What if Neighbors Say My Puppies Bark Too Much?

Amy: What do you do when your neighbors say your dogs bark too much?
I have two 15-week-old puppies, and my neighbors left a note saying that my dogs bark too much in the morning. I know that they may bark a little when I feed them but nothing too alarming - they never wake me up. There are other dogs in my culdesac and they bark also, my neighbors are a good distance away from me.
What am I supposed to do about the barking? They are just puppies.

Photo Credit Katrin B./Pixabay

Answers and Views:

Answer by Amanda K
Wake up when the puppies wake up. That is what I have to do because my neighbors complained as well. Believe me, you don't want them to start calling animal control.

Answer by louisehall23
Explain that they will be quieter by the time they're one-year-old.

Answer by Anne
You need to go to other neighbors and ask if they also received notes you may not be the only one so do not get overly defensive right away
If it is only your Pups then you need to stop them from annoying the neighbors.

I live in a small village and we have the same issue. I keep my dogs quiet and I wish the neighbors would do the same as I will stay up late and watch TV and I can hear the next-door neighbors' dog barking until Midnight. We have complained and so has everyone else but nothing has been done.

Then comes the animal shelter and the ticket.
So if it is your dog that is doing the barking try to stop them and avoid the Ticket from the Animal Shelter. It is just being a good neighbor

Answer by bluebonnetgranny
A neighbor turned in my dogs for excessive barking. They were trained as fence dog to bark when something or someone entered the view.

The head of Animal control comes out. We stood & talked for about 45 minutes to see if the dogs did bark too much. Sure enough, there were some kids come walking down the street & the dogs started barking but stopped ones the kids were out of sight.

The animal control agent said it was just like her dogs. There was something to bark about and dogs bark. This had happened twice and neither time was I sighted or fined. She said that dogs bark, that is what they do and they did have something to bark about. Not just barking at a sack blowing down the street or just barking at the moon.

When my dogs barked there was something to bark about.
I had signs posted that I had guard dogs and do not enter. I passed inspection with flying colors.

Answer by animal_artwork
Tell the neighbor “thank you”. So many neighbors would have simply phoned animal control and made a complaint. This way, you actually have time to DEAL with the issue.

What does being puppies have to do with ANYTHING?? They need to be trained that barking is not allowed.
Where are the pups when they are making the noise? While they may not wake you up, are they in a part of the house where the neighbor can hear them?

I do not allow any repetitive barking .. period. Not EVEN as pups and NOT when playing. If a pup or dog barks twice they are put in a crate.

My dogs learn very early that barking doesn’t work. I never let barking dogs OUT of crates. They learn that quiet is the way I LIKE my dogs. And because of this training, I can be assured that if an adult dog of mine is making noise, it is usually for a good reason and I can respond appropriately.

Answer by Cindy
Be very very grateful that your neighbors approached you instead of calling the police.
It honestly doesn't matter what YOU think about this, it's bothering your neighbors so you have to correct the problem.
I'd go over and thank them for letting you know and tell them that you will do everything to fix this.

As for the puppies. I don't know where you are keeping them. Perhaps you should keep them in the room with you so when they bark, you'll know about it.
When they bark, correct them. Tell them NO, give them something to do. A toy, take them to the potty, feed them, play with them, etc. Dogs don't normally bark for no reason.

But talk to your neighbors and make sure you tell them you are working on this and to let you know if it's better, worse or the same. If you don't solve this problem, they could go to the police and you will have a bigger problem on your hands.

Answer by drkchild950
First find out what triggers the barking watch your puppies as they wake up to see if it because they are happy, lonely, see if both puppies get along with each other when your not around, maybe they are simply trying to wake you so that you will pay them attention try different things but try to make sure you use positive methods otherwise they might bark even more. You could always turn to a bark collar but seeing how they are puppies they should be easy to train.

Answer by lana s
You know dogs have very sensitive hearing and maybe hearing dogs far away that you or the neighbors don't hear.
Or may hear other animals. Does this neighbor have a pet?
Even knowing others are close by could make them bark to get their attention and want to play at a young age.

Answer by lorak
You’ve got to be more on their schedule. Start going outside with them if they’re normally indoor dogs. If they are outside dogs try to go out there and make sure the puppies know that it’s not good to bark. If things don’t work then you might have to consider one of those electric shock collars. I’d hate for you to resort to that but I also don’t want for them to call Animal Control on you or anything and have the dogs taken away. I know someone that got a ticket because their dogs barked too much, the cops came.

Answer by iluvjdeere
I would find something at fault with the neighbor and put a note on their door.
I hate neighbors that are a pain in the butts.
I had to get rid of a dog about 15 years ago because of this same situation. As soon as I got rid of the dog, the neighbors moved.

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Answer by Kathleen
Barking dogs = nuisance barking = not enough exercise or mental stimulation.
Your dogs are bored and finding an outlet for their physical and intellectual frustration.
Run them until they drop every day. Find interesting things for them to do.

Answer by GOZ2FAST
The cruelest thing that can happen to a dog, is to lose it's home because the owner can't manage them.
My Golden Retriever loves to bark and bothers my neighbors. We purchased a high tech shock collar. The dog knows when it is on not to bark when it is off, he knows he can bark...dogs are like children, you have to do what works for them and teaches them. Some dogs would shut up if you put a vibrating or citronella collar which spritzes them with a spray when they bark, others are more stubborn and require a static shock now and then to teach them not to bark.

Answer by btdt
Dogs bark for different reasons so you need to figure out why they are barking before you can try to stop it. If they're outside, they're either barking because they want to be in the house, or in response to some perceived threat -- a passerby, a dog going by, a mysterious sound, a nearby bark, etc. Usually, if one dog barks the other dog will bark, too, just in case it missed something.

Answer by kayla b
flip them off and tell them to MYOB .. dogs bark, especially puppies. Are the ppl old?? b/c old ppl are more the complaining type. And oh well, they will get used to them, and the puppies will get used to the area. Another thing u could do is take them for walks, they bark b/c they don't know what's there… and they're curious. So, show them, walking them will wear them out too.

Answer by chihuahua mama
I am so glad we live where we do. We are kind of isolated. Only one house close enough to hear the dogs when they bark. Chihuahuas are barkers. They don't bark all day or anything but they have their moments. We bought the house a long time before we started breeding chihuahuas. Now it is perfect. I don't like having close neighbors anyway. They can be too busy bodied.

Answer by ThreeLittleLadiesRab
Start shooting a .22 at a target in your backyard. They'll forget all about the dogs.
Seriously, you don't want your neighbors upset at you. Try using a hose. Every time the dog barks spray it with the hose.
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