Help! My Neighbor’s Dog is Constantly Barking

We all love dogs because they are very friendly, loyal, and loving. But a canine who barks non-stop will make you think otherwise, especially when it is your neighbor’s dog. We know that it can be very frustrating, annoying, and challenging when your neighbor’s dog is constantly barking.

The constant barking of your neighbor’s dog can affect your sleep at night. Likewise, it may also disturb your focus when you are trying to study for an exam. Read on to know the possible causes of this irritating behavior and learn how you can solve this problem permanently.

Why is My Neighbor’s Dog Barking Constantly?

Although barking is the normal method of communication for dogs, excess of everything is bad. Constant barking often points towards a behavioral or medical issue that is disturbing your pooch. Therefore, the first step should always be to find out what’s wrong with your neighbor’s dog who is constantly barking. The following list contains some of the most common reasons.

• Fear – Whether a pup is fearful of a person or another animal, he will express his/her feelings by barking. In fact, it’s a dog’s natural reflex to respond by barking when he/she is terrified.
• Boredom – If your neighbor’s dog is left alone for long spells, he/she might get bored and start barking excessively. This can be a very serious problem if the pup suffers from separation anxiety.
• Territorial – Whenever dogs feel that someone is entering their territory, they bark back loudly to give a warning. The closer you go to a dog’s territory, the more aggressive his/her bark will become.
• Attention – There is no denying that dogs are attention-seeking creatures who want to be heard. Whether they want to go out or wants to play with you, they will show it by barking.

What Can I Do If My Neighbor’s Dog is Constantly Barking?

If your neighbor’s dog is constantly barking, the first thing that you need to do is keep patience. There is no point in shouting back at the dog or becoming rude to your neighbor because it won’t solve the problem. Instead, you should focus on the following things to improve the situation.

Document the Problem

First thing first, you need to document the details about the excessive barking of your neighbor’s dog. Whether it is any specific time of the day or a specific day in the week, document it all. Likewise, there could be a specific happening, like the sound of the school bus, which sets the dog off. All in all, document all the barking events to deduce an appropriate result.

Share this information with your neighbor and it will help him/her to understand (and improve) the dog’s behavior. If it doesn’t get the desired results, the collected information will also be helpful while filing a complaint.

Talk to Your Neighbor

You might be wondering why your next-door neighbor is not doing anything about the barking of his/her dog. Before going crazy about this thought, discuss the problem with your neighbor to know his/her stance. He/she could be completely unaware of this issue because the dog barks constantly when it is alone.

Be nice and talk to your neighbor in a positive manner. You can also show him/her your work as it might help him/her to understand the dog’s behavior and solve the problem quickly. If your neighbor does not answer the door, it is better to leave a note. Don’t forget to add this event (with date and time) in your notes.

Block the Dog’s View

This technique can be quite helpful if your neighbor’s dog is territorial. If you observe that the dog barks only when you go closer to your neighbor’s home, you can use this method to solve this problem. Simply install a fence or some sort of screen that could stop the dog from seeing you. Alternatively, you can grow some plants or trees on that side of your home to cover the canine’s sight. 

Build a Friendly Relationship with the Dog

If blocking the dog’s view doesn’t bring the desired results, the dog is sensing your presence through his/her hearing. In some cases, your neighbor’s pooch may also be able to identify your smell.

If that’s the case, go a step further and ask your neighbor to introduce his/her dog to you. This will allow you to make friends with the pup. Once the dog has spent some good time with you, he/she will understand that you are not a threat. Therefore, he/she will not bark next time on seeing or hearing you.

Try Some Anti-Bark Methods

If your neighbor does not address the barking problem, you can use an anti-bark method from your home. Use an Ultrasonic dog trainer, a device that emits an ultrasonic sound only audible to dogs, to stop the barking. These devices are triggered by a dog bark and emit disturbing ultrasonic wavelengths to distract the dog. Just make sure that the ultrasonic device is pointed in the dog’s direction.

NOTE: Unfortunately, these bark deterrents don’t work on all dogs.

Contact the Authorities

If all your efforts have failed, your last resort is to file a formal noise complaint. You must have all the records of dates and times when the barking episode took place before calling the authorities. Generally, the authorities will give a warning to your neighbor and get the dog’s wellness checked. If your neighbor is still unmoved, he/she may end up losing his/her pet. Think long and hard before going for the complaint because it can disrupt your relationship with the neighbor.

If your neighbor’s dog is constantly barking, you can try many different things before taking any extreme measures. All you need to do is to work with your neighbor and help him/her solve this issue. Not only will this bring peace of mind to the entire neighborhood, but it will also strengthen your bond with that neighbor.