7 Ways to Get Your Neighbor’s Dog to Stop Barking
by dogtoyadvisor | Last updated on November 18, 2020
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You’ve done everything right with your dog.
Trained him not to bark excessively and to stop barking on cue.
Made sure he was sociable with people and other dogs alike.
But your peace and quiet is still being ruined by a dog: your neighbor’s dog.
It’s NEVER the Dog’s Fault
It’s easy to blame the dog, after all, he’s the one causing the noise.
But the dog is not to blame.
Maybe he’s bored because his owner won’t keep him stimulated.
Maybe he has excess energy from not being exercised enough. Don’t even get us started on keeping dogs in chains.
He may actually like you so much, he gets excited to see you and starts barking!
He’s Just Being Territorial
Some breeds are notoriously louder than others.
And, don’t forget, it’s in a dog’s instinct to raise the alarm whenever someone comes near their territory.
If, like us, you live in an apartment, of course the next door’s dog will bark every time you pass his door!
Whatever the reason your neighbor’s dog is barking, it is solvable.
Just don’t hold it against the dog…
Our Neighbor’s Dog Just Wouldn’t Stop Barking
In our building, there are dogs in most floors but our next door neighbor’s dog was by far the worst!
He’d bark whenever she left, going at it for as long as it took her to return.
He’d bark whenever we left our home and if our dogs came too, he’d bark even louder.
Also, during the night, when everything was quiet, he’d bark whenever the elevator moved.
So, it’s safe to say desperation was what caused us to look for ways to make our neighbor’s dog stop barking.
7 Ways to Make Your Neighbor’s Dog Stop Barking
Here, we’ve compiled a little bit of everything that helped us in all sorts of different occasions.
For dogs who bark whenever they see you, for dogs who bark because they’re home alone and for dogs who just don’t know any better.
Try all of them or just the ones that feel right to you.
Tip 1 – Talk to Your Neighbor
It’s the first necessary step and you should do it sooner rather than later.
Only because later you’ll probably be too aggravated to have the kind of talk you need to have with your neighbor.
If his dog is barking while he’s away, he may not even know about it.
Or he may know about it and may be trying to handle it and needs a bit more time and understanding.
If you want to go prepared with things he can try to train his dog not to bark, why not read our post about how to easily train a dog to stop barking or recommend it to him?
Just have an open conversation and keep in mind that your goal is to solve the situation.
Make sure to leave any accusations at home and talk to your neighbor nicely and constructively.
Who knows? You may even get a friend after this.
Tip 2 – Get to Know the Dog
If the problem you’re facing is that the dog barks at you every time he sees you, it may be explained by the fact that he doesn’t really know you.
This is easily solvable too!
Just ask your neighbor to meet the dog.
Or, better yet, ask if he can bring the dog over to your yard to play.
And if things are going well with your neighbor, why not have them over more than once?
That makes even more sense if you have children or dogs.
That will allow the dog to get to know all your family and consider them friends.
That way, the only reason he’ll bark whenever he sees you is out of excitement.
Tip 3 – Block the Dog’s View
If your neighbor’s dog is barking every time you step into your garden or yard, you can just make life easier for him.
Block his view.
Plant some tall trees or bushes, add a hedge of a fence to that part of your outdoor space and just keep the dog from getting nervous from seeing you.
Tip 4 – Get the Dog Used to Your Presence
Or you can do the other way around.
Make sure to spend as much time as you can outside.
This will make the dog used to your presence, in time he’ll just find it normal to see you there.
Also, it’s a great solution for when dogs react to scents rather than sights.
If he’s smelling you rather than seeing you, getting used to your scent is the best way to go.
Tip 5 – Bribe the Dog
For this, you’ll need your neighbor’s approval.
If the dog barks when he sees you because he feels threatened, just bribe him with some tasty (but low calorie) treats!
But remember, only reward him when he stops barking, of course.
In time, he’ll know not to bark as soon as he sees you, waiting for his yummy reward.
If the dog’s issue is being left alone, there are also great tips you can offer your neighbor, like we did.
In our post 10 Tips for Leaving a Dog Home Alone, you’ll find a lot of ideas to try.
One of our fail-proof tip is the Kong.
Suggest it to your neighbor or just gift the dog one yourself.
That way, the dog will be occupied whenever your neighbor leaves, playing instead of barking.
Tip 6 – Use Technology as a Deterrent
In this day and age, of course there would be some piece of technology designed to help in this conundrum.
Well, we actually have two!
They are both barking deterrents, aimed at making the dog uncomfortable each time he barks.
IMPORTANT NOTE: It won’t hurt the dog, of course, just annoy him a little bit.
With this device, you just point it at the dog whenever he barks.
Remember to do it only when he barks because if you do it all the time, it will either lose the effect or cause the dog to not like you.
Which will probably make him bark even more.
This device is even simpler to use.
Just install it outside, it doesn’t even have to be very near the dog.
Whenever the device hears barking, it sends out a low-intensity, ultrasonic sound that only dogs will hear.
Meaning only dogs will be annoyed by it too, leading them to stop barking.
Tip 7 – File a Complaint
Do this only as the very last possible step.
Filing complaints either to the police, municipality or your homeowner’s association will absolutely ruin any relationship you have with your neighbor.
We advise it in cases where you’ve tried reasoning with your neighbor but he just doesn’t care.
If talking to him didn’t work and neither of the other tips we’ve mentioned changed anything, there is really no other option than to force your neighbor to do something about this situation.
But, quite honestly, when you have to resort to these kind of measures, the most likely loser here will be the dog.
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