Stop Your Neighbor’s Dog From Barking
Does your dog bark at night? How about your neighbor’s dog? Learn how to stop dog barking even at night plus how to effectively communicate to your neighbor that his dog is keeping you up at night.
Why Dogs Bark Outside
Dogs bark outside because they’re bored, or lonely, especially at night. Take this journey with me. I’m honestly and openly explaining from my dog trainer’s point of view why your “outside dog” barks and how to fix his behavior permanently. This article is not meant to point fingers or blame anyone. We do better when we know better.
Seeing things differently:
For the most part, the idea of living on multiple acres of land with no neighbors in sight is long gone. With the increase of new homes being built to accommodate rapid human population growth, most folks live pretty close to their neighbors. We need to rethink and evolve. Dogs should not be kept outdoors. It’s not fair to your neighbor and certainly not fair to your dog.
Dogs are domesticated, which means they must have constant social interactions with people. Getting your dog a friend, or bringing another dog into your household, and putting him outside with your current dog will only result in two dogs barking at night. I do not recommend this.
How to Stop Dog Barking at Night
Bring your dogs inside. Many readers will shake their heads and say, “I don’t allow dogs in my house.”
First, understand your dog’s point of view. Dogs left in the yard are bored because there is nothing to do. Pet owners leave their homes several times a week, but your dog does not. He is bored seeing the same thing day in and day out. It’s like living as a “shut in,” which is not fair.
I’m not a fan of bark control collars because using them would be punishing your dog for being bored and lonely, which isn’t fair to him. Plus, they are very expensive and don’t always work, and can lead to aggression.
Instead, bring your dog indoors at night to keep barking to a minimum or stop it completely.
How to Bring Your Barking Dog Indoors
- Place a crate inside your home, but close to the backdoor.
- Bring your dog inside. This will stop excessive barking and noise complaints from your neighbors.
- Learn Crate Training Tips for your dog. This is much easier to teach than trying to stop your dog from barking in the backyard.
- During the day, when you’re not home, bring your dog indoors. Invest $10-$20 a day for a pet sitter to walk your dog for 30 minutes.
I’m not saying your dog should live in his crate. A crate is a tool to teach polite indoor manners so your dog will eventually be allowed indoors at all times.
What this means for you:
Bringing your dog indoors, using the above steps, takes less time and money than trying to teach your dog not to bark. Plus, bringing your dog indoors will stop him from:
- Escaping out of the yard
- Excessive barking
- Digging holes
- Chewing outdoor items
- Experiencing hyperactivity (Yes, just because a dog is outside does not mean he is getting exercise.)
- Being exposed to hot or cold temperatures
Your Neighbor’s Dog is Barking
I live by the motto, “Doing nothing is the worst mistake.” First, understand that judgement, anger and accusations will do nothing to help this issue. Instead, if you know someone with an excessively barking dog or an outside dog, print this article and place in his mailbox or forward as an email.
If forwarding as an email, write, “I’ve noticed your dog barks at night. This article contains real solutions and will really help you both.” By providing solutions, your message will be successfully delivered, as you want to help both the pet parent and his dog. Plus, if they have any questions, I’m here to answer them, I promise. 🙂
This is not a gimmick to popularize this blog. This is to help dogs live a better life. Period. You can remove our tagline. The goal of this blog is to share because we care, and I promise you we live by these words everyday.
This was a tough article to write, probably the toughest in many years. I feel many ignore this increasing problem so I’m hoping this article can help at least one dog enjoy living inside with his family.
More: Request Dog Barking Attention Seeking Barking Dog Barking at Sounds How to Stop a Barking Dog
What questions do you have? I’m here to help.
