neighbor complaining, please can I have your thoughts?

[cateyes1]

Need to vent AGAIN. Bob was out in the yard at 4:00 pm today playing ball with Sasha. Sasha started barking and the neighbor yelled over "STOP" I went out to see what she was barking at and that is when Bob told me that the neighbor just yelled "STOP". Well that REALLY got my blood boiling so I told Bob lets play ball with Sasha and get her barking again grrrrrr. Low and behold who comes walking up the driveway AGAIN. She asked us " did you ever think of sending her to training school?" I said, and for what may I ask, she said "to stop barking" she went on to say that we should reward her to not bark. (how does one do that?) I asked her if she ever had an issue with a dog before? well if looks could kill i'd be dead. She told us that when she was 12 she had a dog that tore up everything and wouldn't listen to anyone. I asked her what she did in that case and she told us that she had to lock the dog in the bathroom all day. I wanted to say, did you ever think of taking the dog to training school? haha..She mentioned that she likes the neighborhood because it's a quiet neighborhood but now that we have Sasha we ruined the neighborhood for everyone. I know that she is going to call the cops one day, I dont know what to do Sasha barks outside maybe 5 minutes tops when we are playing with her after her doing her business outside. I am still shaking here after talking with her UGH.

[autumnsparklemom]

Oh my gosh! Your neighbor needs to get a life. Would she rather have the dog meow like a cat? Dogs bark, that is what they are suppose to do. Maybe next time bark with your dog at your neighbor.

[Nancy5]

Sorry but that's what dogs do - they bark!  As long as Sasha isn't outside barking alot, or barking early morning or late at night there should be no problem.  I would just ignore her, some people have to complain about something or they are not happy and she seems like she's one.

[heypeg]

As long as the dog isn't barking all night I don't see what the problem is.

[Donnamarg323]

As long as the dog isn't barking all night I don't see what the problem is.

I agree.If its a playful bark not early in the morning and u guys r having fun tell her to call the cops and show the cop ur having fun and keep the dog somewhat under control.

[bretay]

some people try to find things to argue over..i personally owuldnt worry about it..your pet was only playing...not trying to hurt someone...people crazy..

[gaylasue]

That's why I like living out in the country - no close neighbors!

[1imaginarygirl]

People just need something to complain about. I wouldn't worry about it. If you're out there playing with her, what are the cops going to do? They'll come over, see you outside with your dog, tell you to try to keep the noise down and drive away. Now if you were leaving her outside barking for hours on end, that would be different.

My last apartment complex was very dog friendly, and there were several people who would complain about the dogs and some were afraid of them. If you don't like dogs, why would you move into an apartment that advertises being dog friendly? There are plenty of non-pet apartments nearby. People just like to complain.

On a side note: When my terrier was a puppy, I inadvertently taught her to growl while playing tug. I growled at her and she would growl back. It was all fun and games at the time, until we started going to the dog park. She would growl when she played tug with the other dogs, and the other owners thought she was being aggressive. Not saying you're teaching her to bark, but just be careful. LoL!

[countrygirl12]

Need to vent AGAIN. Bob was out in the yard at 4:00 pm today playing ball with Sasha. Sasha started barking and the neighbor yelled over "STOP" I went out to see what she was barking at and that is when Bob told me that the neighbor just yelled "STOP". Well that REALLY got my blood boiling so I told Bob lets play ball with Sasha and get her barking again grrrrrr. Low and behold who comes walking up the driveway AGAIN. She asked us " did you ever think of sending her to training school?" I said, and for what may I ask, she said "to stop barking" she went on to say that we should reward her to not bark. (how does one do that?) I asked her if she ever had an issue with a dog before? well if looks could kill i'd be dead. She told us that when she was 12 she had a dog that tore up everything and wouldn't listen to anyone. I asked her what she did in that case and she told us that she had to lock the dog in the bathroom all day. I wanted to say, did you ever think of taking the dog to training school? haha..She mentioned that she likes the neighborhood because it's a quiet neighborhood but now that we have Sasha we ruined the neighborhood for everyone. I know that she is going to call the cops one day, I dont know what to do Sasha barks outside maybe 5 minutes tops when we are playing with her after her doing her business outside. I am still shaking here after talking with her UGH.

