Barking Complaint - HELP
 

Hey everyone I need some advice/suggestions.

I woke up this morning to a note from a unit upstairs saying that my little Bella is barking a lot and bothering them. This came as a complete shock to me because we have lived in this apartment for 5 months and this is the first we have ever heard anything about such "said" problem.
My partner and I work all day 8hours and Bella stays in a pen, with toys/bed/pee pad. She will be 2 years old in July and this has always been her routine since day one. Nothing in our schedule/routine has changed recently.
She voluntarily goes into her pen in the morning and does not make a peep, and when I get home she is quite as well. She also rarely barks only if there is someone at the door.
All of these things make me wonder if it is really my dog this unit is hearing. There is another dog next door to us that we constantly hear barking, so my thought is that they have mistaken us for the other unit....but there may be truth in this claim.
IF this is actually Bella, what are some suggestions? obviously can not quit my job and stay home all the time.
Full time daycare is EXPENSIVE.
Maybe a dog walker mid-day?
Any toys that would keep her busy/engaged?

Any suggestions or thoughts on your experiences would be appreciated.

:confused:

Before you explore those options, maybe you can find out for sure if it is your Bella that's barking? Maybe you can leave a tape recorder on...

VERY GOOD IDEA!!!

I would place a tape recorder on the table before you left for work in the
am to actually see if it is your dog barking. If the recorder is clean when
you get home you know it's your other neighbor and take it from there.
If it's your dog well there are different things you can try.
One step at a time.

Good luck,

I'm having the same problem. My Harley never barks when I am home, but a neighbor recently told me that he barks at random times during the day when I'm not home. The only thing I can think of is that he is barking when he has to go potty to let someone know. They have a sound thing that can help with barking, and it is just a little machine that sits in your home and it gives off a sound when it detects barking. Its supposed to stop them from barking. I forget what its called though. Good luck, and if you find any GREAT solutions, let me know too!

I would first verify that it is indeed your dog. It seems strange that she would suddenly start barking. Can you set up a voice recorder next to her pen? You can buy MP3 recorders fairly cheap that record for long periods. If it is your dog, I found online a barking collar for small dogs that you could try. If interested, I can try and find the link. In the interim, I would speak with the person who sent you the note, if you know who it is, and explain that you think they may have the wrong apartment but that you are investigating things from your end.

I am having my partner call today to talk to them and get more details. We can't really prove it isn't her yet, but the recorder is a great idea. If it is her I asked him to find out at what times and for how long. Maybe she hears the other dog barking and is talking to it!

I guess the next step if it is her is a collar or that noise machine...and possibly pay someone to walk her every couple of afternoons.

It just seems so out of character and totally gets me defensive, haha. I guess part of me thinks as well that dogs will bark occasionally so get over it???!!

I agree it may not be your baby making the noise

I was the same way! Don't expect total peace and quiet when you live in an apartment that allows dogs! Its justa given!

Bella is 16months old and has just started barking at noises outside. Like suddenly she has become the watch dog!
Perhaps some white noise like a box fan to drown out any noises like cardoor slams or people entering their apts...
She is protecting you while you are away perhaps ;)

barking
 

I think everyone ... everywhere should expect dogs to bark, whether they like dogs or not they are a part of daily life in America. We had a neighbor that would call on us if our dog would bark for 10min (and it was always when people were walking their dogs by...really close to our fence). I thought this guy was just a j.a. and still do. Now though I am on the other side of the fence... so to speak. We just had a navy couple move in next door w/ 2 labs. Ok... they bark for HOURS and HOURS... almost nonstop. While they are at work I can't even sit on my porch and talk on my phone cause no one can hear me (and they live caddy corner and across the street). They haven't just set back and let it happen they have covered their whole fence w/ tarping so their dogs won't see other people or dogs (a problem for them too), but they sit up on the deck til they see someone. I really feel sorry for them and as long as they are trying to solve the problem I will help them, but if they didn't give a who ha... I would be mad. I know their direct neighbors have to be going crazy... they wake us up EVERY morning!!! And wake my baby from his nap daily!

To the OP. Please let them know you are trying to fix the problem... they will probably be more sympathetic. If there is a noise law there like here... it doesn't just apply at night... that is a common misconception... they can call the police on you at 3pm and if you get enough calls they can ticket you and then take your dogs. That is what the cops told us and then when my husband looked up the law that was the case!

First I would make sure its Bella but also I would want to ask them why are they making so much noise to make her bark! I wonder if they thought about that. Stomping or running would sound like a herd of elephants to lil Bella! And I dont blame her if she was barking!