I'm Annoyed

As you all know weve been at this house a month now so were new to the area. Asti had been out for a walk this morning for a good run off the lead. I've been asleep in the arm-chair all afternoon and Asti in her bed in the sitting room, I woke up at 4.15 pm and thought I would let Asti out in the garden for a wee-wees, so I let her out, she was only at there about three minutes and she was barking, a naighbour over the back opened his bedroom window and shouted at the top of his voice at her "SHUT UP!" I called her in with some treats.

The thing is, I wouldn't mind if we left her out there barking all the time but we let her out in the garden for five minutes at a time and then get her in and she does bark most of the time she's out there but she's a mini Schnauzer and they are vocal little dogs, but she's not out in the garden long. Surely people could put up with a dog barking for five minutes in a garden.

I lived on a large estate before and never had any trouble when I let Asti out, now weve moved to a road and non estate I'm wondering if they are less tolerant to dogs here We are responsible dog owners and don't leave our dog barking in the garden for ages. I just wondered how other dog owners get on with their naighbours when they're dogs bark in the garden when they're let out?

Re: I'm Annoyed

Rocky only barks when he hears a bang or noise, even in the house he's the same - he never ever barks otherwise. Actually he doesn't just bark he growls and acts like he's the man of the house try to get to the source of the noise

Might be worth posting on Dogsey in the behaviour section in case anyone's got tips to find out why Asti is barking every time she goes out..

Re: I'm Annoyed

Thanks Azz, she barks because she's very territorial over her garden, she barks to warn the birds and cats out. It's only a matter of five minutes, alot of small dogs bark when they go out in the garden. I think the bloke is just a miserable so and so. The people that live at the side of our garden say they never hear our dog in the garden.

Please don't get the impression all of you that we just let our dog bark like mad in the garden for ages and let it annoy our naighbours because that isnt the case at all.

I was just so annoyed when the bloke shouted out I just wanted to get it off my chest but it's okay. I expect he's shouted at other dog owners in their gardens as well. I'll find out.

Re: I'm Annoyed

There are (allegedly) ten types of bark, they all mean something, one of ours often uses the three barks in rapid succession one, this is telling us there's strangers approaching, of course it might be someone we know but she doesn't know that we know them if you get my meaning.

The guy was just an irritable old git just put it behind you and as Azz said if you want a more detailed analysis and some ideas to control his barking log into Dogsey there are some good people there.

But if it were me I'd just concentrate on the neighbours who do like dogs

Re: I'm Annoyed

I hate to sound a bit negative here, but five minutes can seem like a very long time to a non dog person. But that was extremely rude to shout like that. My neighbors across the street have two small dogs that bark a lot and it is irritating, but I'd never dream of shouting at them or even discussing it with them. We live in proximity to others and need to behave like civilized people; the dog is only doing what dogs do. Live with it, it's no big thing.

Re: I'm Annoyed

He should live where I live and he would know what dog barking is all about! There are two separate neighbours across the drive who have Rotties, one couple have two and the other man two doors down has 4 and when his dogs are in his postage stamp size front garden, they bark all the time at everyone and every dog passing by! Never bothers me though. Loki never barks!! She never even bothers when someone is at my door!!

The other couple's Rotties are not too bad, they just bark when someone goes to their door.

Silly man - although perhaps he is on shift work? That may have been the reason he was angry.

Re: I'm Annoyed

Oh well weve changed our tactics a bit now. Last thing at night we will take Asti on a piece of grass just over the road from us to do her last evening wee wees. My hubby has just done that (at 9.40pm) and Asti did her wees so we'll do that every night now instead of letting her out in the back garden where she will no doubt bark. We'll have to make sure we go out in the garden with her when we let her out in the daytime and try and keep her quiet out there.

I think you're right Losos, he probably is a miserable old git, still, it did upset me when he shouted, I've never had that before. And I agree with you dandysmom, I wouldn't like to hear a dog barking if I didn't have one but they are going to bark just a little bit when they go out in the garden, it's how long they bark that is the problem.

I will try and keep her bark to a fine minimum

Re: I'm Annoyed

Its a little the same here, i have two sheps they only bark when a loud noise is heard i was playing with them a couple of weeks ago my hubby was cutting the grass in front garden , Jazz was getting excited with the play and barked for at least a couple of mins, a woman came to my hubby and said cant you get her to shut those dogs up and while your at it turn off the lawn mower, my hubby usually very polite told her would she like to buy him a silent mower , now every time the dogs go into garden i run out the min they bark its amazing how a few words can make you feel , yet some peoples dogs here bark all day and nothing said .

Re: I'm Annoyed

I feel exactly the same way aleciadream, it makes you feel very uncomfortable when someone has a go at you when you're a responsible person. That was the first time Asti had been in the garden all afternoon, I don't let her go out in the garden much at all as I know she will bark. Anyway, after that episode I don't let her in the garden at all at the moment, instead I take her out for lots of little walks in the afternoon. And last thing at night (about 9.45 pm) we take her out for a very short walk so she can go instead of letting her out in the garden. You can get very paranoid about things.

Re: I'm Annoyed

I fully understand how you feel. We moved 14 months ago into a rural, private road setting. Each property has about 2 -3 acres of land and nothing but fields in the back. I have 2 non-barking Ridgebacks and 2 Westies of which only one barks a minute or two when she bursts into the garden. Thereafter she is quiet. If she barks at the end of the garden we can't even hear her anymore, let alone a neighbour. But my immediate neighbour heard the dog once when she was right next to the boundary line and so was the dog. On that occasion my dog saw a squirrel in the tree, alas this is an absolute NO NO for her and she was more vocal than usual. That evening our neighbour came to TELL us, that we are not to let the dogs out after 10pm. Like you, we are responsible dog owners but dogs will be dogs and I will allow them a degree of breed specific behaviour. However, I will not allow a neighbour to TELL me or bully me. I gladly accommodate, but I will also want to live in my home to my desire.
So I told her: "My dear Lady, you need a live, better still a dog. That way you might lose your selfishness and learn some tolerance", and closed the door on her. She never complained again, though she does not greet me either. Never mind, there are 2 acres between us!! My dogs are happy and so am I.
If I may suggest, give it time, but if need be, don't allow them to dictate to you. All the best. xx