barking dogs - Page 1

i am having trouble with a new resident in our village who has complained to the council about our dogs barking.first time anyone has complained in over twenty years of dogs living at our premises. We have been served with a noise abatement notice and must try and stop our dogs barking. I have just ordered a Super Barkstop-outdoor/kennel silencer this works by emitting ultrasonic frequencies when the dogs bark. Has anyone ever used one of these and how effective was it?

Not very effective for mine unfortunately. I did the audible sound (for me) and the ultrasonic for the dogs so I could see when/how many times it would go off. Never did get them quiet.

Linda, I have heard from many people that these devices are not effective. I have had good luck with electric bark collers. I use Dogtra yapper stopper and it is quite effective. However, you can not leave it on a dog all the time and if you use it often you must not put it in the same location on the dog's neck every time. I have also found that giving the dogs a large bone will keep them quiet for sometime. I use femur bones from a cow cut in half. I get them from a local butcher. Good luck, neighbors are a pain.

Linda You have our sympathy - we have the same problem, although we haven't got to the noise abatement stage yet. I think from talking to other people it has become quite a problem for a lot of people lately and it really gets to you after a while. Yes, bones are good for keeping them quiet but you can't give them bones all the time. I don't know if it is possible for you to do this, but it has worked for us - we just let them all out of their kennels and run around in the enclosed garden whenever we can. They are much quieter this way. The trouble is you daren't go off and leave them, which is why we don't go to shows very often any more. It is quietly ruining our lives. We are trying to sell our house but finding somewhere else suitable seems impossible. It seems everywhere has neighbours! All the best.

The citronella bark collars work for most dogs. Unlike the electric collars, they can be left on for longer periods of time w/out worrying about injury. Most dogs will quit the nuisance barking with this collar. Giving them exercise and maybe a bone or kong to chew on will cure some of their boredom and slow the barking. Jeff

No, the neighbors are IN pain! I had my seven year old GSD out in the front yard a few years before he died and my neighbor said, "Do you still have him?" I call the police if people have barkers. I live in a residential neighborhood and don't want to hear dogs yapping a few feet from my fence. It's common courtesy. I just got home from taking my 1 year old male GSD to an empty field 4 miles away so we could train and play. I also told my neighbors if they ever him him barking for more than a few minutes to let me know immediately.

I also have problems with my neighbor but in my city where I live all of my neighbors have dogs. I have 4 GSD'd and my neighbor has 6, 2of which are GSD's. I uesd the nobark collar on my dogs but the collar shocks them when they move to much. but it stoped them from barking I don't us it anymore since the neighbor yelled at me and called me a phsyico path and a retard..... etc... ( I got mad and decided why stress myself out when nothing I do pleases her pluse there are no barking laws where I live thank God)it does get anoying when the dogs bark but I have found that if they can't see the street they don't bark. I also leave music I know this sounds stupid playing and It seems to help them not to bark. Jess

Linda, Since moving recently we have had some problems too. One of our immediate neighbours are totally anti dog and think that even a couple of barks is too much. However, to try and keep the peace and to ensure we never give them a 'valid' complaint, we bought the aboi-stop anti bark collars. Not cheap at around £60 each but they do work. We use the citronella spray, which you need a lot of to start with. In the first few days you have to be there all the time to ensure the spray does not run out, thereafter we now only need to top ours up every day or every other day. It has not stopped it completely but it has reduced to a level that does not make it an offence in legal terms. Now, most 'doggy' people who visit cannot believe how little if at all our dogs bark, compared to our other house, with no neighbours and the dogs barked their heads off if someone came or they heard a car but then they were allowed too. It is expensive at the start but if it stops the problem or reduces it sufficiently then it has to be worth it.

I would much rather hear a dog bark once in a while than hear a bunch of rug rats playing in the street in front of my house. Ever notice that the complainers are the same ones seem to who think that you should be happy to be forced to listen to their brats screaming all day long? Does anyone make a e-collar for a six year old? Guess I am becoming a grumpy old man. LOL

Thanks to everyone for your replies and advice. We walk all our dogs together for approx 1 hour every morning then the same again in the evening. we give them large nuckle bones on a regular basis.I have tried a aboistop anti bark collar on one of our bitches who admittedly is rather noisy it made no difference to her what so ever.We are currently trying to find her a suitable home.I admit by dogs do bark from time to time but they do not bark excesivly. I work 12 hour night shifts 3 night per week and sleep in the afternoons after I have Fed,Walked and cleaned out the dogs Kennels,My bedroom is to the back of the house next to where our dogs are kept and the only time they wake me by barking is if someone comes to the front door(Thats not very often). We do not live in a built up area but on the edge of a small village three sides of our house is surrounded by farm fields we have an elderly neighbour next door who has no problems with the dogs and say's she feels much more secure knowing the dogs are there.The village consists of two farms a village hall and less than 20 houses several of which have dogs who also bark from time to time.I have asked several people in our village if our dogs cause them any problems they all say no. It only takes one person to complain and in this day and age the dog owner is always seen as being in the wrong. We have missed several shows due to this problem but are going to our first show in ages tomorrow and are having to take most of our dogs with us. Sorry for rambling on so much thanks again for your comments.