Help with neighbours and my dog

[CocosMum]

Help, I don't know what to do any more... And yes this is to do with the dog, bear with me. Any advice on dealing with this situation would be most appreciated. I'm not sure if I'm over-reacting or just being precious. Now to the problem. This is a bit of a novel so thanks for reading this far.

I live in a unit attached to one other. I rent mine, the other person owns hers. She has a very old, very grumpy dog who lives outside due to her incontinence issues. This dog apparently has major hearing loss. If any other dog comes onto the property or walks past the end of the drive Rabbit goes nuts and barks and barks, but at 14 or more years old her bark is pretty quiet. Enter Coco, again one dog, also a bitch, much younger at only 3 and used to being indoors and out. Coco loves to play with cats and chases them at every opportunity in the hopes of them playing with her. She also likes to make friends with other dogs. Coco does not like being left at home alone and is quite protective of myself and my daughter. She barks to alert me if anyone is coming to the door. At the moment Coco is extra territorial because of her new litter of puppies that she is protecting. Of note, our units are next to a public access way to a bush area out the back and people use this accessway both to go for walks and also to get to and from the primary school which it leads into.

The neighbor regularly takes Coco for walks if she is tethered outside when I am out and also provides treats like bones and other goodies. Coco thinks that the neighbor is the most wonderful woman in the world and loves to go and visit her.

So far so good right??? Well no. I have had numerous "tellings" from the neighbor that the dog barks too much (strangely only when I am out) and that she is not allowed down on the back lawn without a leash as she scares the stray cat that has adopted the yard as her own. She also regularly tells me that I need to walk my dog more often so she is not bored and doesn't bark. She even (in front of someone I don't know) told me off yesterday that Coco was barking too much at night and during the day and I should keep her quiet - her solution being take her for more walks. She knows that Coco whelped at Easter, I made sure to tell her and to invite her to visit the pups. I am not able to take Coco out for half a day at the beach at the moment - she needs to be close to the pups. And I do walk her at least twice a day, generally in the morning before the neighbour rises and again later in the evening or even after dark when the heat of the day has gone.

Now I know that Coco barked four times at 2am the other morning - there was someone wandering around the walkway and she was warning me, and them, that they were around and so was she. I quickly hushed her and locked her inside but I can't keep hushing her every moment of the day, or stop her from doing her job of protecting her home and family (or should I). I would say she actually barks less than the other dog, and certainly for much shorter periods, she is just louder than a barkless dog... as you would expect.

I am aware that Coco was barking quite a lot when I went out (she suffers from separation anxiety and we had just had a marital separation and moved house). I purchased a sonic collar to try to stop it - that didn't work, so I went against my usual judgement and purchased a shock collar which seemed to do the trick - except when the batteries went flat. Didn't matter though, Coco had worked out that barking was not good and stopped doing it. One day while I was out Coco got so wound up that she got completely tangled up in her tether and then a neighbour (not sure which one but suspect it is the one that doesn't like extractor fans) called animal control who came and confiscated Coco citing lack of access to water and shelter - there were two water bowls in reach of the tether and a carport with a blanket bed in it for her. Since spending some time at Animal Welfare (2 nights in the end due to Waitangi Day) she has calmed right down and is now able to be left tethered outside and has chosen a spot that she likes to sit. Now she doesn't bark when I am out except if she sees me go walking without her... she barks a little when I get back as a greeting but stops as soon as she gets a pat.

This neighbour also told me off because my shower extractor was too noisy and woke her up - I ended up showering in the dark for 2 months while I waited for approval to change the switch so I could have the light without the fan. I do my best to be a quiet and considerate neighbor but I'm feeling like her expectation is too much. I mean really - a fan, with a noise barrier in the roof between the two dwellings (it's a legal requirement), is too noisy and disturbs her?

So my question (finally) is - should I be trying to stop the barking completely or is it reasonable for a dog to bark occasionally (and more often in the morning when people are walking their dogs directly past her hedge)? Am I pandering too much to the whims or requirements of the neighbour? My landlord is fully aware that I have a dog, that she is young and that she was pregnant. I told the neighbour when I moved in that I had a dog and that she was young.

Can anybody help me with this? Am I being over sensitive and should I just shut up and get the dog to do the same, or is she being unreasonable in her demands?

HEEEEEEEELP! And thanks for reading so far through this novel.

[Teddy]

If shes barking outside then you might consider leaving her in the house when you are away? our dogs tend to prefer that over feeling like they are guarding all of the outside aswell as inside... thats possibly why you are getting the barking as other dogs walk past a hedge.... barking is a tough one, especially if your home is joined to another... personally i wouldn't tie a dog up when i leave, there is far to many variables that can lead to them in a bad situation... inside would be the best option...

Look for the waht sets her off barking... is it visual or sound... most likely sound however they are also good at predicting when events happen, such as a regular walker walking past...

