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Barking dog and neighbor

Posted: Feb 22, 2014

Ok. Here's the story. We have a Golden whom we named Luke Skybarker, and he has lived up to his name in every sense. He will be 12 next month.

Five years ago the house next door went up for sale. I was already well aware of Luke's proclivities and when the house was being shown when I was outside I would make mention of this fact for the prospective buyers to take into consideration (no, they old neighbor didn't move out because of him. She died.) When I met C. she assured me that she was a dog lover and that would be no problem.

Fast forward to a couple of months ago when the police come to our door and tell us that someone had reported a barking dog. I was embarrassed and promised not to let him outside after 9:00 p.m. for more than a few minutes, and told them that if whoever it was that complained wanted to call me the could give them our phone number. Never did I suspect it was C. because she'd told me she was okay with dogs back when she moved in. I've pretty much lived up to that promise, though lose track of time sometimes.

Last night at 10:15 he was out having a "conversation" with another dog in the next neighborhood. Yes, I was wrapped up in a TV show and forgot the time. She came to the door, and, shaking with fury starts yelling about how it's been five years she's put up with this and his incessant barking is driving her crazy, like someone driving a knife through her brain, etc.

I apologized profusely and told her I was going to renew my efforts to make sure that it was quiet after 9:00 p.m. She said mornings aren't a problem because she's a morning person.

I know I got lazy, but partly because I thought it wasn't her, and I will keep my promise. At the same time, if she couldn't stand it for five years, why didn't she say something sooner? If I'd known there was a problem, I would have done something sooner! I can't help think that we've lived here for 20 years, always been on good terms with neighbors. I warned her about Luke before she even moved in. And now Luke is in his "golden" years (our other Golden died at the age of 12 two years ago), and is well set in his ways. Sure, I can make sure he doesn't have barkathons after 9:00. I just wish there was something else I could do. I want to let him be outside when he wants to, but he does bark, and I hate making the end of his life miserable by keeping him inside at night all the time.

;

your dog, your problem - observer

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You have indulged the dog his whole life and now that you have someone who actually says something, you don't want to inconvenience your dog's older years.

When you chose the behavior, you chose the consequence.

I would not have waited 5 years to say something. It is not your neighbor who needed to be warned before she moved in. It was your bad behavior in the first place.

It's kind of like saying little dogs are ankle biters. If they continue that behavior, it is not the dog's fault - it is the owners.

If you don't want problems with your neighbor, walk your dog instead of just letting him out so you can just forget your responsibilities in the brain-dead zone you call your living room.

Wishing for something does not make something different. Taking action, though, can change things.

You could have made your points without - being snotty. nm

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nm

my snot, my plain English - NM - common sense not so common

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Well at least you own your rudeness - but don't pretend its just

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'plain English' plenty of other posters made their point without the need to be harsh/mean.

Meanness does not = superior.

I'm not superior - just not sugar coating my answers - no need for it IMHO

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The OP did not say she only wanted to hear from the Pollyannas in the room. If you don't like what I post, in simple non-mean terms, stop reading them.

There are plenty of very good responses on this thread that are non-mean that more than counterbalance my post. If you focus only the tone of mine and in spouting your distain for it, you are deflecting away from the original post.

Oops I that was supposed to be a dislike - Look whose focus is misplaced!

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I think you are just upset that someone called u out for a snotty, needlessly nasty reply - and that is evident by your *persistence* in responding to that post.

I didn't suggest you were superior - you are not. I was pointing out the superior TONE in your judgmental, unkind response to the OP.

Please don't confuse the issue: You were blunt and unkind, and that is your option. You don't have to post nice, but you do have to deal with the consequences...

not responding to your comments in this, but for - clarity

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my only posting in this thread has been in the "your dog, your problem" post. Someone else posted in a similar fashion and was called a snot further in the thread, but alas, was someone other than me. Don't assume there is only one person posting in a snotty fashion (your term).

Why do so many dog owners feel some sense of - "entitlement"? They used that - sm

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tired old, "love me, love my dog" phrase to somehow excuse their negligence in care of their animals.

If the dog is barking, he's communicating. He WANTS something. (Perhaps to be let back in? That's my guess!)

If the OP claims she gets involved in TV, or whatever, and "can't hear him", there are one of two possibilities there:
a) It's a "selective hearing" problem.
b) She needs to invest in a hearing aid.

