was a man about it.

Are you talking about the grumpy old man on the corner ?

[TMF]

Are you talking about the grumpy old man on the corner ?

? The a-hole in the corner lot if that's what you're referring to. Not sure if that's what you meant.

[UncleJak]

I have a similar problem with my neighbor's dog. He barks all night long. I've done all I can do except kill it. It did get loose one time and run at me, at which point I tried to kill it. I'm hoping he gets loose again, this time I won't fail.

[E4 No More]

My lab did this so I took him to the vet. Turns out that he had a very painful yeast infection in his ear. They gave me medicine for it and he's fine now. No more crying.

[peejman]

In addition to simply talking to the owner, get video evidence. Have indisputable proof.

Also recommend a bark collar. They're about $30 at walmart and they work. Some might consider them inhumane, but they're better than having you pets taken away.

My wife went to court in defense of a neighbor whose dogs barked. They didn't bark constantly, but they barked. Another neighbor had filed a complain about it. Turns out, the dogs were barking at the complaint filer's cat who would prance up and down the fence.

[hornett22]

I live next door to 7 wiener dogs. In the warmer months, they bark at you coming and going, and they bark at 3 am. Sometimes they bark all night long. Thankfully, they are on the opposite end of the house from our bedroom, so they aren't waking me or the wife up when they start yapping at another dog or a skunk or whatever.

When they first moved in, the husband told me "If the dogs ever bother you, let me know". I went a month and tried to tolerate it, but finally walked over and talked to him. I said "Do you remember what you told me about the dogs when you first moved in?". Oddly, he didn't, so I reminded him and he said he would keep them on the far side of the fenced-in area. That lasted about two months, and they went right back to running over to our side every time we walked outside or did any work in the yard. If anyone comes by for a brief visit, you can't stand outside and talk. It's that bad sometimes.

I tried talking and reasoning. It didn't work. Next step is sending him a registered letter, which I already have written. I just need to mail it. Our county has a nuisance law that very expressly forbids incessant barking. Whether Animal Control will do anything about it; who knows...

I bought a water gun that shoots about 30 feet. It's a lot of fun and it shuts 'em up for while.

Fill it with Nair.

[daddyo]

Fill it with Nair.

LOL. What will that do? Make their fur fall out?

[Guest tommy62]

My brother is a musician. He had a similar situation so after the neighbor did nothing about the dog barking, he began to play Middle Eastern prayer chants over his PA system every morning around 3:00am. The neighbor rehomed the dog.

[gregintenn]

I think I moved over a similar issue.

A few years later here is what a lawyer told me:

Kill the dog. Just poison it. Everyone hates the freakin thing anyway so no one will look at you. If you talk to the guiy about it they'll think you did it. If you get caught you are out a couple hundred bucks, dogs aren't worth much.

Or something like that. I was kinda drunk at the time but the gist of it was: just kill the dog, it is the easiest/quickest/least messy solution.

Sure, the move cost me several thousand dollars and the lawyer guy is probably right but if I could go back in time I don't think I'd take his advice. Don't like to kill anything, from mice to moose, unless I'm going to eat it.

I'd get a second opinion from Michael Vick before trying this.

[Guest WyattEarp]

Have a nice, rational discussion with the neighbors. Remind them again when needed.

Then call the law if it continues.

It's doubtful the dog owner will take this in a nice way, no matter how politely you try. It will be viewed as you're telling him what to do on his property, with his animals and he'll most likely tell you to take a flying suck at a monkey's ass.

You can however call the police and file a disturbing the peace charge. You as a property owner have a reasonable expectation to a noise free environment and if the animal is causing you to not have this reasonable expectation, then the dog's owner can be held liable.

If that means calling the police at 3 am, and having the cops bang on his door and give him a ticket, so be it. You can also turn him into the Humane Society by reporting the dog is being neglected because it's ALWAYS crying, and could possibly be being abused

Get a video camera stick it on a tripod, open the window and get a video recording of the dog howling incessantly. That will hold its weight in gold to backup your claim. Make sure to set the proper date and time. Get video in both daylight and night time.

if the police won't do anything, then go meet with your town or counties District Attorney, and take the video in and show him the video and tell him it's becoming a serious detriment to your expectation of a loud noise free environment, and that you would like the dogs owner to be held accountable. Print off Disturbing the Peace ordinances, noise ordinances, etc, show him you know what the law is, and you're going to push the issue. If he doesn't want to play ball, tell him a nice visit to your local paper will be made, and you'll make it public. DA's don't like bad publicity.

