My neighbor's dogs

[SandyRN]

ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY! They've got 3 Jack Russel Terriors who BARK from the time they leave in the morning til they get home around 5:30 in the afternoon. I go outside to read because the weather is nice, and they sit at the fence and bark at me. They just BARK because that's ALL they do.

I love the PEOPLE that live there, but I've asked them, VERY NICELY to do something about the barking dogs. I like to take naps during the day, well, no, I HAVE to take naps during the day, and these little dogs wake me every time.

I don't know what else to do. I've asked as nicely as I know how. I told them I love them as neighbors, and I AM an animal lover, so I don't want them to chain up the dogs or muzzle them, but you would THINK that they would make some effort to make them stop barking.

No, they ignored me, so in my anger this morning I wrote her yet another email and said they totally disregarded my request and that THIS time I AM angry because they've made no attempt at a happy medium. They just throw the dogs outside when they go to work...well, that ain't WORKING.

I also said that if it were reversed I would do anything in my power to make my dogs stop bothering the neighbors.....mine are in the house with me unless they go outside to potty or run around. If they bark, I shut them up and bring them in, plain and simple.

Why is this such an ISSUE? Why can't people just take responsibility for their animals.

Forgot to mention they DIG under my fence so 3-4 times a week I am tossing a little rat dog back over the fence...gently, but back they go. I have firewood lineing my back fence to keep them out of my yard!

WHAT ELSE DO I DO?

[petrie86]

Oh goss Sandy!! I jsut started laughing when you said you have to throw the rat dog over the fence. I got a mental picture of you doing that. But a horrible situation. I know you dont want to get the police involved or animal control. But they cant just leave the dogs outside like that all day! Why don't they bring them to doggie school and teach them to shut up?? Why dont you talk to them in person about it??

Rach

[SandyRN]

I have talked to them some, and what REALLY made me angry is Tom tried to dismiss it so he wouldn't offend them and told them I was "GRUMPY" before I take my pain pills in the morning. I let HIM know how badly THAT ****** me off. So I told her in my email this morning that really, I am NOT a grumpy person, but I am sick, in pain, and am stuck here a lot of the time and do not want to argue with neighbors that I care about and like. I told her I shouldn't be put in this postion at all.

She works full time and isn't there much. They're newlyweds and are gone so much it's easier to write her...not to mention the fact that I get teary because *I* go on the defensive even when it's not my fault.

I gotta clarify the throwing of the rat dog. These dogs can jump like 4 feet off the ground, so I dont LITERALLY throw them, I just sorta PLACE them back in their own yard! LOL

[petrie86]

That's a rough situation. Tom shouldn't have said that b/c now you look like the "crazy person" who gets annoyed by everything. I'm glad you told him how upset you were at him. I really hope your neighbor writes you a response and will try to resolve the problem before it gets out of hand! Does she check her e-mail everyday? I wish I could think of something clever for you to do. If you didn't like them I could think of some fun stuff to do:... but that wouldn't be right

As for the dogs maybe if you are having a good day maybe you could train them yourself through the fence! haha those dogs can literally jump 4 feet high... I've seen it myself, they practically have wings! lol

[mary124]

I know how high Jack Russells can jump. I have one! (she is a mixed wippet-which is a small grayhound)Also, can she bark as well! But she is a house dog along with my other one, a Alaskan husky-rat terrier) .
I use to have neighbors like that, and when I would ask my husband to go to the neighbors and talk to them he would say I'm making a big deal out of it, now I live out in the country and instead of dogs barking, I hear donkeys, roosters,etc all night long!!

[SandyRN]

This has become a feud between me and my neighbors because she slung insults at me about having the "luxury" to stay home. Like my staying here is a LUXURY?! I was so hurt, so angry, and so upset I told her that if thats the way she felt then I would stop worrying about when my dogs barked if that's what her response was. Her mother has fibro, she tells me about the pain she has, you'd think she'd understand but apparently she doesn't.

I was just so stunned by what she said. She's a good lady, at least I thought she was.

I wonder if this day could stink anymore than it already does? All I wanted to do was go outside to read every now and again in peace. If I put out a formal complaint they could easily do the same since I have 3 dogs....the difference is my dogs don't come in and go out as they please, and we make them hush when they bark.

I want to crawl in a hole....really.

[shelbyriva]

Hi SandyRN, I am very much involved with dogs as my dog does agility and flyball. I don't know know where you live but I am in Canada and there is a law about excessive dog barking here. Call your local shelter and see what laws there are (hopefully there is one).

[dg2901]

Its the owners responsibilty to insure that pets are not a public nuisance.
You've attempted to take the nice route, yet this appears to have failed. This would be my cue to call Animal Control and have them step in.
There shouldnt be any worry about retaliation if your dogs are current with their vaccinations and are registered with the city.

I can tell you this much, I'd dare one of my neighbors to comment on how much of a "luxury" it is to be able to stay home; reading that comment hit a nerve with me!

Hope you get this all resolved soon!
Diana

[SandyRN]

It really did sting. I sent her a very long email telling her I was surprised this comment came from her as I thought a whole lot more of her than that. Now I'm worried about letting my own dogs out, just when the weather is getting nice and the flowers are blooming. Mine DO bark, mostly at the dogs next door, and they run up and down the fence, playing, it's over, my dogs come in, hers continue to bark.

I really don't want this to get more ugly than it has already turned, but if it keeps up I may have no choice.

[petrie86]

I agree with Diana, you've been way to nice and now it's time to take things serious here. I would call animal control as well. She ahs no right to speak to you that way. And she has no reason to call animal control on your dogs... your dogs are under supervision all the time!