5 Effective Ways to Stop Your Neighbor’s Dog From Barking

Even if you’re the most devoted parent to your own dogs, it can be frustrating when a neighbor’s dog just won’t stop barking. Whether you’re trying to work from home, sleep off a night shift, or simply enjoy peace and quiet, hearing incessant yapping can quickly become frustrating.

Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to address the situation.

First, remember that none of this is the dog’s fault. They’re not barking with the intent of being annoying; they’re simply being a dog and communicating that their needs are perhaps not being met as well as they could be.

Some dog breeds are territorial, and any small movements near their house can trigger a spate of barking. Other dogs might simply be bored, and after spending hours in their crate, they have started to bark simply as something to do. Some dogs are reactive and will get excited by external sounds and bark as a way to release frustration.

Whichever issue is affecting your neighbor’s dog, we’ve put together five effective ways that you can stop them from barking.

The 5 Effective Ways to Stop Your Neighbor’s Dog From Barking

1. Talk to Your Neighbors

The first step is to try and meet your neighbors face to face to let them know their pup has been noisy. If they’re away from home when the dog is barking, they may not even know that there’s a problem. So, approach them first and gently let them know about their dog.

Your neighbors might already be working on solving the barking issue, but you can always prepare information, including these training tips from the Humane Society.

2. Secure Your Boundary

Some dog breeds are more territorial than others, so if it seems that the barking increases as you enter a certain area of your backyard, you might be able to create a more secure boundary so the dog can’t see you so easily. Putting up fencing and adding hedging or screening can help decrease the amount of visual stimulation that your neighbor’s dog will be getting every time you step into your backyard.

3. Make Friends With Your Neighbor’s Dog

Reducing visual stimuli can help reduce barking, but we all know that dogs also have an amazing sense of smell. So, it’s time to make friends with that doggo and help them realize that you’re nice to be around! Ask your neighbor if you can meet their dog and spend time getting to know them.

If your neighbor agrees, you can bring along dog treats, taking into account any allergies or special food requirements. Your neighbor might suggest that it’s okay for you to feed the dog a few treats during the day while they’re out, all with the purpose of getting their dog relaxed enough in your presence so they don’t feel the need to bark whenever they see, smell, or hear you in your yard. If possible, it’s a great idea to allow your neighbor’s dog time to come over and explore your yard too.

You may also like: 7 Humane Ways to Keep Neighbor Dogs Out of Your Yard

4. Buy an Ultrasonic Bark Control Device

Ultrasonic whistles and bark control devices emit sounds that we can’t hear but dogs can. These can be used to train dogs to reduce the frequency of their barking. You can buy a manual ultrasonic whistle, and each time the dog barks, you’ll blow the whistle. This can be effective, but you need to make sure you use the whistle straight away, and that’s not always possible.

You can also buy an automatic bark control deterrent, which works just like the whistle but you don’t need to do anything because it detects barking within a certain radius and will automatically emit an ultrasonic sound in response.

Some dogs will bark more in response to an ultrasonic whistle, as the noise can startle them. Once they’re used to it, though, you should notice a decrease in the amount of barking. Remember that all dogs within a certain radius will be able to hear the ultrasonic noise, not just the one that’s doing the barking.

5. File a Noise Complaint

If you’ve tried all the above tips and still nothing is working, it might be time to think about filing a noise complaint. You’ll likely need to do research to find the correct authority to speak to, as this can vary from area to area. Usually, it will fall to Animal Control authorities, so try contacting them first. It’s a good idea to start making a note of rough times that the barking is more frequent, as you’ll probably be asked to start keeping a record.

Other neighbors might also want to complain, so it can be worth asking around to see if anyone else is as annoyed by the barking as you are. If you’re concerned that the dog is being abused or neglected, you should also mention this. The police won’t normally get involved in noise complaints initially, but they may if the problem continues without being resolved.

We hope that’s helped! All these solutions do involve a fair bit of effort on your part, but they can effectively help solve the issue of that noisy neighborhood pooch.

Featured Image Credit: Jne Valokuvaus, Shutterstock