The barking could be for several reasons... if its uncontrolable barking then its usually not a situation of been trained as a guard dog, rather its more to do with anexity or fear... exercise can help however most likely she has asserted herself into the dominant position and therefore feels the need to protect the area...

Some things to think about is how you deal with her barking, do you heighten it? increase the energy? or assert a strong calm signal which stops her... does she charge at the door when barking?

She will be more alert due to having puppies and all dogs do bark however they shouldn't bark all the time...

So the angry old lady takes her for walks>? what is the lawn out the back? is it her land or yours? I don't know much about angry neighbours usually there's a mutal respect once you find out some dodgy stuff they do, lol... and tell them about it... if you are only renting I guess worse case senario is that you can move out... she should probably be lucky she doesn't have some dodgy drug dealers living next door...!

I don't know usually old people are just bored and want attention... talkings usually the best cure... citing the need to mutally resolving the issues... sometimes they are testing you - she might be right into training dogs and sees it as her duty to train you .... you could ask her what she would do to resolve the barking, give you some tips... you know envolve her a bit more so she feels like she is now taking responsibilty for the dogs barking.... i know she mentioned more walks, so ask her what else can you do to stop the barking... 2 walks a day is heaps... there is more to a barking dog than just exercise

a fan extractor complaint I don't think should be your issue, this is probably the landlords and she should take it up with them...

Definitly talk to the neighbour and if it were me I would just play on asking her for advice... that way if she does bark then you can go around the next morning and say my dog is barking you advice isn't working lol.... the other option if you really don't like her is to ignore her, you shouldn't change your life to suit someone elses.. atleast without compromise from the other party aswell....

[sl_simpson]

Hi
Here is my thoughts. Personally I hate walking past other house that have dogs barking when I walk by and more so when the dog rushes at the fence (most being rather agressive). Also dislike dogs barking in the neighborhood during the day or night. I also disslike my dog doing the same to anyone else, barking or rushing up to the fences
(She more bing over excited than aggressive). We as dog owners can even incurr a fine if our dogs just frightens someone by rushing up and or barking. So to eliminate this ever happening I have endevoured to train both my dogs not to do this. It has taken alot of training me more so than the dog on how to best handle the situation.

What I understand with separation anxiety is that it occurs when we are not being pack leaders, the dog see's themselves as pack leader, also with possesiveness or protecting ones property. Jan Fennell covers a good amount of this issue in her book and how to deal with it. It's quite a lot to explain but if you can get hold of her book it will be of get value to you ( The Dog Listener). One simple first step to do is not to greet her when you get home or when you enter another room and see her,ignore her for a min of 5mins, when she has settled down and moved away from you, then call her over to you and calmly praise her with a pat. The book explains alot more. But re-establishing the pack leader solves alot of problems. Including the barking and over protecting.

I too live with a walkway on one boundary and have had a similar situation with my dog reacting to people and dogs walking by at all hours if they are in the yard.
I do not leave my dogs tied up in the yard they are locked inside. In part to eliminate them barking around the yard outside. Also to protect them from any dogs jumping the fence and having a go at them. I had an incident where an over enthusiastic young 2 year old husky jumped over my fence into the front yard to have a ply and she actually pick up my Casey by mouth and gave him a little shake. Casey is only 6.5kg on the smaller size of the spoodle range. He got freeked out as well as me, I was mortified.
He got so spooked and has taken a long time to get him settled down with dogs running past, he gets alittle whinny and barky and pases around.

Since being through some canine good citizen classes under a really good trainer. I have learn't a better way of handling it. Also reading Jan Fennell's book, the number one thing to do to establishing the pack leader (Jan Fennell way)
Part of the training through the canine good citizen classes, has included having a small squirt bottle ( sharp squirt nossile position not misty spray) its filled with water and vinegar. I have put them on lead for a while and when the children or other dogs went past I would ask then to sit and stay. At first Bella would start to pull and bark on the lead, gave her a quick squirt (with out her seeing the bottle) and asked them to sit again and stay, when she and he did so praised and treated. They took more notice because I had refocused their attention to me and they got a treat for behaving. I did this a number of times a day when home and eventually under took it with her off lead. If Bella made a move to rush up to the fence I would say "utt" in a strong voice and sit firmly, if she did not obey she got a squirt, when obeyed was praised and treated.
If they are in the yard on there own, but I was close by I would call them to come inside in a positive happy voice, if they came they got a treat, if they did not come in the first instant and if I was not close enough I would turn the hose on and give them a quick squirt. Gave them praise when they came and remained quite.
They both now sit or lay down in the front yard, both take alittle notice of what's going on but don't react when anyone or dog goes past, yay but it has taken time, especially with the set back of the dog jumping the fence and upsetting Casey.

[CocosMum]

Thank you both for your wonderfully helpful responses. I have already started with trying to get her to ignore passers by.

