Barking dogs.

**mtngirl79** · 03-10-2019, 12:50 PM

Someone is complaining that my dog is barking. There was a note on my door a few weeks ago. It gave no specifics on times.

I asked my next door neighbor and he said every once in a while and never for very long and it doesnt bother him. Nobody lives on the other side of me.

I work split shifts so I'm gone about 4 hours and back 3 to 5 hours and gone for 4 again. I am almost never gone in the evening/night time.

I never come home to barking.

There are a lot of dogs here and it's not uncommon to hear barking.

So today someone knocks on my door. Murphy barks a couple times and I go to the door and go outside to talk to the person. It is animal control.

He stops barking as soon as I answer the door. While I'm outside talking to animal control and he is inside he whined a little, but did not bark.

The lady seemed to feel like the complain was unwarranted but I am concerned. How can I know what happens when I'm not here and how can I make this not be a problem? I don't know who complained. I don't know when the barking supposively happens.

My neighbors at my previous address said he rarely barked.

What am I suppose to do?

**Brownski** · 03-10-2019, 12:59 PM

Get a doorbell and one or two indoor cameras maybe. At least you’ll be able to monitor what’s going on. You may figure out who’s complaining as well

**Flyoverland Captive** · 03-10-2019, 01:05 PM

Get a video baby monitor that records.

**skiJ** · 03-10-2019, 01:15 PM

They should tell you who complained ( and they may not. ) …

I believe it is Most important to Be Calm during these encounters : animal control has a job to do -- If you are Calm, and responsive to their comments(,) I believe a lot of these complaints don't escalate ( This is the goal ) …

There is something of a new moral authority out there : you are supposed to do things ( animal care ) the way They want you to do things.
( I am having to change my travel practices (with dogs) for this reason ( after thirty years... ) )

IF 'Murph' is inside while you are at Work, this should not go anywhere
( If you are leaving Murphy in the yard while you are at Work, you may want to modify this . )

based on your outspoken nature, I would not be surprised if you are targeted by someone...

I would change my living situation before I would give up my dogs...

finally, this is Not (necessarily) a dog issue., It is a people issue
( Before animal control comes back, I would ask your seemingly supportive neighbor If he would speak to them in support of you and Murphy. … and then If animal control comes back, I would encourage You to participate in a conversation with that neighbor... )

finally2, do not leave Murphy in the yard while you are at Work ( You could come home to find him gone or poisoned. )

I am sorry for this mtngirl. (tj)

**Core Shot** · 03-10-2019, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by skiJ

finally2, do not leave Murphy in the yard while you are at Work ( You could come home to find him gone or poisoned. )
)

Or shot by a cop

**mtngirl79** · 03-10-2019, 01:32 PM

There is no yard. I live in an apartment.

The conversation with animal was calm. She seemed to feel the complaint was unwarranted and said she would write in her report what she saw.. ie, a few barks when she knocked... then no more.

If this escalates it could be serious issues, though. I had a terrible time finding a place that would let me have him and it a pretty seedy place.

On the other hand I cant see them wanting to lose a quiet (other than this day time barking that supposively happens), reliable, non criminal tenant, so who knows...

I will talk to the next door neighbor again.

**mcski** · 03-10-2019, 01:37 PM

You could get him a bark collar too to help modify the behavior. Some people say the citronella works, but I went all in on the ol sparky version and it made a difference

**mtngirl79** · 03-10-2019, 01:44 PM

I'm not going to put a shock collar on him unless I actually believe he is nuisance barking.

**muted** · 03-10-2019, 01:45 PM

I was told our dogs bark all the time when we leave, and shut up when we come home. I believe my neighbors, because one of our dogs is a Great Pyrenees. Not saying yours barks ALL THE TIME, like ours, but (some, most) dogs do act different alone is what I learned.

We put them inside now when we leave, which you can't do unfortunately. The real problem dog has a shock collar now. It lets him get a few barks out with some minor irritation, after that he knows the it ramps up the more he barks so after that: he stops barking.

**mtngirl79** · 03-10-2019, 01:50 PM

I just feel like my old neighbors would have told me or my current next door neighbor.

Or I would come home to barking. Or leave to barking.

I dont know. Trying to find a recording thing but they are complicated and expensive.

Would those voice activated spy recorders start recording when a dog barks?

**muted** · 03-10-2019, 01:53 PM

I never came home to barking because the dogs could hear my car a block away and run to the gate all happy. I guess yours couldn't do the same in an apartment so easily.

And you may be right about someone thinking it's your dog when it's not. I'm surrounded by dogs in my neighborhood and sometimes get confused who is who.

**MarcusBrody** · 03-10-2019, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by mtngirl79

I just feel like my old neighbors would have told me or my current next door neighbor.

