Puppy advice

Dogs bark, it's how they communicate. Neighbours complain, it's how they communicate. Neighbours don't understand dogs and vice versa.

The dogs are usually trying to draw your attention to something in the environment, it's their job ( in their own mind) unless trained differently.

The neighbours are usually trying to draw your attention too - mainly to the fact that they deeply resent the fact that they can't afford a detached house in it's own grounds where they can separate themselves from society and live by gratuitously feeling superior to everyone else...

But seriously, some efforts to train the dogs whilst in the garden might pay off. I can usually silence my terrier fairly quickly but it did take some consistent effort.

Your daughter might like to take the stance of saying that she will do her absolute best to make sure the dogs aren't too intrusive, but that's all she can do. Might be worth her keeping a log of all the 'approaches' - harassment is in the eye of the police/council...

I lived with horrible neighbours for 19 years, it takes its toll. I wish her the best of luck.

I haven't owned dogs for years, but are they left on their own all day, in which case they will bark a lot? Are they left on their own in the garden for long periods? Perhaps keep a diary of when the dogs are barking and when they are quiet, so should a complaint be made, you have some evidence?

Depends doesn’t it? If they’re going out two or three times a day for a short runaround and barking. The neighbours being unreasonable.

If they’re spending the day in the garden, barking all the time, your daughters being unreasonable.

Personally I think all dogs should be trained to to cease barking on command, as well as sit, stay, leave etc. A well trained dog is a happy dog.

Thank you. No not left alone as they’re in lockdown working at home 5 days a week. They’re doing their best to train the pups themselves. I can’t advise as we’ve always had cats. I’ll tell her to keep a note of the approaches by neighbours. They go into the garden for short spells to do their business or a run round between their regular walks.

I'm in a rental in a small terrace of houses with my sheltie and next door have two dogs, but they never bark - and if they do the owner hits them hard on the nose, which I thoroughly disapprove of, their noses are so sensitive.

My sheltie was used to barking a lot in our remote house and it's been difficult here, I always go into the garden with him, but sometimes he runs off barking and continues until I catch up with him and stop him. A neighbour who has never had a dog is really sensitive to it. I was shocked one day when she said she'd heard my dog barking and 'it went on so long I nearly came down to see if you were alright'. I'm moving shortly and wonder if the neighbour has complained, I hope I haven't spoilt it for other pet owner renters.

I doubt I need to say this to you, but for the sake of other reading the thread - hitting a dog for any reason at all is abhorrent and I am disgusted by people who do and who think it is acceptable. People who hit animals shouldn't own animals.

Hitting dogs is not training in any way shape or form. It is abuse and will create a fearful, more dangerous dog in many cases.

I trained my dog not to bark by consistently getting in front of her, making eye contact, putting my finger to my lips and saying the word "quiet". When she was quiet I praised her, when she barked I repeated the behaviour until she understood what I wanted from her. It is as simple as being consistent and learning to 'speak dog'. If she was trying to show me something I would let her know I'd seen it and that she'd done her 'job'.

Now, just the word quiet, or the cue of me putting my finger to my lips will stop her barking.

If you were leaving your dog for hours on end, 5 days a week while everyone was out at work/school and the neighbours could hear constant barking, then that would be a different matter. That doesn't seem to be the case with you. I would let my dog into the garden and if he barks, he barks. It's what dogs do. Your dog seems well cared for, so your neighbours won't have a leg to stand on should they report you. I would ignore them. You now know why the previous owners moved!

NellG ?

Now your daughter knows why the vendor was so keen to sell! Annoying neighbours.

Dogs bark for attention,it may be a good idea to leave the radio on whilst you are out as dogs need company.
I had a staffy and always left the radio on and she very rarely barked out side.
And i wouldn`t woory about the council,they are very unhelpfull,i know that from first hand experiance as far as noise is concerned.