Interestingly dog control turned up today to say that they had had two complaints about barking in the last week about Coco. Apparently the officer had been out to see me after the first incident and had listened and not heard anything. When he came to the front door and knocked then he saw Coco through the blinds and saw that she was inside so even though she barked he left because if she is inside then she is not a true problem in his opinion. The second complaint was received yesterday. I was home for most of yesterday - went out from 2.30 to 3.30 and again from 6.30 to 8 pm - each time Coco was quiet when I left and again when I returned. The dog down the back however barked for most of the day (as I said before she is old and doesn't bark terrifically loudly) and I for one didn't complain. When I leave Coco at the moment she is of course inside due to the puppies.

I'm at my wits end - apparently she only barks when I am not there or when my ears are stuffed with cheese. The officers came in, saw that she has pups, talked to me and were happy to leave it as that. I am happy to comply with any and all demands that they make of me and they have suggested that if she is outside then she wears her collar to ensure no barking but she won't be tethered out there basically until the pups leave.

So who is complaining and how the hell do I do whatever it is that they want in order to stop her? I feel like someone wants me to get rid of my dog or to have it removed from me.

*end of rant*

[Teddy]

can't do much till someone talks to you...

[CocosMum]

The saga continues... the rental agent got a letter, apparently signed by 10 of my neighbors to say that my dog needs to be queit between 8pm and 8am on week days and until 9am Saturday and 10am Sunday, that my dog is underexercised because they rarely see me exercising her, and that she roams the neighborhood "crapping" on people's lawns and chasing their cats. It makes me laugh now because I tried putting a clock in the puppy room and they just can't read it, Coco is not much better! I fenced the place, occasionally, like maybe once a fortnight she gets out and I immediately go and get her, and if you don't see something happening then does that mean it doesn't happen? And this morning when I was in the shower she bashed on the door and told me to turn the extractor fan off in my bathroom because she is "exhausted from my fucking dog". I politely asked her if she was paying my rent and advised her to call noise control... This is getting ridiculous. I can't go out at all now without a call being placed to animal welfare (even if I drive away, park at a friend's place out of view down the road and then sneak back... so I know she is not barking!) and she has at least twice entered my home without my permission (or me being there) and taken my dog out. Police visit this morning to see what we can do about harrassment.

And also have had Coco assessed by the vet and placed on an anti-depressant to try to curb any remaining separation anxiety issues so she is pretty heavily medicated and really not causing many issues as far as I can see... perhaps I'm wrong, I'm happy to admit it if I am....

[pj and rosie and brogan]

Hi, sounds like your life is a nightmare - I can't offer anything but support. Maybe you should ask to see the letter and go and talk to all your neighbours. It sounds like involving the police is the only way to go especially when your neighbours are entering your property and removing your possessions (Coco) - isn't that theft.
Best of luck
PJ

[sl_simpson]

If you can be bothered to .....Do you have a video camera with good microphone or know anyone with one? Might be good to try and video what is happening when you are not home. Restrict your dogs access to a limited number of rooms so you can observe what might be happening. Don't let your neighbour know that you have a video camera set up. Hopefully it could be used as evidence that it's not your dog,or if she is doing somthing she shouldn't when your out. Also evidence of what your neighbour might be up to when you are out. They should not be entering your property without any notcie. Why do they have a key?

Personally I think it might be good for you to move to another rental if poss. Once neighbours get their nickers in a twist about anything it's quite hard to get them to change their fixed mind set.

[CocosMum]

Thanks for the support guys! I really needed somewhere to vent and this was a good place to get it all out!

So I went to the police and they have arranged a trespass order for her so she can't come on the property without fear of prosecution. I'm not sure if it will help but we'll see. The rental agent is incredibly supportive and sees that she is a nutter. I got the letter and there are five houses, one of which is all the way at the other end of the street, who signed so I put a letter out to everyone in the street giving my contact details and explaining that I will happily clean any messes up and requesting that they speak to me directly. I've already had one neighbour come down to talk to me directly and say that I have her full support, that they have heard nothing, and that they will call if they find any problems. Animal Welfare have agreed to phone me directly if they have a complaint so that I can sort it out, or let them know if it isn't Coco who is in the wrong and I'm keeping a diary of what happens when I am here and when I am out with times etc. So it's not all bad I suppose!

I agree about moving and I'm looking, it will take a while as I'm locked in for 12 months, but also there is a shortage of 2 bedroom places in my price range and area, especially those that will allow a dog. Also - I don't know how she has a key as I haven't given her one or put one out for emergencies (though she did ask me to) and the only other option is that she is somehow breaking in but I can't for the life of me figure out how. The police have agreed to ask for any keys in her posession and they will be visiting today to do that...

Again, thanks for all your support, I really do appreciate it.

Watch this space!

[Teddy]

OMG i think i missed half of this conversation... things have really heated up...! yeah get naughbour support.. yes trespassing and burglary is criminal and if she does take your dog then that is theift... i'm wondering what is leading her to do such extreme stuff? why is she so concerned about your dog all the time? Is she just a naughbour from hell? you should take some photos of houses so we can get a better idea of how close together your homes are? this is such a strange person...