If you have a neighbor with a dog that barks all day, chances are they did not receive formal dog obedience training, or they have severe separation anxiety disorder. Actually, the obedience training is more for us (the owners) than our furry family members.
A professional training company says its real-world training experience addresses the most common challenges dog owners face every day, like barking or jumping, and that you’ll leave with skills you can use immediately. The end result is a calmer dog and a clear plan to keep practicing at home.
I once had a chocolate Labrador named Josi who had severe separation anxiety disorder – poor thing didn’t know what to do with herself when we were not home. She even had our coyote collie mix, Roxy, to keep her company!
Here are some things she did while at home without us:
- Clawed the back side of a door off; we came home to a destroyed door and bloody paws
- Bent the bars on her cage trying to get out; again she had bloody paws
- Chewed our shoes
- Whined and barked all day (our neighbors told us)
- Insanely barking and howling, like someone was beating her, as soon as we pulled into the driveway
To be fair to Josi, it was all three of our dogs that did this, not only when we came home but whenever an emergency vehicle drove by with their sirens on. They learned that insane bark/howl/cry from the neighbor’s beagle dog and still don’t know why. After a while, our neighbors just laughed it off and knew when we got home or when our dogs’ favorite visitor came by. Thankfully, I did not allow that insanity to be passed down to our other dogs!
Speaking of neighbors, we have mostly great neighbors, and a majority of us have dogs that are friendly, well-behaved, and well cared for.
What are some ways to be a good neighbor?
For starters, take care of your animals and don’t allow them to have free rein, roaming the neighborhood unaccompanied by their owners.
Keep pets safe by keeping them on your own property or on a leash when walking in the neighborhood; make sure their waste is cleaned up and not left on other neighbors’ property or communal areas; ensure dogs are trained, up to date on shots and licensing, do not have excessive barking issues, are not aggressive to other neighbors, their pets, or children, and, at the very least, behave respectfully in the neighborhood on walks or while in their yard as people walk past.
Furthermore, do not house an excessive number of pets (unfortunately, we have someone who is not very neighborly with more than twenty cats that are not vaccinated, leave their droppings on other neighbors’ properties, are spreading diseases to other animals, riling up and taunting neighbors’ dogs, and are left unsupervised!)
Here are some other ways I believe we can be good neighbors to each other:
- Keep landscaping, yards, and trees trimmed, clean, and beautified, removing overgrown foliage, diseased trees, shrubs, etc.
- Maintain your property grounds, keeping them free of rubbish, non-working vehicles or tools, infectious pests or rodents, garbage, etc.
- Do safety/ well checks on elderly neighbors; offer to help with tasks
- Keep your noise levels respectful
- Wave hello!
- Keep home up to date, up to code, and maintained properly
- Be kind and courteous
- Host block parties and getting-to-know-you parties with a potluck menu
- Do not leave personal items in shared community spaces (unfortunately, the sibling of the person with all the feral cats has been squatting and leaving their water toys all over our community dock. They have been lying to the neighborhood that it is their property, but after a little digging from a new neighbor who is a realtor, it was found that while they do own a parcel next to it, the larger area and the dock belong to the neighborhood)
- Be helpful when applicable (jump-start a neighbor’s vehicle, shovel an elderly neighbor’s walkway and driveway, tow in a neighbor’s boat if it breaks down on the lake, etc.)
For example, living in the Lakes Area of Oakland County, Michigan, we have many opportunities to help our neighbors with watercrafts. Many people and businesses have boat knowledge, whether it’s shrink-wrapping them, maintaining and repairing marine engines, restoring vinyl seats, repairing canvas boat covers, hauling pontoons, or installing docks in the spring and removing them in the fall.
What are some signs of a toxic neighbor?
One of our most notably toxic neighbors is the one who houses an excessive number of cats. On top of that, this neighbor has drug dealing/using people in and out of their home day and night. One night, one of the junkies tried to rob my son in our own driveway, but luckily, his body-building brother was there to scare the creepy guy off.
The police are constantly at this house, either responding to domestic violence calls or being accompanied by ambulances because she overdosed again.
Another sign that she is a toxic neighbor is that she stole more than fifteen of my boulders from the back side of our yard, knowing full well they were mine and not hers to take.
Add to that dysfunction is the crazy fact that she scattered them around her front yard with no rhyme or reason, making it look worse than before. Now, it’s a bunch of boulders with overgrown grass around them. What?!?
They also do not properly care for their home:
- The grass is overgrown
- There are holes in the windows covered with black plastic garbage bags
- Overgrown foliage
- Diseased trees
- Scraggly shrubs
- The porch is sinking
- The roof is falling apart
It is very disheartening because the rest of the neighborhood maintains their properties and homes, but this person’s trashiness is bringing down everyone’s property values.
Neighbors dog barks all day
In conclusion, good neighbors create calmer communities by caring for pets, maintaining their property, respecting spaces, and helping one another. A little consideration, communication, and kindness can prevent conflict and make everyone feel at home.