Yes I knew that straight away. As soon as my daughter told me what this woman had said on the first meeting I knew. She also was dead against the previous owners having a loft conversion. I found this out from the council planning applications website. She also asked my daughter if she was planning one of those the first time she met her. So, yes, a trouble maker. My daughter and her partner saved for 9 years to buy this little house, their first purchase. I want to help her, relieve the worry she has about her neighbour. The pups are dear little dogs, nothing nasty about them at all. I’ll tell her about the quiet command tonight.

Our dogs barks sometimes in the garden as she is a rescue who needs constant attention. You can get soft mesh muzzles safe for the dogs it can help to train a dog. We use it rarely and our dogs gets the message and quietens down. I always have the radio on in the kitchen in the daytime. Our Jack Russell was very demanding I was broken hearted last year when he went at seventeen. Some people just don’t like dogs they will never change. The neighbour sounds like a bitch laying the law down. I would advise short sharp conversations in fact none. I wouldn’t give her the time of day in any respect.

How about trying those gadgets that attach to their collars and are supposed to stop them barking? Especially if other training doesn't work. They might only need to wear them when in the garden.

I have a wee jack russell who is 2 years old. He does bark at the window when he sees a bike, a pram or young children and also when in back garden he barks at the birds in the trees. He usually stops when I tell him but I do like the comment from the lady who uses the quiet command which I will try

Ive had dogs all my life. If they go out in the garden and bark, they have to come straight back in. I adore all dogs and prefer them to humans often, but a barking dog is very annoying to others. If they want to be outside then they are quiet!

Thanks about the mesh muzzles. I’ll tell her about those for in the garden. And about the collar attachments. She’s in all day working from home. They sit beside her in the dog bed cushion and don’t bark indoors. It’s when they go in the garden for a short spell. We’ve offered to go over and take them out during the day so they’re having extra walks. Thank you for all your support and suggestions, it’s really helpful.

I've had dogs all my life and I've found that smaller dogs do seem to be more barky (not a word, I know).
I now have a one year old Cavapoo who will bark when I let her out into the garden, only for the first 10 seconds or so, then quitetens down, if your daughter's dogs are only doing this, I can't see much wrong with it.
I have a smaller yard area at the back where she can't see out and she's quiet out there, so I make sure I only let her out into the garden after 9am and before about 8pm, the rest of the time in the yard, to be fair to neighbours.
Some advise on bullying neighbours. When I moved here over 20 years ago my next door neighbour warned me that a neighbour across the road would soon be asking me to cut down the tree at the front of my garden.
So, I was ready for her, she came over and complained the tree was too big and blocked her light (I'd already checked and any shadow from the tree went nowhere near her house) so I just told her I loved the tree and no way was it being cut down, smiled and walked away. She's still across the road and not another word said for 20years.
What I'm trying to say is, tell your daughter to not be apologetic about the dogs, (unless they are barking non stop night and day)
and just smile and say, "they're only let out between 9 and 8 so as not to disturb anyone, and barking is what dogs do", then walk away. If she acts as if she won't be bossed around, they will get bored and back off.
She will have to be honest with herself though and if they're letting them out at 7 in the morning to charge around the garden barking their heads off, then they need to walk the dogs on lead at that time, to calm them down. They could also try going in the garden with the dogs on leads until they stop barking and only let them off when they've quietened down.
Long post but hope it helps, don't let them bully!!!

Some good advice here about training dogs not to bark so much. I think the neighbours are being difficult so don't let your daughter get stressed about it Forsythia.

I agree about JRs being demanding Redhead and how I wish our boy was still here to boss us around.

Thank you all. I’ll pass on all helpful tips.

I have trained dogs to stop barking on command by initially praising them for barking. This helps to let the dog know what he is being told to stop doing.

I have just stated fostering a JRT . He is a very quick learner but too independent to make training as easy as it is for a GSD or collie.

started

PS teach the simple command "Bark" then teach the simple command "Shut".

I don't think that those collars are a good idea, if you're talking about the ones that give an electric shock. I that the RSPCA are ant them too.

Do they bark when they’re let out together? What if they’re let out one at a time? Are they barking at anything in particular? My daughters Miniature Schnauzer barks at any birds that dare to enter her garden.