Dogs get a bad rap as animal neighbors because of people who feel "entitled" to:
a) Let their dog roam the neighborhood.
b) Poop all over people's yards and the sidewalks without picking it up.
c) Pee on neighbor's grass and bushes, which works better than Roundup at killing them.
d) Be aggressive at dog parks, and yet continue to take them there.
e) Lunge at passers-by while out walking on-leash. "Oh, he's just playful!"
f) Chase bicyclists, runners, etc. Lawsuit going somewhere to happen.
g) Bark 24/7, knowing that the neighbors (if they go the legal route, and not the the Smith & Wesson route), will have to invest lots of time and money jumping through all the legal hoops to get your dog confiscated.

Oh, and PS: - One more thing

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Re: The "Smith & Wesson" route for nuisance dogs? A person I know lived in a semi-rural area and had a few dairy goats in the backyard, in a well-built, fenced-in compound. A neighbor's dog, who had a very strong prey instinct due to his breeding, somehow climbed into the goat enclosure on more than one occasion and badly mauled the goats. In one instance, a goat was killed. Police & SPCA involved, yet dog owners still let the dog run loose, where it also killed chickens and cats. After the next goat-mauling, my friend put the dog on a leash, took it to the neighbor's house (with blood covering his muzzle), and told them, "If your dog comes onto my property again, I plan to shoot him." The dog came onto the property again, and was shot, as promised, and buried at the bottom of the hill. About a week later (took them long enough to notice the dog was missing, didn't it?) the dog owners knocked on my friend's door and asked if he'd seen their dog. He said, "Yes, I did. He was in my goat compound again, and I shot him. He's buried at the bottom of the hill."

To Luke's Mom & Observer - anon

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I am a dog lover and have a GSD. I live out in the country with no noise ordinances and a county animal control dept. that is almost useless. I have to agree with Observer. We live on about 4 acres, and all the houses around us are on at least 2.5 acres. However, we have to listen to dogs barking ALL THE FREAKIN' TIME! Most everyone around us has multiple dogs. Our next door neighbor has 3 GSDs and a Rottweiler outside (and a Dachshund inside). Every single time we open our house door that leads into the garage (and of course when we open the garage door), those dogs go berserk. We have lived in this house for almost 20 years and are not new to those dogs, so you'd think they'd know us by now. It is frustrating and beyond annoying. WE had to install electrical lines along our fence line to keep their aggressive dogs from getting to our dog. We have nicely told these neighbors numerous times how their dogs act. It does no good. As I first stated, I am a dog lover, but I promise you, if one or more of those dogs somehow gets on my property and harms my dog, well, they WILL meet my Smith & Wesson. My husband and I are very conscientious and do whatever we can so we and our dog don't bother anyone. We wish everybody was half as considerate as we are.

Barking dog - doglover

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Nobody loves dogs more than me. I have 2 huskies. HOWEVER, there is nothing that annoys me, makes me crazier than hearing a dog bark nonstop. To me, it is the height of disrespect for the people around you. I also had the same problem with a neighbor. Being that I work at home made it all the more annoying. They would put their dog outside in the morning when they went to work and leave it out there all day to bark nonstop. I approached them kindly about the issue and they ignored me, finally got Animal Control involved and they were fined. It IS beyond annoying and nobody should have to not buy a house simply because you are out there warning them your dog barks.

I agree. I'm a dog owner and I'm responsible for her. Period. - clb

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My dog is pretty quiet except for the occasional "hey you" bark whenever anyone or anything walks by the house. But she is inside. If she is outside and barks more than 3 times at anything, like an animal, then I bring her inside until she is quiet again, then she can go back out. It takes alot of patience and practice and routine, but you can teach an old dog new tricks. She "knows" that barking means back inside. Lots of praise works too. My neighbors are all very nice and some have dogs too and they know the dogs have to "say hi" but we also have respect for our neighbors. Not one complaint that I'm aware of so what I'm doing must be working. Even a 10 minute walk and some play time will get out the energy too. I really hate any kind of punishment, but it may come down to a shock collar. They can be used properly to stop a dog from excessive barking also. I personally don't like them and do not have one, but that is the better alternative to more complaints or even worse, having "someone" poison or shoot your dog because there are sick people out there! Good luck!

No shock collars! - Otherwise I agree

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It is a pain in the neck with barking dogs and close-by neighbors, but I would not use a painful method to train my dogs.

Shock collars aren't punishment, just training. - And the zap is only startling, not painful.

