We live on a dead-end street where not much happens. If it is not a delivery truck or a neighbor or someone who is lost, then we don't have much traffic. But those delivery trucks sure do make a ruckus.
Actually, it's our neighbor's dogs who make the ruckus.
They bark at everything. Everything. For the most part, we have become used to it, but it becomes very annoying when I want to spend quiet time on one of my porches or it's late at night when I need my quiet time in front of the fireplace, and all they do is bark. The owner will sometimes come home and make barking noises at them, almost mocking them.
They have a doggie door that allows them to come out into their backyard that is surrounded by a wooden privacy fence. But the privacy fence does nothing for the barking.
At night when I hear them barking, I turn on our two lights, one on the garage, and the other on the porch, thinking it would scare off the cat or other critter (or God-forbid a person) that was out there.
I then began to think turning on the lights would let the owners know that "hey, we hear your dogs, don't you? Can you make them stop barking?" Kind of like a Pavlovian response - you see the light; you stop barking or you call your dogs inside.
But that hasn't happened.
Now, I turn on the lights hoping that they shine in their bedroom windows which face our backyard and keep them awake much like their dogs keep us awake.
Dog owners, am I being petty? Am I being a rude neighbor? I have never owned a dog, so I really don't know "pet etiquette."
But I sure am tired of hearing barking dogs.
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I don't think that you are being petty or a bad neighbor. I would be frustrated, too. As a former dog owner, there are definitely ways for a dog owner to work with a dog to curb barking.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, your neighbors are being selfish and inconsiderate as well!
ReplyDeleteNot a dog owner so I'm not qualified to give advice. However, all of that noise -- especially at night --- would be incredibly frustrating to me!
ReplyDeleteIt probably doesn't matter how you or anyone else labels you. You need your sleep and are not getting it now. Not sure anyone is good at reading light cues, dogs nor people. I hope you find a solution that works for you and you get good night's sleep.
ReplyDeleteI am a dog lover. My beloved dog just passed away and I'm devastated - I'm even devoting this month's challenge to recording memories about him. That said, even I would never let my dog bark that way. We live in a neighborhood that sounds similar to yours, and whenever he barked even just a little bit, we would call him back in the house. Maybe knock on their door and kindly ask them to bring their dogs in if they are barking (especially past dinner time?) They might be just so used to it that they don't "hear" it the way you do. Just like I don't "hear" my kids when they say "Mom...mom... mom..." too many times, by my friends without kids sure do! (lol)
ReplyDeleteI hate that for you! I have a dog living in the apartment above me that sometimes acts a fool -- but there isn't really a way for me to address it. Not even in a petty way. I'm sorry about how those dogs are acting.
ReplyDeleteYou are not being a bad neighbor, but you are being passive aggressive. Talk to your neighbor, or write a letter if you don’t want to face them. Tell them how the noise impacts your quality of life. Research ways to deal w/ excessive barking, such as a shock collar. Deal w/ the problem directly, and have solutions in hand.
ReplyDeleteI understand the frustration. If you are a dog owner, you need to be conscious of their barking. I find it sooooo irritating when they bark, bark, bark. I side with you. - Cathy Hutter
ReplyDeleteYour frustration is valid! I always get concerned when my dogs start to bark because I don’t want to be THAT annoying neighbor. - Aida Martinez
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