Tips for reducing neighbour's dog barking?

[Jules]

hmmmmm..

A white trash family have moved nearby the studio, their "dangerous dog" is let lose out in a yard they have recently 'built' for it. It makes an unreasonable ammount of noise for an inner city street. These people are a) dumb, b) Anti social / hard to communicate with.

I may print up flyers and drop em in all doors except theirs with an note urging folks to call the city noise prevention hotline numbers..

poison springs to mind.... so does a gun....

But what legal / humane ways can you 'learn' a dog to shut the f**k up?

Are there any hi tech ultrasonic aids that could help me. I am perfectly happy to make the critter miserable in return by deafening it with high pitched noise.

The barritone doberman barks at passers by, it has a clear view of a regualr sidewalk, so.... people pass by.. And so it goes.

[cram]

Jules, I had this same problem. We got some new neighbors kiddy-corner from us (my studio is in my house). Not only do they have a braying Beagle, they have KIDS too!! The Beagle messed up one of my vocal sessions by howling... All. Day. Long. While I was thinking of different and satisfying ways to shoot the pest, my wife (she's way smarter than me) had an idea.

So, we introduced ourselves to the new neighbors, and let them know that we also have a dog (Golden Retriever) who would love to play with their Beagle. They thought it was a capital idea. So now, whenever I have a session and the Beagle is braying, I run my dog next door and let them play. No more barky malarky.

Now, the KIDS are a different story. I'm not sure what to do about them. I'm not going to talk to my wife about that particular problem. It might give her unacceptable ideas.

Has anyone ever noticed that little girls have a frequency in their "play scream" that is like a dentist drill in strength and duration? Their "play scream" is an uncommon, unequalled torture.

[sonic dogg]

i have three girls...who all used to have a 'play scream'...now they're all grown up adults....where's my f****ng medal?...there was a year or two where i considered voluntary deafness as a way of life.....

[Nutmeg II.]

Did you say girls?
Well that is a problem! If they were boys I would give them a Playstation or what ever to play indoors.

But wait! Girls love horse!!! Try to give them the idea of how lovly it would be if the going to ride horses.

In terms of the dog you could train him like Pavlov did to shut da fuab.
Just sit there and if some body pass by calm him down and feed him. If it don't work use some tranquilizerz insid some meat, so he'll be quite for som hours.

[Rab]

Can you see the dog from a back (preferably upstairs) window? If so, just to develop the Pavlov theme (at least this is scientifically proven to be effective), you could try shooting it with airgun pellets when barking. Dogs are intelligent, it will soon make the connection...

peacefully checking out the local felines = no pain
barking at pedestrians = air gun pellet in the head

It's also proven that dogs enjoy discipline... he'll love you for it in the end and you get to play out any Lee Harvey Oswald fantasies you may have in the meantime.

Hey, it was just an idea...

[Fletcher]

Originally posted by Nutmeg II.
But wait! Girls love horse!!!

Yeah... but that gets seriously expensive... and then you have to consider the sharing needles thing... and...

[wrave]

I've got the same problem and haven't found an answer just yet. But my work schedule is such that most of the time I can only record in the early morning between 4:00 AM and, on the weekends, as late as 10:00 AM. Most of the time, except for the hounds' breakfast and the event when an emergency vehicle goes by with it's siren screaming, the dogs aren't too bad. I did request my neighbor move the kennel to the distant side of his property which he did. Originally the kennel was practically under the window of my studio.

We have a local regulation here though and unless the dogs are persistently howling after ten PM or before 6:00 AM, complaints to the authorities don't count for much.

I'd guess foam insulation over my windows would help quite a bit but there again I am reluctant to shut out the sunlight.

Just some thoughts.

[Nutmeg II.]

Originally posted by wrave
I'd guess foam insulation over my windows would help quite a bit but there again I am reluctant to shut out the sunlight.

Foam and rockwool/fiberglass does wonders if you stuff a fair amount in the dogs mouth!

[NathanEldred]

Put a couple of Benadryl in a piece of soft steak right before an important session and feed him. He'll fall asleep and he won't be hurt by it.

[Knox]

geez . . u guys are frikkin' nutz.
Shooting, drugging, sticking insullation in the dogs mouth . . . . have you thought that you are taking this out on the wrong animal? The dog is doing what dogs do. It's the humans that own the dog that should to be shot, drugged or choked with insullation.

Jules . . . . get a couple of HUGE PA speakers and point them at the house. Play some horrible Ricky Martin tune over and over . . LOUD! When the humans come out of the house to come over and complain . . . pick them off one by one.

Or go over, talk to them with blood all over your shoes and in your hair. Be sure to wear a dress. A Japanese sword hanging down to the ground would be a nice touch. An uzi on a strap hanging over your shoulder. With two of those bullet belts criss crossed across your chest. Wear a hat made out of a dog's head.

Honestly, I don't know what you can do if they don't choose to cooperate. There are muzzles to keep him from biting, but I don't think they stop them from barking. The do have an electronic collar that you put on a dog that will train him to stop . . . but I doubt they will do that as they want him to protect the house . . . I guess.