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Just as electric invisible fences work. The dog first gets a warning buzz, and if he/she proceeds (to bark, or leave the yard, or whatever), THEN they get the negative reinforcement of the little zap. The positive reinforcement is the absence of the behaviour.

If I had known it was a problem = - OP

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I would have done something long ago. And he does not bark all day every day. He's inside most of the time, outside for maybe an hour at a time (and even less so since the visit from the police.)

Of course I'm going to do whatever I can to stem it, but I just wish it hadn't come to this.

Had you been - xx

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a responsible dog owner, it would not have come to this. This is no one's fault but yours. You knew the dog was a problem because you "warned" the neighbor about him, as though that made everything all right. Your neighbor has every right to be furious. Get off your couch and take proper care of your dog.

MOm is that you? - What snot

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it is clear you ENJOY being mean.

Maybe the dog owner is an alcoholic or druggie, - like my upstairs neighbor.

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He totally ignores his poor dog because he's always wasted, and the dog and all us neighbors suffer.

that's a terrible thing to suggest - sm

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and a totally foul one as well. The poster has an issue with her dog that she needs to take care of. For you to float the idea that she is a substance abuser is totally abusive.

I said "maybe". It's just one of several possibilities. - However, inconsideration is most likely.

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I find it interesting that a no-nonsense response was called - snotty

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but when you say the OP MAYBE a druggie or alcoholic, that is somehow okay. Why not say she is MAYBE bipolar or schizo? Is it okay if we say that about the OP as long as we say MAYBE?

Personally I think the OP is really just posting this to get a rise out of the posters here. MAYBE.

you also said druggie or alcoholic; I said - "suggest" and "float the idea"

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own it.

If you want to feel better about this - tell this to the neighbor

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Unless your neighbor is being unreasonable, he/she will appreciate your following up = and restating what you will do to fix the problem.

I hope you read suggestions here that you might need to just go outside with your dog sometimes to monitor him and perhaps even PLAY with him? He could be barking out of sheer boredom.

Well, you know it's a problem NOW, so from - here on out, DO something about it.

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There's absolutely no excuse whatsoever for inaction on your part. Both morally, and legally.

but you did know it was a problem... - sm

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as per your original post: "I was already well aware of Luke's proclivities and when the house was being shown when I was outside I would make mention of this fact for the prospective buyers to take into consideration."

The prospective buyers don't have to take into consideration that your dog barks. There are ordinances about this kind of thing. Nor is it much of a solution to offer not to let him out after 9 pm. It sounds like you have a very patient and understanding neighbor who is at her wits end. You can't very well blame her for not speaking up sooner. Again - you admit more than once that you *warned* her before she moved in: You DID know there was a problem "sooner" for goodness sake. What's warning her supposed to do? Make her move out of the neighborhood or not buy the house of her choice?

You know the dog is a barker, but apparently have not seen fit - or found a way - to address this in 12 years. Twelve years! I feel for your dog. The only one responsible for your pet's quality of life is you. It is not too late to train your dog if it matters to you that his remaining days and nights are happy for him.

You named him Luke Skybarker. How do you now claim - You did not know it was a problem

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I call horse hockey. You knew his barking was bad enough that you warned her before she moved in. Dogs are not too old to learn new behaviors. You need to work on Luke's.

Your statement "if I'd known there was a problem" is just so wrong. Of course you knew. You chose to let your dog be ill-behaved.

sympathize - been there

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It is not the dog; it is the neighbor. I have a dog that I would put out in the yard for 2 hours a day, midafternoon while working. Always brought her in before 5 p.m. when workers arrive home. Received an anonymous letter in the mail stating they had been videotaping my dog and were going to take me to city court. If they had just knocked on my door and talked to me about it instead. I had done my best to be a thoughtful neighbor. Now afraid to let dog out of house. However, a dog 5 houses down is an outdoor dog and barks all night. I consider it part of being in a community. My neighbor's driveway is right by my bedroom window. They drive in and out at least 15 times a day (seriously). Like I said, it is part of living in the city. Some people are just so unhappy they spend their time trying to make others as miserable as they are. (Ample proof on this board of that theory).

Why don't you go outside WITH your dog - sm

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instead of keeping it out there for 2 hours at a time barking? The fact that you think the neighbor is the problem is truly appalling. Part of living in close proximity to our neighbors requires some self-awareness and consideration of how our actions may affect those around us.

