Neighbor Complained About Barking...
 

When leaving my apartment the other day I noticed a letter in my door. The letter was a complaint regarding my dog's barking. I have never had an issue with his barking and never received any complaints before. I've had him for more than 2 years now. I normally leave him in the bathroom closed off with a baby gate with his food, water, blankets and toys. I've been doing this for years. He normally barks for a few minutes when I leave and then stops. This neighbor says he barks from the time I leave and then for hours after. When I come home from work he isn't barking. If i'm home for a few minutes and don't let him out he does bark some. I can't help how early I need to leave (I'm in the military) and I can't really afford doggy day care. I'm really upset because Oliver is such a sweet dog and not yappy at all. He doesn't bark at all when i'm home with him unless he's trying to get my attention or something is bothering him, but even then it's a bark or two. Dogs bark, that's what they do. Please help!

Hi and welcome to YT! these little ones can bark! is there a reason why you block him in the bathroom where he is 2 yrs old? maybe if he had a bigger area to roam he wouldn't bark...have you tried leaving the tv on for him so he thinks you are still there?...maybe this would work

I would get a web cam to watch him, maybe it isn't as bad as what your neighbor is saying.

Your neighbor is probably just not a dog person, so thats why they did that. Theres someone down the road from us and there dogs bark all day at everything and another (non dog) person got annoyed and decided to report ALL the dogs in the neighborhood including Rosco who never even barks.

The only reason he's kept in the bathroom is because I'm gone for most of the day and his little bladder can't always hold out until I get home. I put puppy pads down for him in the bathroom so if he needs to relieve himself he can.

This is what I would do. If the neighbor is lying, you have proof. If they aren't, you know for certain there is something you need to address and can move forward accordingly.

After a while, they learn where to go. Kaji walks himself to the bathroom when he needs to go from anywhere in the house, whether I'm home or not. They're smart little guys. :)

I wonder if an ex-pen might be better for him, you can put the pads down in it, along with the food, blankets, etc and he would be quite happy. We switched over to an ex-pen when I got my new little pups, two years ago and they are so content just sitting in it when we go out shopping, etc. Lots of luck. You might try getting another dog, also, that really helps!

Try a radio for him or something?

Id get a webcam too if I were you. It could be another dog barking that your neighbor hears and thinks it's yours. :) Goodluck! :D

I might be inclined to get a web cam to watch him, and if I had a peephole in my door, a second web cam to see if the/a neighbor/external noise level, etc. is bothering him. I'd get web cams that record, much as I'd hate to go through all that video, but I'd want to know the full situation since the report the neighbor made is so contradictory to what you know of your Yorkie. Just a thought...:D

So would I :) Just in case maybe it is that bad - if you're not there, how will you know?

Not with Harry, but with our labrador, we had the same problem, and I bought one of those sound-activated recording thingys....and I realised that what our neighbour was saying was quite right...:eek: :D SO embarassing...;)

I also agree, maybe more freedom to roam? Harry's 19 months now, and has free run of the house, it's really made a world of difference. He HATED being kept enclosed - now he can sit on top of the sofa, viewing his empire for all he's worth....:D

Good luck! Sally + Harry x

Or run a video and watch it when you get home to see what he's doing.
BTW...Thank you.

A radio can block the noises in the neighborhood that might set him off, if he is barking.
My husband had a bassset hound that never made much noise- it wasn't til she passed on that a neighbor mentioned she missed Pokey's howling when no one was home.

I just love dogs - have been raised with dogs & had them all my life & I am a true Dog Love r- but as someone who lived almost 5 years next to an almost constantly barking dog, I know it can ruin your quality of life. It can get so wearing that you want to pull your hair out by the roots when a dog will just go on for hours with only a minute to three minutes between sessions - all day & into the evening. Hours & hours of bark, bark, bark, bark - on & on & on. I finally had to start sleeping in the den to avoid the 6: 30 a.m. morning barking sessions. I finally, after many letters & calling Animal Control, had to go over & talk to the neighbor & then a City of Mesquite Environmental Health official helped out. My neighbor was very angry, denying her dog was a barker but within 3 days, the barking stopped almost entirely. I thank God for my return to a life of peace - it is priceless. You will never know what it is like unless you have to live through something like it. Now her dogs are peaceful, just as happy as ever, bark only occasionally but appropriately as any dog would & life is so good again in my home! Of course, I don't know - in your case it may be totally different & your dog is just barking normally but I would get a webcam or do something to check it out & try to see if the neighbor's complaints are warranted. And you owe it to your dog to try to help it, if it is spending its day this way.

If it is true, it sounds like your sweet baby is bored to tears & maybe even has separation anxiety & if he's a Yorkie, is probably insulted that he's confined to that tiny, enclosed area all day when his active little mind & body want to play & have some fun while you're gone. He's young enough still to be rebellious over his situation - later, as an older dog he would probably just accept it. I would read up on Google & the library here about how to train a dog not to bark, how to "treat" separation anxiety with desensitization training to the situation of being alone & housebreak him or confine him to a larger room. If it turns out he is a barker, he will be the happier for finding a better way to deal with his frustrations & anxieties & having an open area to stay in may help his enjoyment of his day more. I hope you can work it out if he is a barker as dog's usually are trainable & manageable if you are patient & persistent & loving in dealing with their issues. Good luck!

Good post Jeanie!! :) Glad you're relaxed enough in your mind now, to be getting back to 'normal'!! ;) :D Sally + Harry x