It's the people, not the dog that's the problem. He is just being a dog protecting his joint. If your studio is in a commercial location . . . and this stops you from making a living, I'm sure the coppers will have to help you. If you are not in a commercial location . . . choking the people is your best option.

[Renie]

Originally posted by Knox

Or go over, talk to them with blood all over your shoes and in your hair. Be sure to wear a dress. A Japanese sword hanging down to the ground would be a nice touch. An uzi on a strap hanging over your shoulder. With two of those bullet belts criss crossed across your chest. Wear a hat made out of a dog's head.

Jules, BE CAREFUL, i like Gearslutz.

[Knox]

Originally posted by Renie
Jules, BE CAREFUL, i like Gearslutz.

OOPS! Renie, did I go too far?
Do you think the dress part is over the top?

[faeflora]

Seriously, don't hurt the dog. It's not it's fault. It's just doing what is natural for it. It's the owner's responsibility, don't make the dog suffer for their inconsideratness.

If I were you, the first thing I would do is approach the dog owner. If they were obstinant and wouldn't take him inside, then I would check into the local noise ordinances. The dog barking is constantly is probably considered noisy and disruptive. I would act legally against the owner.

The other option is polling your neighbors and gathering a support group for legal or peer pressure action.

Again, dogs bark instinctively, and the owner is the being that is responsible for the dog, and therefore, it's bark.

[Jax]

I've had problems with noisy dogs next door where I live, but not at the studio. It's usually quiet as a mouse after 4pm at the studio except in the summer when the Harley rental shop gets busy.

Pursuing the enforcement of local ordinances is the best legal option. Just remember that a complaint just looks like a complaint. When you tell the city officials about the problem, be sure to suggest some reasonable solutions. They have better things to do than listen to humans barking about other humans all day. For one, I would suggest that a covering for the fence is added, blocking out the dog's view of the sidewalk.

IAE, whatever happens, don't hurt the critter or if I ever meet you, I promise I will hurt you.



Bye!

[africk]

don't waste money on one of those keep-the-dog-from-barking-by-shooting-hi-frequency-noise-when-it-barks devices. a neighbor in our old condo building had one and all it does is add 16k every time the dog barks - it didn't stop him at all!

-a-

[Renie]

Originally posted by Knox
OOPS! Renie, did I go too far?
Do you think the dress part is over the top?

Oh no, I like the look.
I just was hoping Jules takes care, them sounds like funny naybas..
and doggy might take fright with the hat'n all.

[Jack Ruston]

Get a Bengal tiger.

This will help to intimidate the dog into shutting up. Also it has the undeniable advantage of putting your studio top of the list should any heavyweight boxers decide to record a single.


Seriously though...The dog is defending its territory. It barks becuase it sees people and it wants them f**K off. What it doesnt seem to have a clear concept of is YOUR territory. It can only be made to understand this in one way. You must first show it who's boss. Stare it in the eyes and growl in a feral way. Show your teeth. The bigger and more menacing they are, the better, so one of those £2.99 vampire kits might be a good idea. Hopefully it will accept your dominance and back down, by looking away and hanging its head. You can reinforce this by pushing its head *gently* down. (If it is a large and rabid dog, I admit that this is a bit like one of those 'become a rock star' books that begins "first, get better than anyone else at your instrument') Now you are ready to mark your own territory. Get your old feller out and urinate copiously all round the perimeter of the dogs' yard. Remember to ration this process so that you dont run out! This should work a treat. Remember...It is of vital importance that you dont proceed to the territorial marking phase until the initial dominance is achieved. Failure to observe this fundamental rule of dog control could result in physical and emotional discomfort.

Best of luck Jules

Jack

[7rojo7]

If they're White Trash Gypsies you're ****ed. They have their own profit plan. Maybe the concept of war has reared its ugly head. It's a common principle, that which happens above, also happens below. Hope you can make it to Amsterdam to give the unedited version. If you poison the dog chances are that they'll poison your Mom. Don't take that chance. I believe that more soundproofing may be the sane solution.
Otherwise try pissing directly on the dog, if this doesn't work nothing will. And I hope they don't piss on your Mom.

[BevvyB]

Gelignite.

[Gone Fission]

I'm an owner of two braying beagles. Their singing is the sort only a parent could love, though it gets on even my nerves. Some thoughts from the other side of the fence:

Dogs rarely bark/bay at people or things they are comfortable with or know well. The neighbors on one side of the yard give the kids biscuits and pet them over the fence all the time. When the neighbors are in the yard, the dogs run to the fence and prop themselves up, but they are silent and with wagging tails. If all the dog is reacting to is what goes on in your studio, the occaisional box of milkbones is a small price to pay. But this is not your situation, and you want to make sure the dog is not going to take your hand with the biscuit before you offer it.

My sister had a situation with a neighbor with a barking and crying dog while she was at home durring the day working on her disertation. The solution she worked out was she timeshared the dog, so to speak. She brought him over in the morning, took him for a brief walk or two, and the rest of the day he couch-potatoed around her place, but was quiet. Not a universal solution, but a possibility. The dobie might help to serve as a visible security measure for the studio, as well (though your commercial liability insurance might not like the bite exposure).