Sympathize- part of living in the city- I think - not and want to blame

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the people who should be blamed are the owners who put dogs outside and let them bark. I love animals, dogs, cats but I have turned others in before for a constant barking dog. First of all, most people do not want to come to a door and say your dog is barking. Good way to get into a shooting match. You should know when your dog is annoying, like when it is barking for more than 3 or 4 times straight. My community (and the city where I live) have laws against barking animals and only blame the owners, not the animals. I think leaving animals outside barking is cruelty to animals.

Some people are as blind to their pets' misbehavior - as they are to their children"s. nm

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XX

Bite Me - then

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My dog barks when a rattling old pickup drives down the alley looking for discarded items by trash cans. My dog barks because he is protecting his territory from people who cut through the alley instead of using the sidewalk. He does not just sit there and bark at nothing. My neighbor has a movie party in his backyard every week and plays his projector as loud as he wants while the frat boys get drunk until midnight. My other neighbor has a neighborhood garage and is always out there revving an engine. It is part of living in the city. Why if you lived next door to me, I would even tolerate your homely little children picking their noses, shrieking, and fighting in their backyard. Community life.

homely little children? - sm

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That's totally uncalled for. If you have frat boys bothering you at midnight, call the police. Children picking noses usually doesn't make a heck of a lot of noise. Children playing is community life. Frat boys keeping people awake or dogs barking problematically is NOT part of community life.

Not part of a community life, yep but it is - called the ghetto where I come from

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Thank the good Lord above I don't have to live like others with loud cars, trash down the street, dogs barking that cannot have the police called on them and neighbors that sound like they are perfectly satisfied with this low life living.

we are not all - tick

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fortunate enough to live in Backfat, Louisiana, bless yer soul!

refuse in the back passage? - PeeS

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how uncouth! If it were I, I would make an appointment to talk with my managing housekeeper and make certain the day maid was severely chastised. What would people think if they knew my family actually produced refuse and did not have it driven immediately to the landfill. The horror, the horror.

All I can say is how fortunate I am to live where - I do and maybe one day

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you might be so fortunate and be able to live in a really peaceful, law abiding place. I am grateful. Don't be a hater, by the way.

Sorry, but you're just as negligent as she is. - no msg

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that's just ridiculous - nm

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Part of being in a community? - SM

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What I consider "part of being in a community" would be the responsibility of each person in that community to respect the rights of others. I never did, and never will understand the mentality that says "put up with it." My street is very quiet now except for one young guy on the other side of the street who insists on driving a bomb of a car that shakes the windows. I can actually hear him coming from some blocks away. He gets in the damn thing and revs it about five minutes before pulling out (many times a day), and does the same thing when he gets home. He was living with a friend who had a car even louder than HIS. Finally his friend got rid of his car and we are now down to one. Everyone else on the block has enough class to respect the neighbors.

I have a dog that yaps (corgi) - sm - XXX

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as well as a lab and husky. When I hear them going nuts (see a deer, turkey, our neighbors 3 labs that run loose) I bring them in. Same at night if they get barking. The sound of a barking dog goes far, least around here it does, 1/2 mile easily. You told your neighbor no barking after 9 so stick to it. If Luke has to go out after 9 either walk him in your yard on a leash or in the neighborhood. I do that with my corgi every night at 11 or so as he will bark otherwise and not want to come in. Your dog won't be miserable if he cannot stay out late barking. He is old, surprised he just doesn't lay out there and sleep all the time. But stick to your promise, it is not that much of an inconvenience and all part of being a responsible pet owner. I love dogs but a dog barking nonstop drives me crazy.

Luke's Mom - just my thoughts

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I agree with the poster(s) who said you have to stick with your promise - but I would go one better: ASK the neighbor what time is good for her. Is it 6 p.m.?
8, 9? And then whatever you agree on, YOU have to go out with your dog any other time(s) to monitor his behavior. Period. If your neighbor was that upset it seems the dog must bark far more than you describe. It's the price you pay for living close to neigbhors.

I had the same problem when I had neighbors close by on all four sides- I was constantly concerned with the noise from three large dogs.

So I moved to the country. Problem solved right? Not even close. Now barking to their hearts content is the only thing I don't have to worry about.
:)

Bottom line is this: YOU must take a more active role not only in curbing the dogs behavior but possibly in spending more time WITH him. He may be barking out of sheer boredom. Take him to the park, to the beach or lake if you can, interact with him more and/or get another dog.

