[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by Partial Anti-freeze soaked steak. Should take care of your problem right quick.

Don't be an goober.

I think we've gone through this particular territory earlier in the thread, and it's idiotic to think I'd so such a thing.

[curiousuburb]

If you've got the weather for it... how about a hot bitch-in-heat shaped snowman.

Let the little yapmeister throw a hump and freeze his pecker.
That'll keep the barking down while he defrosts his nuts.

[psmith2.0]

He's been pretty quiet the past few hours. He might be inside, or even on a trip? Hope he doesn't start back up again at 11:00pm...

[Brad]

No, don't expect it around 11 PM. Expect it around 2 AM, around the same time my jerk neighbor cranks up his music.

[psmith2.0]

Ooh, now that would drive me bananas (thumping, relentless music at that hour...especially if I'm at home, trying to sleep).



That actually trumps "yelping puppy" on the Annoy-O-Meter™, because there's an actual "human who should know better" element involved, making it all the worse. I'd actually have no problem choking or "poisoning with anti-freeze" (per Partial's suggestion earlier) most humans I encounter (especially those who see fit to crank up Nelly at 3:20am to try out their new speakers), so...

[Brad]

What's worse is I'm convinced this guy gets high and then thinks he's a musician. He has a guitar with an amp and a set of bongos he sometimes plays with in the evenings. I use the term "play" loosely. Only on rare occasions does he plug in his stereo to start thumping bass at 2 AM, but it always seems to be one of the nights that I've been up late and am just starting to try to go to sleep at that time.

We've confronted him about it at least two or three times over the years and he does genuinely apologize each time and quiet down for several months, but then it's like he forgets and starts cranking it up again. Maybe we're just overdue for another visit.

Anyhow, about the dog... I take it you live in a house and not an apartment/condo/townhome setup? Two or three years ago, I had a problem with a neighbor in the opposite building (we live in apartments) who left their big dog (looked like maybe a fully-grown black lab) closed on their tiny 3'x7'-ish patio in the evenings to woof and bark at neighbors walking by all night when, presumably, the owners went out for dinner/friends/party/whatever. I took an informal letter expressing my concerns down to the management office as a preliminary action before filing an actual nuisance complaint, and shortly thereafter the problem went away. I don't know what they did, if anything, but it didn't hurt and it made me feel better for taking a first step towards resolution.

I think now would be the prime opportunity to confront the neighbors and explain that the yapping dog in the back yard may become a serious nuisance. Maybe play up the nice guy and say that you're concerned for the little dog being left alone... or play the tough guy and say that you had your fill of yapping dogs with their last new pet. Not sure which would be more effective, honestly. I'm guessing these are the kind of folks that just don't "get" that there are other people around and that they aren't the center of the universe. It's not a malicious thing but probably just sheer ignorance on their part and they need to be told that they're doing something wrong before they change.

[Taskiss]

Folks that don't care enough abot their dog usually don't care enough about picking up his poop either... and that is a violation of most city ordinance. Barking may or may not be apparent when the cops come calling, but a poop filled yard speaks for itself.

[Partial]

I was obviously just kdding about the steak, guys. That's pretty sadistic. I saw that on TV.

What I would actually do is consult the neighbor and try to work out an acceptable solution that works for both of you. If they're not complete wanks, they'll understand. Everyone has had that really loud, irritating neighbor at some point in time, so I think most would be sympathetic towards said situation.

[Moogs]

I thought the steak was for the neighbor themselves, not the dog.

Seriously, anyone that gets a new dog and then just leaves it outside in the cold and rain deserves a severe beating.

[psmith2.0]

Okay, this is recorded from today, about an hour ago. One full minute, direct to my iPhone from my slightly-open bathroom window (which isn't even the closest window to where he stays). He's been doing this non-stop, for days (it's a different dog, I believe...more of a pit-bull like thing vs. that poodle-shag monster from before). And possibly even their third full-time yap factory, because he looks different than the one I thought they had.

I'm so tempted to just go over, knock on the door and ask them if they're capable of buying a normal $#%^@! dog? And, if not, then how about spending some time or effort to knock this shit off?



Lest anyone think I'm exaggerating...would this fall under the official heading of "noise violation"?

That's just one random minute, recorded on a whim this morning...not spliced-together or edited in any way. That's what he does.

