neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

The neighbor's in the house behind us and over 2 houses have this big loud dog. We've lived here 1.5 years and it's bothered us the entire time. All year long they leave it outside basically all day. She barks anytime she sees anyone outside. Most days it starts around 6:45 am. If it was just a few barks & they let her in, I wouldn't care, but it's ALL day, usually for approx. 20-30 minutes at a time. It bothers us, our neighbors on either side of us, and I'm sure the people who live in their street. Recently I heard that one neighbor actually moved away as a result. Supposedly they stopped letting the dog out in the front of the house (changed the boundary of the electric fence) but she can still see from the side of the backyard. So it sounds like they are aware of the problem, just do nothing about it. I am pretty fed up, especially since now is the time I'd like to open windows, hang out outside, etc. So I wrote this anonymous letter. DH thinks it's too mean and that I should not send it. I'd love to get some more opinions/suggestions. And also I included a copy of the city's ordinance. Here it is:
"Dear neighbor:
We live in such a friendly neighborhood, so we hope that you are not offended when we respectfully ask that you stop allowing your dog to bark endlessly all hours of the day. We understand that dogs are part of the neighborhood too, but 6:45 am is much too early to be woken up by barking that goes on for far too long. It is becoming open window weather (thankfully!) and we would greatly appreciate being able to enjoy the nice weather without hearing the barking that goes on way too much. Last summer it was very difficult to sit outside and enjoy our yard without the peace & quiet disrupted by barking. We have spoken to surrounding neighbors who feel the same way. Maybe you were not aware that the sound does carry into many yards and homes.
Thank you very much for your attention to this matter."

And should I include this:
Naperville, Illinois, Code of Ordinances
• TITLE 10 - POLICE REGULATIONS
• CHAPTER 4 - ANIMAL CONTROL >>
Source: (http://library.municode.com/HTML/14853/level2/T10_C4.html#T10_C4_10-4-5-4)
10-4-5-4: - PUBLIC NUISANCE:
1.
It is unlawful for any owner to fail to exercise proper care and control of his animals to prevent them from becoming a public nuisance.
2.
Any dog or cat which habitually barks, howls, yelps, cries, or runs at large so as to disrupt the peace and quiet of the neighborhood or as to materially disturb or annoy persons in the neighborhood is hereby declared to be a public nuisance.

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

Is there any way to can talk to them instead of sending an anonymous letter? I have two dogs and am very cognizent (sp?) of when they are barking and bring them in the house. My neighbor behind me leaves their dog out from 6 in the morning till about 11 at night every day regardless of weather. My DS got woken up by it barking last night at 11. So, my DH is going to talk to them this weekend nicely about it because it is almost borderline abuse. I think if you talk to them and not send the anonymous letter you might get a better reaction.

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

I don't think the letter is mean. I think that you are very respectfully asking the neighbors to attend to a very annoying matter. I wouldn't put the "legal" stuff in....yet. I think starting off with just a friendly, simple letter is the right way to go. If it still doesn't stop, then you may have to pursue it a bit more agressively. On top of it all, the letter will be annonymous so even it is perceived as mean, they won't know who it came from.

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

i would opt out on the legal stuff for now, if it still happens send a second with it as the last warning. Then call animal control or start recording it.

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

I'd either talk to them directly or sign your name as well as several of the other neighbors. I'd be pretty upset to get an anonymous letter that essentially said everyone is talking about me behind my back and not have the opportunity to address it in person.

And I'd leave out the legal code unless you are planning on reporting them going forward. That seems passive-aggressive IMO.

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

Thank you for the replies. I think I will hold off on the city ordinance info. The reason I hesitate signing my name is that from what I've heard, they are already aware that it annoys people and have done very little to fix the problem. I don't think that them knowing it's us will do any good. We've never met them in the 1.5 years we've lived here and since they are on another street, we really don't interact with them. I have never seen them, just their big, loud dog and sometimes their kids in the yard. I think, if anything, knowing it's people they don't even know may make them do nothing. Know what I mean?

Message edited 4/8/2010 5:09:52 PM.

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

I would not hide behind a letter especially since they are aware and havent done anything about it. I honestly dont think they will do anything either knowing you are a "far" away neighbor being on the other block.
approach them, you might be surprised. hope it works out for you.

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

the letter is fine, I just don't like that it would be anonymous and that you are talking about how other neighbors feel. If I got a letter and I didn't know who it was from, I would be less likely to deal with the problem.

I would prefer to talk to them in Person

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

Thank you all for your opinions. tomorrow night I'll be seeing alot of our neighbors, so we'll all talk about it then.

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

I think the letter is fine. I wouldn't send the ordinace part yet though.

Do they seem jerkey like they would be like "too bad, deal with it" if you went to them in person. If so, I would send it. Hopefully they just don't realize it's so annoying to everyone and will stop.

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

I say send it unsigned with the ordinance
Or
Sign it without the ordinance info

This is an issue with my parent's nextdoor neighbor and even with my dad going iver nicely, nothing changes--my dad wakes up at 3am for work and the dog barks outside his window until like 9 -10pm... Sad but inconsiderate of people

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

Maybe I'm a b!itch but if people have complained before and they've ignored their requests--id call animal control. And I'd call again and again until these people stop subjecting (and disrespecting) their neighbors.