It really is not the neighbors fault unless they are complaining over any bark at all...

NO TIME FOR BARKING - NEVER NEVER

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I don't EVER want to hear your dog bark more than maybe one yip. It is MORE than annoying. There IS NO GOOD TIME to listen to a barking dog.

Get a clue

Good point - Hate dog barking

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Why would anyone want to hear it during the day? People with dogs seem to think it's not annoying if it isn't when someone is trying to sleep. I don't want to hear it constantly no matter what I'm doing. It is an annoyance. What if someone sat in the car and blew the horn all day. Bet that would not be tolerated. Love dogs with all my heart, but the people who own some of them need to wise up.

Excuse me, but isn't that what dogs do? - Let's get logical

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Dogs bark! They should be allowed to bark for hours and hours, but isn't it like kids with "inside voices" and "outside voices?" It seems a little cruel to never let a dog do what they do naturally, in moderation at least! Some people actually tune them out! I have dogs in my neighborhood that bark and it doesn't bother me unless it's late at night! Get a grip ,people!

A dog that "barks for hours and hours" is NOT a - happy dog, & it becomes a bad habit.

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My mistake - I meant "shouldn't" - Let's get logical

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The rest of my comment stands

The law regarding barking dogs in my city. - sm

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This is how our city handles barking dogs:

Dogs that bark excessively are a daily problem in our city, particularly in warm weather when windows are open. Barking dog complaints are taken seriously and are investigated by Animal Control officers.

Neighbors and others disturbed by such dogs are an integral part of abating such problems. Owners of dogs that continually bark for more than five minutes during any one-hour period are subject to prosecution. A conviction for a violation can result in a fine up to $1,000 and up to six months in County Jail.

In addition to being against the law, it is extremely inconsiderate for an owner to ignore the peace and quiet needs of their neighbors. To report a barking dog nuisance, please submit a call to Animal Control during regular business hours for information on steps you may take to cure the problem.

Same type of law here... - BBMT

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We have similar rules where I live (south FL). Animals can't cause a noise disturbance at all between the hours of 11pm and 6am, and from 6am to 11pm they can't cause a disturbance for a continuous period exceeding 5 minutes. They give people warnings the first couple of times, and then they start fining them. If it continues, the animal owner has to appear in court, which most likely will result in an even bigger fine.

My question is - Not a dog owner

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My question is always: Why doesn't the barking bother the owner? I would go nuts if I owned a dog and it barked all the time. How come it only drives the neighbors nuts and not you? (By "you" I mean any dog owner)

Not a dog owner- me either and have - wondered the same as you

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I live in an HOA. The people here are not supposed to let their animals run wild. My next door neighbor's daughter would come to visit on the weekend and chained her small dog up in the backyard. The dog barked constantly. I liked my neighbor and was hating to say something. One morning around 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning knew my small cat spied something outside. Looked on my patio. It was a coyote. I informed the next door neighbor, saying if your daughter loves better not chain outside anymore because the coyote would get and run before anyone could do anything. That took care of that. Now is the neighbor on the other side would care enough to keep her cats up. I informed them too, maybe they don't love them like I love my cats.

I wondered the same thing - see msg pls

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If nothing else, the OP needs to be aware that she has neighbors. It's quite possible for people to tune out noises they're accustomed to---by that, I mean the OP not "hearing" her dog, but if one is truly considerate, she should be on the alert that neighbors can hear the dog, and the OP should be very aware and not get engrossed in her TV show or whatever she's doing.

Someone made a comment about it's part of city living, but houses can be fairly close in the suburbs, too---close enough for a dog barking to be an annoyance. Rural, not so much. Houses are much, much farther apart.

A couple of people have dogs in our neighborhood, but not right next door to us. Every now and then, I hear the yipping, which drives me a little nuts, but the owner usually brings them in shortly after.

Each time a house goes up for sale near our house, I hope and pray there are no barking dogs.

I think after a while they don't even hear it. Like - people with shrieking children.

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After awhile I might agree but my next door - neighbor did not have a dog

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or any animal and then all of a sudden her daughter gets one and brings it home on the weekends. The dog right out in back of their home, next door to my workroom and the barking went on and on. I cannot believe that all in that family was completely deaf. Three adults, 1 yapping dog and finally yea for the coyote!