I would not worry about it.  She cannot call the police because your dog barks. There is no law against a dog barking.  Is she going to call the police because a kid is outside playing and they are too loud?  The police would not do anything if they did come out. Maybe talk to you and if you told him what you said here he will shake his head, pat your dog on the head and go on.  Just don't let the dog run up to the police car if that ever did happen.  They may shoot him.  It has happened.

People are stupid.  I say that way too often lately.

[countrygirl12]

Oh my gosh! Your neighbor needs to get a life. Would she rather have the dog meow like a cat? Dogs bark, that is what they are suppose to do. Maybe next time bark with your dog at your neighbor.

If a dog is barking ALL the time I can see people getting upset.  I would not bark at the neighbor with the dog.  Why be a butt.  That is just going to make them mad and make her step up her game.  I don't know the whole story but some people like in an area where there is what ever it is called when you have neighborhood rules you have to abide by.  And you agree to it when you move in to the area.

[countrygirl12]

People just need something to complain about. I wouldn't worry about it. If you're out there playing with her, what are the cops going to do? They'll come over, see you outside with your dog, tell you to try to keep the noise down and drive away. Now if you were leaving her outside barking for hours on end, that would be different.

My last apartment complex was very dog friendly, and there were several people who would complain about the dogs and some were afraid of them. If you don't like dogs, why would you move into an apartment that advertises being dog friendly? There are plenty of non-pet apartments nearby. People just like to complain.

On a side note: When my terrier was a puppy, I inadvertently taught her to growl while playing tug. I growled at her and she would growl back. It was all fun and games at the time, until we started going to the dog park. She would growl when she played tug with the other dogs, and the other owners thought she was being aggressive. Not saying you're teaching her to bark, but just be careful. LoL!

I use to have a dog that smiled.  I remember somebody went to pet him and he smiled and they got all upset saying he is showing his teeth he is going to bite me.  WELL keep your hand out of my car!  And no he is smiling at you.  I will try to teach him to not smile at mean people.

[cateyes1]

Just got off the phone with the police department. We were told that there is nothing she can do about Sasha barking unless it is a continuous barking. He said that so long as it isn't before 7am or after 11 pm we have nothing to worry about. whew lol. He even said a dog is a dog and is going to bark....thank you all again so much !!

[pectacon]

I'm sure locking that dog in the bathroom all day did wonders for its behavior when probably what it needed in the first place was more exercise and an outlet for its energy. I realize some dogs are just like that but I'm sure she made it worse and now she has a problem with them in general. Not a law enforcement issue. 

[Tresbn00]

I am a dog lover and own two large dogs that rarely bark (a Golden Retriever and an English Cream Retriever puppy). We are training the Puppy right now and discourage barking which has worked with all of our dogs. We have a dog door but have not taught the younger one to use it till we are certain that he will not be barking. We also have Barn Owls, Coyotes, Foxes, the occasional Mountain Lion/Bear and Hawks-and he is only 20 pounds, somewhat defenseless.  It sounds like you are being a responsible dog owner. We had neighbors across the small river that used to let three little dogs out after eleven at night and before nine in the morning. They would just leave the dogs outside for a few hours (not watch them at all) and the dogs would bark for the large percentage of that outside time. I went over to ask them to politely ask them to pick better times to put their dogs out and to  minimize the barking which they replied "dogs will be dogs". Other neighbors called the police and Home owner's association. The people ended up moving out.

[countrygirl12]

Just got off the phone with the police department. We were told that there is nothing she can do about Sasha barking unless it is a continuous barking. He said that so long as it isn't before 7am or after 11 pm we have nothing to worry about. whew lol. He even said a dog is a dog and is going to bark....thank you all again so much !!

I would not have called the police.  The changes of HER calling the police because your dog was barking was pretty close to zero.  Unless their is an ordinance of after 11 and before 7 his advice was nonsense.  I had a neighbor threaten me (to another neighbor) because I was mowing and started at about 6:30.  Not my fault you party all night but I have to mow when it is cool so I say suck it up buttercup!  He did not have the guts to come say what he did to somebody else.  He would have been picking himself up off the ground.