Don't kill the dog though, animal cruelty is a felony, and it's not the dog's fault its owner is a negligent piece of **** who is too lazy to take the time to train his animal to obey commands and not bark.

Before anyone says, well dogs bark, its what they do, my father had a cocker spaniel when I was three, and we had since he was about 7 weeks old. Dad trained him, and disciplined him and that dog never once barked unless he felt there was a threat to my safety or that someone was trying to do harm to me or my mom. He never barked at squirrels, or cats, or people coming to the front door. But he would let us know if something was wrong, and that low throaty growl and lip curl told us all we ever needed to.

Dogs can be trained not to bark incessantly. It's a matter of whether its owner wants to or not.

It's getting to the point where I think people should either have to train their animal or pay someone to train the dog for them before they can get a dog. It all boils down to common courtesy and respect, and the majority of people nowadays have absolutely zero of both and they just think they can do whatever the hell it is they want and not be held accountable.

If all else fails, collect Fido in your truck one night, lure him with dog treats and a big bone, then take him for a really nice ride across the state line and drop him off at an animal shelter as an abandoned dog you found on the side of the road (remove all collars and id tags of course). At worst it'll cost you some gas money and some lost sleep, but you'll sleep easy after that.

[Guest bnoland]

double post

Edited October 27, 2011 by bnoland

[Guest bnoland]

It's doubtful the dog owner will take this in a nice way, no matter how politely you try. It will be viewed as you're telling him what to do on his property, with his animals and he'll most likely tell you to take a flying suck at a monkey's ass.

You can however call the police and file a disturbing the peace charge. You as a property owner have a reasonable expectation to a noise free environment and if the animal is causing you to not have this reasonable expectation, then the dog's owner can be held liable.

If that means calling the police at 3 am, and having the cops bang on his door and give him a ticket, so be it. You can also turn him into the Humane Society by reporting the dog is being neglected because it's ALWAYS crying, and could possibly be being abused

Get a video camera stick it on a tripod, open the window and get a video recording of the dog howling incessantly. That will hold its weight in gold to backup your claim. Make sure to set the proper date and time. Get video in both daylight and night time.

if the police won't do anything, then go meet with your town or counties District Attorney, and take the video in and show him the video and tell him it's becoming a serious detriment to your expectation of a loud noise free environment, and that you would like the dogs owner to be held accountable. Print off Disturbing the Peace ordinances, noise ordinances, etc, show him you know what the law is, and you're going to push the issue. If he doesn't want to play ball, tell him a nice visit to your local paper will be made, and you'll make it public. DA's don't like bad publicity.

Don't kill the dog though, animal cruelty is a felony, and it's not the dog's fault its owner is a negligent piece of **** who is too lazy to take the time to train his animal to obey commands and not bark.

Before anyone says, well dogs bark, its what they do, my father had a cocker spaniel when I was three, and we had since he was about 7 weeks old. Dad trained him, and disciplined him and that dog never once barked unless he felt there was a threat to my safety or that someone was trying to do harm to me or my mom. He never barked at squirrels, or cats, or people coming to the front door. But he would let us know if something was wrong, and that low throaty growl and lip curl told us all we ever needed to.

Dogs can be trained not to bark incessantly. It's a matter of whether its owner wants to or not.

It's getting to the point where I think people should either have to train their animal or pay someone to train the dog for them before they can get a dog. It all boils down to common courtesy and respect, and the majority of people nowadays have absolutely zero of both and they just think they can do whatever the hell it is they want and not be held accountable.

If all else fails, collect Fido in your truck one night, lure him with dog treats and a big bone, then take him for a really nice ride across the state line and drop him off at an animal shelter as an abandoned dog you found on the side of the road (remove all collars and id tags of course). At worst it'll cost you some gas money and some lost sleep, but you'll sleep easy after that.

Well said!