Yay, coyote! Haha! We have cougars here, and - they come around LOOKING for dogs to eat. :)

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One reason why neither a cougar or coyote - would ever get my animals

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My animals only inside, never out. I have cats but even if I had dogs knowing that coyotes are in the neighborhood they would never be left out. Besides, I think it is cruel to have a dog and put outside and left there to bark and bark endlessly or just left out period.

barking dogs - 12Siberians

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Barking neighbors' dogs are so annoying. We had a family living next door, and they had their 2 large dogs outside day and night. These dogs barked at 3 a.m. in the morning and all day during the day. I was really upset, but I never called the police. I talked to the neighbors directly. Of course they didn't care and let their dogs continue to bark.

I, on the other hand, have 12 Siberian Huskies. They never ever are allowed to be noisy outside. I think it is so disrespectful to neighbors, and I don't want annoy anybody with my dogs.

We got new neighbors, and they own a pit bull and a smaller dog. They told me that my dogs were so great because they never hear them. I am always outside with them or nearby, and when one starts barking he/she has to come inside. Noisy dog behavior is not tolerated at my house.

If I were you, I would go and apologize to the neighbor and talk to them.

Wow, that is a lot of furbabies! - sm - XXX

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I miss the howling though, my boy does not bark (never had a husky that barked, he is my fourth) or howl. He will "talk" sometimes and I get the occasional "woo". My other 3 huskies did howl though but never to the point it drove you crazy (like a non-stop barking dog). Your furballs must be very well trained, I commend you on your dedication.

I'll say! Not to mention that's a breed that often - tends to bark excessively.

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Huskies - doglover

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Actually huskies don't bark typically. There is the occasional exception to the rule but not usually barkers. However, mine will howl very loud for no apparent reason sometimes!

Huskies-barking - 12Siberians

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There are Huskies that will bark, but even if they don't they can be very noisy if you let them. I won't let mine. I don't like noisy dogs, and t doesn't matter if they are mine or the neighbors' dogs. LOL

As "doglover" pointed out, most husky's don't bark - sm - XXX

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I have had 4 huskies, none were barkers. The rare bark maybe but that is it. They have all loved to howl, except my current baby who does not howl, or at least very, very, very rarely. Usually sirens set him off, even then just a couple woo's and he is done. He is the "strong silent" type I guess. Even when my other two dogs are barking like idiots at the neighbors labs my husky just stands there and stares at the dogs.

"There are no bad dogs, only bad owners." And - regarding barking dogs, it - sm

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rings especially true. Dogs left to bark and bark for hours on end are one of the main reasons many apartment complexes don't allow dogs.

Yes, you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. If his life is "miserable" by bringing him in at night, perhaps it's because he's not getting enough attention when he IS inside. If you let him out for a few minutes after 9:00 to pee and poo, then take a break yourself and accompany/supervise him. When he's done, bring him in, and when he comes inside, reward him with a treat, or lots of cuddling, or some playtime to wear him out a little, so he'll sleep all night.

As for "making the end of his life miserable", let me add one more horrific possibility. SO FAR, you're lucky you at least have humane neighbors. There are other not-so-charitable people (such as what is going on in San Francisco right now, with a serial dog poisoner.) There is nothing "nice" about a dog dying from strychnine poisoning. Don't be one of those thoughtless dog owners whose negligence causes a sleep-deprived neighbor with sadistic tendencies to go over the edge someday.

Currently, your dog is a nuisance. He's creating noise pollution. YOU are responsible for his actions. Do yourself, your neighbors, and your dog a favor and put a little more effort into stopping the problem, or you will likely be spending a lot of time talking to the police, and Animal Control.

Obedience school - Dog lover

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You said it all...you have indulged your dog. I've known quite a few goldens in my time and never knew any of them to be barkers. Contrary to what they say, you can teach old dogs new tricks, enroll him in obedience school. I don't blame your neighbor at all. Maybe her work schedule changed and she has to get up really early in the a.m. The barking would have driven ME nuts, I wouldn't have tolerated it in my own dog. I agree, there are animal poisoners so you are lucky. However, animal control could come and pick him up, you could face a fine, etc. You can do something about it and keep peace in the neighborhood.

Even CATS can be trained to be quiet. I have an - aging cat that sometimes - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
will yowl late at night for no apparent reason. Sometimes she is talking to her water bowl. Sometimes she is talking to the ceiling. Mostly, she's talking to herself. She has learned that when I call her name, and say, "Pssht! Pssht!", if means, "Be quiet and go to sleep, which she promptly does.

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