Approaching The Neighbor About Barking Dogs

[PurpleHaze]

Hi all, just thought I'd throw this out there and get others input. So first off let me say I dont like conflict and I dont like confrontation. I mean I know nobody relishes that but I really prefer to avoid those situationss. Let me also say I know I am making many assumptions based on appearance and circumstances. I understand that is not ideal but currently that is what I have.

Now, I live in what I consider to be a fairly nice apartment complex in an upstairs apartment in a two story building. About a month ago new neighbors moved in below me with 2 small to medium dogs. These dogs are not small but not quite medium size. They appear to be some sort of terrier mix and I would guess abround 20 to 25lbs. Our patios / balconies are decent sized for apartments and have railings which the neighbors have attached chicken wire to so that the dogs cant get out between the rails. These dogs are left out on the patio often and they bark a lot. While it is not every morning, it is several mornings a week before 6am they wake me up. Even on weekdays I dont have to wake up til 6:30 for work so its aggravating but when it happens on weekends is reaally annoying. Anytime they are out on the patio, and I or anyone walks by they bark, and if someone else walks by with a dog these two dogs go nuts. If I am out on my balcony and the dogs are out below they bark cause they hear me moving around. I have yet to see theneighbors out on the pation with the dogs, it is apparent they just put the dogs out there and are not concerned with how the dogs behavior affect others. Anyway, after about a month the time has come to approach the neigbors about the situation.

I will say I love dogs, but hate inconsiderate dog owners. I have not spoken personally to the neighbors. Here is where my assumptions come in. Not only does the pation contain the dogs but also a small assortment of empty beer cans and bootles are present on the railing or even on top of the light fixture attache to the wall. This is another sign of people that are inconsiderate and dont have much pride in thier home. From what I have seen of them in person they just give off a personal apperance of someone who is not concerened about how they seem to others.

Now, how to approach them, I know the best way would be to go knock on thier door and have a conversation in a nice calm manner, hope for understanding and resolution and if not then escalate thigns through the apartment management. Again based on apperances I just have a feeling this would do no good and only serve to make things worse in that they then know who I am and that they can continue to aggravate me and then be on the look out for anythng they can to complain about me. I have thought about leaving an anonymous note for them and I have thought about going straight to the apartment management about the situation.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I think you should take it up with management. There are probably other neighbors also annoyed so there will likely be many complaints.

 

[apartment j]

I would not confront them yourself. Absolutely take this to management. It is the job of your apartment complex management team to handle disputes between tenants. They will also make an official record of your complaint to add to any others they receive about this issue. This will allow them to consider not renewing the lease when it expires or even eviction should the problem be severe enough.

 

[HopperFan]

I would not confront them yourself. Absolutely take this to management. It is the job of your apartment complex management team to handle disputes between tenants. They will also make an official record of your complaint to add to any others they receive about this issue. This will allow them to consider not renewing the lease when it expires or even eviction should the problem be severe enough.

All of this! It's management's job. Don't deal with them face to face.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I would just let management deal with it since it's an apartment since you haven't met them.

 

[PurpleHaze]

I have to admit letting the apartment managment deal with it is my preferred method. As much as I would like to think face to face neighborly conversation would work I just dont feel it would in this case.

 

[apartment j]

I have to admit letting the apartment managment deal with it is my preferred method. As much as I would like to think face to face neighborly conversation would work I just dont feel it would in this case.

There's absolutely no reason for you to confront them yourself. Where I live we are told specifically to let management handle complaints about neighbors' (and their pets) behavior.

 

[Christine]

Depending on where you live, you may have a noise ordnance regarding barking. My county has quite a strict noise ordnance. Any barking that is sustained for more than several minutes can earn you a visit from the cops if your neighbor decides to call. Certainly barking before something like 8AM and after 10PM will also get it.

I have a barking dog next door to me. We finally had to have it out with the neighbors. It wasn't fun but we told them that if they didn't bring the dog in when I stand out and try to enjoy my yard, we would call the police. After a call or two to the police, they would be fined. I didn't want to do that, but darn it, don't put me in that position.

But I agree with others: work with your apartment management first. If they refuse, then you need to have a discussion with the neighbors. Find out what the noise ordnance is where you live and show them that they are violating and you don't wish to report them.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Yes, I would bring this up with the landlords/management.
I would also be sure to know the details on any policies on dogs and pets in your apartment complex, in your community, etc...
If you think it might be helpful, you could document and record a few seconds of this, at it's worse, with some kind of time/date stamp, or some kind of conformation of the early hour.
I wish you well!!!
I hate to imagine what this might be like for somebody like a nurse who works nights, and comes home to try to sleep at that hour!

 

[Katie Dawn]

I agree about talking to management instead of to the neighbors. However, I would recommend you take a few videos so the office can hear the barking, see how long it lasts, etc. That's assuming that the office isn't located in such a way that they can already hear it. (If they are already hearing it and haven't done anything that's definitely not good!) People complain about stuff all the time and it's sometimes hard for places like apartment managers to sort out fact from someone's highly charged and frustrated opinion. Being able to "see it for themselves" with several examples would really help your case I think.

