For those of you who haven't been out to visit us, we like in a sort of subdivision in the country. All the lots in our neighbourhood are about an acre. But it's not the country, it is defintely a subdivision. Kitty-corner from us are neighbours that we haven't met yet. They have a big, German-Shepherdish dog. The dog gets tied outside to a short rope near their driveway around 6:30 a.m. every day and stays outside until nighttime. And it barks. All. Day.
Now, this is fairly annoying at 2 p.m. when I'm trying to study, or in the summer when I'm gardening and it's barking at me the whole time, but whatever. I can deal with it. What I'm finding increasingly hard to handle is the unremittant (sp?) 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. barking. Should I mention that I don't have to get out of bed until 8, or 7:15 at the very earliest? So I lie there, tired and cranky for up to an hour and a half, listening to this dog's constant barking until my alarm goes off.
Last summer, I was working at the garden centre in Sackville, a half-hour from the house. Back then, I had to be up shortly after 6 to get to work. One night, while Trent was away on a business trip, I went to bed shortly after 10. Immediately, the dog started barking. And didn't stop until after 1 a.m. Finally, shortly after midnight, almost in tears, I called a noise complaint in to the police. Althought it didn't stop the dog barking that night, I didn't hear the damned beast for over a week after that. Now, you should probably know that I felt terrible about calling the police on my neighbours, especially since I've never met them. It's the first time I've ever done that, and so far, the last... now here's where I need your help.
We only know three of our neighbours really well. Two of the three have mentioned Barking Dog to us--it seems to be a neighbourhood annoyance. And there are other barky dogs around (they're dogs--they bark. I know this, and generally, I consider it a minor nuisance) but none that bark early in the morning, all day long, and sometimes late at night. Also, it makes me angry that these people even have a dog--I've never seen them walk it, and it spends literally all day tied to a short leash. Frankly, I feel sorry for the thing. However, I feel even more sorry for me at this point.
Now. I know that I can sometimes be a little... less than reasonable when things annoy me, so I need some advice here. Do I:
- Call in another noise complaint early one morning?
- Send a letter or email to the noise police and maybe the SPCA?
- Go across the street, introduce myself, and ask them not to let their dog bark in the morning?
- Just learn to deal with it?
Or is there another solution I haven't thought of yet?
12 comments:
from experience the most adult thing to do is walk over but if these unknown neighbors are not the most adult people which by the treatment of their dog is a good guess it would be the worst choice. Do you want them to know where you live.....
If you go for the call in to animal control or spca then it could be any of the neighbours that made the complaint and it would hopefully stop the situation. That is my advice.
But then again I am a harmony loving person so I avoid conflict at the best of times.
All the best.
Julie
Wow!.... quite the conundrum (I totally just dictionary.com'd the spelling of conundrum).
a) What would you like your neighbors to do if they were boiling over with issues with you guys?
b) what can you live with the next day?
c) are you fearful that if you did go over, there would be some sort of retaliatory backlash? - safety/security first.
All of the above is how I would assist one of my clients with their decision making process. But, my clients have years of BAD decision making that has clouded their judgment. Plus the copious amount of drugs - also judgment clouding agents.
Um - I have no idea what I would do. Send Trent over. That's prolly what I would do:) I'm chicken like that.
Julie, I'm working on Brad! I've reminded him that, initially, he didn't want either of our 2 cats! I've also forwarded Bec's email to everyone...hopefully we can find loving homes for them!:)
T
Toni
Thanks so much. Really. Thanks so much.......
Julie
Aw, look! Potentially two conundrums solved at once!
Yeah, my conscience tells me that the most adult thing to do would be to talk to them. However, that's only a good solution if they say, "Oh, gosh, we're so sorry--we didn't realize that our barking dog was bothering anyone!" and find a solution to its barking. However, and maybe I'm just feeling cynical, but I can't help but feel that people who leave their dog tied up and barking for sixteen or so hours a day, without concern for its comfort or the racket it's making aren't likely to do that... so then (and this may just be the coward in me talking), if I do end up having to call in a noise complaint or something after I've spoken to them, they'll know who it was, and they could potentially make things... uncomfortable.
And then there's a little voice inside me that says, hey, you've only lived in this neighbourhood a year. If it hasn't bothered any of your other neighbours enough to make an issue of it, what's wrong with you?
I think maybe choose the least sucky alternative.... whatever that is. Cuz it seems like each choice has its own list of cons... choose the least suckiest....:) I give great advice
T
1. even if you are being overly pissy about the noise thing (which i doubt you are), they are mistreating the dog, so the complaint is valid on that count.
2. go talk to the neighbours. yes, it seems likely that they are animal abusing pricks, but don't assume. give them the benefit of the doubt, making assumptions about people you don't even know is bad. go over and say the noise is just too much for you in the morning. be friendly and polite. write down the date you went over and what happened. then write down what happens after, if they still let the dog out in the mornings and stuff, for about 1 to 2 weeks. all the writing is in case you have to lodge a formal complaint to somebody official later.
3. if they still are letting the dog out to bark all fucking day, after two weeks, call the SPCA, they will be able to advise you on the best course of action.
my wisdom has been dispensed.
ooh, or maybe a step 1.b) which might cancel out step 2. depending on the answer.
talk to your other neighbours and ask if these guys are pricks. maybe they know them and can tell you if it would worth going over there.
Leave an anonymous letter signed 'neighbors'?
My opinion is that there is no problem that can't be solved by fire. Just don't light the dog on fire. Instead, write "Please take care that your dog's barking is disturbing the wonderful ambiance of our neighborhood. Sincerely, neighbors." in 10-foot flaming letters on their lawn. That is the best option.
Phil
fire! why didn't i think of that?
I KNOW that dog. And I only lived at your place for a week!
Go across the street and introduce yourself! That's what I would do. Mention that you work at home, and that you are having difficulty working...If they are STILL unresponsive, I'd register another noise complaint. Yeah.. that's all I got.
Or...do what Phil said. I like his idea.
Meg, it makes me feel SO MUCH BETTER that you know what I'm talking about! Trent, who is the soundest sleeper on the planet (possible because his hearing has been damaged by too much loud music...) says he doesn't even hear the beast most of the time... which was starting to make me feel like a whiny nut job! So Cujo bothered you too, huh?
I agree with a couple statements made, one, ask the good neighbors what they are like to deal with. If they comment they are reasonable then go over to discuss the concern, if they are 'pricks' like Tania mentioned then skip that step and call in another complaint or SPCA as they are obviously not taking proper care for this dog.
Alternately have Trent accidentally spill some antifreeze in the dogs water bowl, or maybe the owners beer glass.
My 0.25
Bob
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