Take the above minute and extrapolate that across one hour, and then 24 of them (he rarely shuts up). And also realize that the recording doesn't represent the true volume and shrill factor present (you do have to turn your computer speakers up a bit, maybe). If you were here, hearing it first-hand, you'd be stunned.

I'm calling the cops. Screw this "nice guy" crap...I'm a nervous wreck, him doing this. It's affecting my concentration and focus when I'm working, my enjoyment of music or TV, I can't sit outside on my porch/deck and read, relax or do crosswords in the nice springtime weather, etc. It's like water torture...just this constant, slightly staggered drip and you don't know when the next one is coming, so you find yourself tensing and preparing for it and it really does a number on your brain and mood after a while.



You can't ignore it. It's too loud and constant.

[PB PM]

That not that bad really. Most of our neighbors in the past had dogs and some made that seem like a cake walk. One of them used to make this long, baying noise at 3AM, for a few hours. Not much we could do though, no city bylaws against having a barking dog.

[psmith2.0]

Ah, bullcrap. "Not that bad"? Yes it is.

[Trumpetman]

Make sure to call on the non-emergency number.

I've got a neighbor I've had to call on dozens of times. He's just crazy and when he loses it once every couple weeks he needs the cops to drive by a couple times to sort it out.

[psmith2.0]

Oh, definitely. I already know the number for regular, non-emergency stuff here in this particular city (within Chattanooga, East Ridge has its own police force, etc.). I'd only call 911 if that little bastard got off his chain and was eating my leg or something.

Or if the McDonald's didn't have enough McNuggets or whatever.

Just legit/valid stuff like that.

[Swox]

The only type of dog they could get that won't bark when left alone in the yard for hours is one that can't bark. That's just what dogs do. I think this has been said a couple of dozen times here, but it's the moron owners. You really should require a permit to own a pet, with mandatory training and quick revoking of pet and license if you're a dumbass.

[psmith2.0]

I'd be all for that. This is their second (or third) dog that's done this.

But I've heard other dogs not do this. The one I lived next door to, before this. He never made a sound, and he was a big yellow lab, active and energetic. If the kids were out playing with him, I might hear an occasional bark or response. But he never just stood there and barked non-stop, all hours of the day.

And the people next door to my Mom. Their dog, Luke, is as quiet and well-behaved as can be.

So I don't think it's a common, universal "all dogs do it" thing (because they sure as hell don't). Only a handful of times in my life have I encountered a dog this bad (2-3 of them now, same owners).



I wish they'd just get a damn cat next time (or a hamster). They suck at the dog-owning thing...

The sad? It's a gorgeous, 65-degree day (clear blue sky, white puffy clouds, etc.), and the kids haven't been back there once to play or spend any time with him. He's just out there. I've not seen or heard the kids in the backyard once on such a nice day.

[Maciej]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 Or if the McDonald's didn't have enough McNuggets or whatever. Just legit/valid stuff like that.

Or if I got lost.

[Naderfan]

I feel so bad for both you and the dog(s). I hate people who can't treat their pets well. I was walking my dogs the other day and this woman stopped me to ask me some questions. She said she had a pitbull-mix who was a puppy and he was "mean." I told her that dogs need to be socialized with other people/dogs, they need to get out, etc. and she said that she hadn't had a dog yet for longer than 6 months. Seriously? If you've gone through 3 dogs and are on your 4th and are thinking about getting rid of him, here's a novel idea: STOP BUYING DOGS. Get a pet rock. It's all you can handle

[addabox]

The trouble with pet rocks is that people take them for granite.

[alcimedes]

Actually a Husky wouldn't be a bad fit for them.

Not really barkers, don't mind being left outside.

[Naderfan]

Originally Posted by alcimedes Actually a Husky wouldn't be a bad fit for them. Not really barkers, don't mind being left outside.

That's true - I have 2 huskies and we leave them outside a lot (they love it) and they only really bark if people get too close to the house. Then they stop once the ''intruder" has left.

[Robo]

This thread makes me so sad.

Like, I really want a dog, someday. I want to get a Westie and I want to name it Rofl and I want it to be happy all the time.

But there is literally no way that I would be able to have a pet if I wasn't sure that it would be happy. It would just break my heart. How can people even have a puppy and then leave it alone most of the time? As a society we sort of mock people who dote on their animals and give them little doggie sweaters and the like but I think the other extreme is so much worse, and more common, too. So many people get a dog just because that's just "what you do" once you have your 2.1 kids and picket-fence McMansion, and while I'm sure many of these people do love their pets, there are still far too many that just don't care for them.