The letter and gossiping with the other neighbors is a waste of time.

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

I know it's uncomfortable but I think you and your other neighbors should go talk to them seperately. Ask that the dog not be let out before x:xx, suggest additional training, etc. If enough people say something, maybe they will change their ways this time. If not, you have the information to get the town or animal control involved.

To be honest, if I got an anonymous letter sent on behalf of a group of unnamed neighbors, I would throw it out. It's not like they won't know who sent it.

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

Posted by SuzyQ

QUOTE]

I have never met them, never even seen them in their yard. But I recently heard that another neighbor closer to them did complain to them. they moved the electric fence so that the dog could no longer be in the front yard. She still barks alot though. Obviously they are aware that there is a problem. But they still don't let her inside nor do they train her to not bark at every single car or person she sees. I'm not sure how true this is, but I heard the neighbor that complained ended up moving due to the barking. They may be very nice people, but what they are allowing with the barking is so inconsiderate. Thank God my 3 year old seems to sleep through it or I would have been over there long ago. Our bedrooms are in the back of the house (the side their house is on, so it's even worse)

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

I had a similar problem last year with the people renting next door. My neighbors left their large dog tied to a tree all day long in the back. This poor thing was oustide from about 7am- all hours of the night. We were woken up at 3am, 4am 12am on random nights because he was barking. As an animal lover i was more annoyed that this poor animal had no shelter when it started raining.

One day when it was pouring i got fed up & knocked on their door and told them they might want to take their dog in. The owner claimed she had just gotten home & was going to take him in. (meanwhile her elderly parents are home all day long..why the dog wasn't in baffled me)

I told her that NYS Law mandates that her animal have shelter if it's left outside all the time..to which she answered "oh, he's not out that much"...so i was like "Ma'am..I've been woken up by your dog in the middle of the night on several occassions"..and again she says "He's not out that much". Obviously she's a moron. So i say I am your neighbor, have a nice day.

After yet another night of barking for about 40 minutes I got fed up & contacted animal control. They went to the house & she was argumentative and had the nerve to make a complaint against us that my dogs were always on her property (which they weren't) She refused to get a doghouse and her dog was not licensed. DH & I put up a simple wire fence that weekend and noticed the dog was in more. Thank god these morons moved away months ago. They also had loud cars & trucks coming all hours of the night.

I would contact your local animal control...or you may even have a town Code Enforcement that can help. Good luck...i know how annoying it can be..and i have 2 dogs!!!

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

I would send it!!
we just moved in to our house 2 weeks ago and we have a dog in 1 backyard over and behind us that is out all hours of the NIGHT! and does not stop barking!!! I could probably sleep through it, but it makes my dog nuts and bark back at him! we have had to put 2 floor fans on in our room and close the windows to drown out the sound, but I have to tell you if it continues, I will be sending a friendly letter as well. I can't sleep like this! DH says the dog is out all day as well. we do have some neighbors that are SAHM's with babies, I'm shocked they haven't complained yet.

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

also- we had a neighbor in old neighborhhod send out a letter to all the houses near theirs. apparently someone had left a nice note like yours in their mailbox. so they sent a letter to everyone around them that their dogs are not out at all hours of the night barking and they will not let them out any less

(for the record, they had 2 tiny little dogs, and I rarely ever heard them bark) but clearly they were bothering someone.

so be prepared, they may not care.
if you want any real action, you should call animal control.

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

I would speak to them directly and not hide behind the letter. I have a dog that barks, that's what they do! If I hear that he is barking continuously, I will call him inside. If I were to get an anonomous letter that basically said that all neighbors feel the same way, it would really tick me off. I'd prefer it if someone talked to us directly, and I would be more incline to make a conscious effort to address the issue.

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

We have neighbor's that do this. We've called the cops on them several times- let them deal with it. With them it's almost like they "forget" to let the dogs in at 11:30 at night. They built a dog run in their yard and this is where they keep them for hours. I don't get why they bother having a dog.

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

Re: neighbor's barking dog -- opinions needed

Posted by Otherme

Posted by SuzyQ

Thank you for the replies. I think I will hold off on the city ordinance info. The reason I hesitate signing my name is that from what I've heard, they are already aware that it annoys people and have done very little to fix the problem. I don't think that them knowing it's us will do any good. We've never met them in the 1.5 years we've lived here and since they are on another street, we really don't interact with them. I have never seen them, just their big, loud dog and sometimes their kids in the yard. I think, if anything, knowing it's people they don't even know may make them do nothing. Know what I mean?

Well, if you've heard that they already are aware of how much the barking annoys people and they still don't do anything about it, what do you think sending this letter will do?
I think it would be easier on their part to just ignore an anonymous letter, whereas if you actually went over to talk in person it's harder to ignore people standing right in front of you.
At least give them the benefit of talking to them directly before calling any authorities on them, don't go by hearsay on what they do or don't think. It's only fair to both of you
good luck!