Dogs will naturally raise an alert at things unknown and on their periphery. In their coexistance with humans, this trait has generally been a good thing. (E.g. - my boy was howling for half an hour at a huge snake one night before we realized what he was upset about, and I'm glad because it was right on the patio near the back door where my fiance would go to smoke.) When they bark at anyone driving or walking by, or any unusual sound, though, espescially in a more crowded urban or suburban enviornment, it wears on the nerves. Unless the owner works on conditioning the dog to the enviornment (e.g. - socialization, walks around the neighborhood when people are out and about) or conditioning the behavior (e.g. - citronella spraying anti-bark collars), there isn't a lot an individual neighbor can do. And I can't show proof or it, but I get the notion that the smaller the yard, the more territorial the dog is.

Good luck, and remember, he is just a dog.

Bear

[Steve Smith]

I am with nathan. knock the dog out.

If you have a vet friend, you can even go ahead and get some 'travelling pills" that will put the dog out for 10 - 12 hours.

also, complaining in a non traceable manner is good too./

[Meriphew]

I had a nieghbor who used to put their dog outside every night around 2 or 3 am. The dog would bark incessantly, so I finally called Animal Control (mine has a department for animals who are a nuisance) and complained. They had a word with the nieghbors (and prolly threatened them with a fine) and my problem dissapeared.

[Jules]

Food for thought here.

Keep it coming!

I think the stupid part of the owners is that they have out up a chainlink fence that the dog can see through. (it barks at every passer by) They want folks to 'see the danger' of their dog to protect thier business. But it's a residential street....

Jules

[joeq]

I have a similar problem with trucks. You could try this: No guarantees but it works well for me at least some of the time.

Put a mic outside your house pointing at the dog. Every time you record a quiet track like a vocal make another "dog track" with that mic on it. If the dog's barking bleeds onto your vocal track, phase reverse the "dog track" and mix it back in with the vocal.

Add enough delay to compensate for the distance between the mics and with a little nudging, you should be able to cancel out the barks.

Of course this is a total pain in the ass and should only be considered a band-aid until you can put lead in your walls or come to a more dog-based solution.

I have heard that the collars that deliver an electric shock to the dog each time he barks DO work, but of course you would need your neighbor's cooperation for that, and if you had your neighbor's cooperation...

[Knox]

Originally posted by Jules
I think the stupid part of the owners is that they have out up a chainlink fence that the dog can see through. (it barks at every passer by) They want folks to 'see the danger' of their dog to protect thier business. But it's a residential street....

Jules, a fence that he can't see through might make him bark more as he can't see but only hear. (I can tell you are no dog person . .lol)

I think you gave the answer. If they are running a business in a residential area, then you have a right to complain and take legal action . . . ONLY if you are zoned properly. I hate to admit it but SOMETIMES the government does the right thing (regarding zoning of business areas).

btw . . if anybody drugged my dog, even if it were Benadryl he and I would have a MAJOR problem.

[Jules]

Their yard backs onto a purely residential street.

If I actually lived there I would be out of my mind with worry about it.

See, I may be taking over the building next door, but I think the dog noise has driven the previous tennants out!

I can't be dealing with drum tracks ruined by barking... Already we are now f**ked for doing voice over work... Luckily we dont do those sort of jobs...

OK, say I get a dog wistle... and blow on it when he becomse iratating, will that help cure the dog?

[1nation]

Maybe valerian root... It works for me when my incessant barking is ruining recordings.

Peace (to all who keep it)

[Meriphew]

Jules - Maybe you could offer the owner of the dog a few bucks per month, provided he keeps the dog quiet and out of your hair - no pun intended.

[ghoost]

I havn't laughed this hard in a long time

Jules ...

Have you talked with these bubbleheads ... givin your best shot at logic and negotiation grggt
I'll assume you have. If the dog has indeed caused neighbors to move and they choose to be ignorant of their responsibility to keep the peace ... so to speak .. I would think you have legal grounds to get something done about it. Get some neighboring testimonials and to further prove your case ... stick a mic outside for a day .. record every time he barks and document the time with your own voice. A good old omni will most likely pick up why he's barking. Now you've got all the evidence you need to go to authorities and make Bubbleheads' life miserable ... Hopefully ...

Only other alternative is profit from it .. go get all those gigs that call for dog barking .. comercials .. soundtracks (good old family type things, Western Cattle Roundups) ... voice (err .. dogovers .. umm > barkovers). multitrack em, change the pitch and make it any kind of dog you want ... ahh !! >> dog barking sound library's. You could corner the market .. it's all in the marketing grggt We would all envy you for being so innovative

Then take the the profts and build him a soundproof doghouse with one of those autowind zinger leashes on it .. that activates every time he barks ...... and get back to doing what you love

Outside of all that ... there's always the smoking gun theory

[Nutmeg II.]

You could try homoeopathy or Bach floweressence on the dog.
Bach floweressence did help a friends dog to be brave, not to be afraid and helped him to bark insted of running away from his fears.
If you find the right essence it will help to calm the dog down.