 

[Skippy918]

I have had to call and text my neighbor’s about their barking dogs. The other day, their dogs got out and scared my kids. They had contractors working on the house who probably left the gate open so their dogs escaped. I have no idea where they were that they couldn’t make sure the pets were inside. Ugh. I was already at work so dh had to deal with it.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Trust me when I say this. Go to the property manager. Do NOT confront them yourself. Let me tell you what happened to me. Back in 98 or 99 I was between houses so I rented a really nice apartment with garage. I mean this was nice to the tune of $1400 a month for a 2 bedroom. The people above me had parties a lot. I put up with it as long as I could until one night I had enough when someone was jumping up and down so hard I thought they would come through the ceiling. Now these were nice apartments with concrete between the floors so normally pretty quiet but this was one serious party. I went upstairs and knocked. When the tenant came to the door I asked him to please quiet it down or I would call security. I was not loud or rude. He reached behind him and pulled out his gun and held it sideways right in my face and he said " Call them". He then slammed the door in my face. After I gained my composure I called the police. They ended up going in with probable cause due to the odor of pot and they found the gun, hauled him and many others off to jail and that weekend I moved. Management let me out of my lease but it was such a hassle to pack up so quick and find a place to stay. Thank the lord I found the house I still live in today for rent and was able to purchase it a year later.

 

[_19disnA]

I agree with those who say to let management deal with it. Probably you aren't the only neighbor who finds the constant barking annoying. Approaching the neighbor will likely accomplish nothing and simply escalate the situation into some sort of confrontation. Let those who have the authority to deal with it handle such things.

 

[VandVsmama]

I agree w/everyone else. Complain about it to management. Don't handle it yourself. Why? Because of all the beer cans they leave stacked up on the patio. It's clear that they don't really give a care about anybody else.

Re: the barking dogs waking you up. Get a white noise machine. Or download a white noise app on your phone. And sleep with the white noise on. It'll drown out the barking and you'll be able to sleep until 6:30 am and get a full night's rest.

 

[ronandannette]

Trust me when I say this. Go to the property manager. Do NOT confront them yourself. Let me tell you what happened to me. Back in 98 or 99 I was between houses so I rented a really nice apartment with garage. I mean this was nice to the tune of $1400 a month for a 2 bedroom. The people above me had parties a lot. I put up with it as long as I could until one night I had enough when someone was jumping up and down so hard I thought they would come through the ceiling. Now these were nice apartments with concrete between the floors so normally pretty quiet but this was one serious party. I went upstairs and knocked. When the tenant came to the door I asked him to please quiet it down or I would call security. I was not loud or rude. He reached behind him and pulled out his gun and held it sideways right in my face and he said " Call them". He then slammed the door in my face. After I gained my composure I called the police. They ended up going in with probable cause due to the odor of pot and they found the gun, hauled him and many others off to jail and that weekend I moved. Management let me out of my lease but it was such a hassle to pack up so quick and find a place to stay. Thank the lord I found the house I still live in today for rent and was able to purchase it a year later.

This is a crazy situation and must have been terrifying but in general, property management isn't going to be too helpful in a scenario like this when the annoyance is an intermittent thing happening in the middle of the night that they can't easily observe or verify. The approach you took was perfectly reasonable and you had no way to predict the outcome.

For the OP and the on-going barking dog thing though, I'd have already complained to management. It's exactly the kind of thing they should be dealing with.

 

[fla4fun]

Re: the barking dogs waking you up. Get a white noise machine. Or download a white noise app on your phone. And sleep with the white noise on. It'll drown out the barking and you'll be able to sleep until 6:30 am and get a full night's rest.

I second the suggestion to get a white noise machine/app. The neighbors behind me used to leave their dogs out in the backyard 24/7, and they barked at the least little noise all night long. The white noise app was a lifesaver. They don’t leave them out anymore due to high coyote activity in the area, but I still use the white noise app. It’s good for taking care of garbage trucks at 7:00am as well.

 

[wilbret]

I agree with the above, definitely go to management. But the little devil on my shoulder would have me point a speaker at the floor right over whatever room the neighbors are in and pipe in baring noise. Lol.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

For this situation and in an apartment complex I would do what others suggested and file a noise complaint with the front office.

I would also mention if the barking noise issue is concentrated just on them leaving the dogs for long periods of unsupervised time on the patio or if you can also hear them barking whenever they are inside the apartment as well.

 

[aejammers]

Are you friendly with any of the other neighbors? Are they bothered by the barking too? If so, maybe you can ask them to also go to management with a complaint. The more people complaining, the better the chance that management will do something quickly about the situation.

 

[NYDisneyKid]

Isn't this thread a little off topic? What Disney related is this? (just asking)