Or I would come home to barking. Or leave to barking.

I dont know. Trying to find a recording thing but they are complicated and expensive.

Would those voice activated spy recorders start recording when a dog barks?

A webcam really shouldn't be that expensive. Do you have a personal computer? You could basically just skype yourself (though there are somewhat more elegant ways of doing it).

**mtngirl79** · 03-10-2019, 02:06 PM

I have a computer but I use my phone for internet.

Could I get a webcam (I have a desk top without one) and have it record for 4 hours while I'm gone?

**Flyoverland Captive** · 03-10-2019, 02:11 PM

If you just want audio, use Audacity (free recording software) and a microphone. Audacity shows an image of the sound wave, so you can quickly see spikes where noises occurred, without needing to review the whole day. Super easy to use.

**liv2ski** · 03-10-2019, 02:12 PM

You said an apartment, which to me means there are multiple units around you. So you can ask everyone if there is an issue or leave a big note on your door asking anyone to contact you directly if barking from your unit is an issue. The bark collar is a good idea as dogs can bark when bored. I work from home and my guys can bark when somebody walks by and they aren't sleeping. If it doesn't bug the person closest to you, maybe they are not home when Murphy is barking and it is someone who is. Maybe they work nights and try and sleep during the day while the barking is happening? That would annoy me, so a bark collar sounds like the solution or they need to buy some ear plugs.

**MarcusBrody** · 03-10-2019, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by mtngirl79

I have a computer but I use my phone for internet.

Could I get a webcam (I have a desk top without one) and have it record for 4 hours while I'm gone?

You could, but you'd likely end up with a really big file. Flyover Captive's audio plan is a good one if you're going to be recording.

**mtngirl79** · 03-10-2019, 02:16 PM

So I could just get a microphone? Or a baby monitor that records... ?

**liv2ski** · 03-10-2019, 02:18 PM

Follow post #14 instructions, so a microphone.

**mtngirl79** · 03-10-2019, 02:21 PM

I will get a microphone today and attempt this tomorrow. Google says audacity records for 13 hours.

**Flyoverland Captive** · 03-10-2019, 02:26 PM

Audacity creates a proprietary “project” sound file that you can then export to MP3 (or WAV, or whatever) if you want to save it as evidence. It’s really easy to use. I’ve recorded up to 8 hours without a problem. The files are big, but much smaller than videos of the same length.

**skiJ** · 03-10-2019, 02:26 PM

edit : apparently audacity in 2019. Way beyond my twentieth century technology. Good luck...
_ _ _

I am not sure how far a recording gets you --
unless you record and save no barking at the same time there is a report of barking. . .

do you have an old (cell) phone with a voice recording feature ( it used to be Very common ) (?)

otherwise, a voice recorder is about $40 (forty) ;
I think the one I have would store 200hours ( On as you leave, Time and Date )
( a more expensive one could transfer files to your computer for almost unlimited storage ( to flash drives ) )

oh. you can still get cassettes - and an old cassette recorder at the thrift store for ten bucks ( actually, it is harder to find tapes. but they are our there )

again, I don't think recordings are the solution ( The solution is to get the complaint to Stop )
but there are some ideas. . .

**Flyoverland Captive** · 03-10-2019, 02:34 PM

Recordings are a good way to find out what happens when you’re away; if you don’t hear your dog barking but get a complaint, then there’s your evidence.

**Benny Profane** · 03-10-2019, 02:40 PM

Get a barking cat.

**wooley12** · 03-10-2019, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by mtngirl79

Someone is complaining that my dog is barking. There was a note on my door a few weeks ago. It gave no specifics on times.

I asked my next door neighbor and he said every once in a while and never for very long and it doesnt bother him. Nobody lives on the other side of me.

I work split shifts so I'm gone about 4 hours and back 3 to 5 hours and gone for 4 again. I am almost never gone in the evening/night time.

I never come home to barking.

There are a lot of dogs here and it's not uncommon to hear barking.

So today someone knocks on my door. Murphy barks a couple times and I go to the door and go outside to talk to the person. It is animal control.

He stops barking as soon as I answer the door. While I'm outside talking to animal control and he is inside he whined a little, but did not bark.

The lady seemed to feel like the complain was unwarranted but I am concerned. How can I know what happens when I'm not here and how can I make this not be a problem? I don't know who complained. I don't know when the barking supposively happens.

My neighbors at my previous address said he rarely barked.

What am I suppose to do?

I had a neighbor that went nuts if someone elses dog barked but was only slightly annoyed when his own dog barked. Same neighbor once said about his annoying (to me) loud Harly that "One persons noise is another persons music." Truth. I'd get something in writing from your neighbor about the dog not barking for the next time the warden shows up and forget about it. and go ski.