I think that when a dog barks, it's trying to tell you something. It's literally crying for attention. And these people just leave it outside all day and night? Have they no soul?

Like, there's just no way I could do that. If I had a pet and I went on vacation I would probably try to take it with me, just because it really wouldn't be a vacation if I didn't. I'd be worrying too much. Even now, I'm worrying in advance, if getting a cat would be enough company for the dog, or if I should get another dog too.

There's, like, two types of pet owners. Those who give their pets Christmas presents, and those who give their pets as Christmas presents. I'm not saying adopting a pet in December is somehow wrong but it's just that - adopting a pet. Too may people view it as just a "thing" you can "get."

[stevegong]

Pscates, can post a picture of the pup? I need to put a face to a voice.

[alcimedes]

More to the point though, that kind of barking you should be calling the police daily to file a complaint until they're cited and figure out a solution.

[Windswept]

Originally Posted by alcimedes More to the point though, that kind of barking you should be calling the police daily to file a complaint until they're cited and figure out a solution.

Paul, if you haven't already done so, go to your city's website and click on the menu item called 'city code' or 'code compliance'. There really 'should' be a code dealing with neighborhood nuisances like noise complaints or even barking dogs specifically.

Report times of day when the dog is sure to be barking, so that if they send out a code compliance investigator, he'll hear what he needs to hear in order to enforce city code. If you can send your complaint via email as well, be sure to add the clip of the barking.

I actually called the police when my across the street neighbor's air conditioner started making a noise like a revolving cement mixer filled with random loose large metal parts. It was an appalling noise that went on all night long, every time the AC kicked on.

I tried patiently to live with this maelstrom for weeks; but after a while, I finally decided that no one should have to put up with being deprived of sleep for extended periods of time.

The policeman spoke with me briefly out on the sidewalk one evening, and then sure enough, the AC kicked on while we were standing there and he heard the unbelievable racket for himself. Ahhh. What a perfectly timed demontration of the dilemma. He went over, knocked on the door, spoke with the neighbor about the problem, and within a few minutes the AC was turned off and blessed silence reigned over the area. I think the neighbor was a renter, so it was the landlord's obligation to fix the thing.

I was lucky that the neighbor didn't seek revenge however. I think reporting someone to the police is pretty scary, so if you can contact the code compliance people, that would be a better idea. Ask if your name and address have to be revealed before you give specifics about your complaint. I think perhaps the code compliance people want to have at least three neighbors lodging complaints before they take action. But if there aren't any nearby houses besides yours, you'll have to explain that you are the only one near enough to be disturbed by the dog.

Good luck with this, Paul. It's truly a rotten situation to be in.

Originally Posted by Roboman This thread makes me so sad. Like, I really want a dog, someday. I want to get a Westie and I want to name it Rofl and I want it to be happy all the time. But there is literally no way that I would be able to have a pet if I wasn't sure that it would be happy. It would just break my heart. How can people even have a puppy and then leave it alone most of the time? As a society we sort of mock people who dote on their animals and give them little doggie sweaters and the like but I think the other extreme is so much worse, and more common, too. So many people get a dog just because that's just "what you do" once you have your 2.1 kids and picket-fence McMansion, and while I'm sure many of these people do love their pets, there are still far too many that just don't care for them. I think that when a dog barks, it's trying to tell you something. It's literally crying for attention. And these people just leave it outside all day and night? Have they no soul? Like, there's just no way I could do that. If I had a pet and I went on vacation I would probably try to take it with me, just because it really wouldn't be a vacation if I didn't. I'd be worrying too much. Even now, I'm worrying in advance, if getting a cat would be enough company for the dog, or if I should get another dog too. There's, like, two types of pet owners. Those who give their pets Christmas presents, and those who give their pets as Christmas presents. I'm not saying adopting a pet in December is somehow wrong but it's just that - adopting a pet. Too may people view it as just a "thing" you can "get."

You are *such* a nice person, Robo. I hated it so much when you left the board for a few months last year, and am ever so glad you're back with us again.

[curiousuburb]

Might need photoshoppery and a rewrite, but how about something like this...



Not 'Lost' or anything so obvious, just 'Look at this dog'...
Adapt and add some lines about motherf*cking barking all the time... responds to STFU!