Letter from Council....

[lynnruby]

Yesterday, I recieved a letter from the council advising me that a neighbour (don't know which one) has complained about Ruby barking 

I am very upset and a bit puzzled by this!

Firstly, for the past month I have been working from home and been with her all the time (apart from food shopping once a week) The previous month, we were away from home caring for my late MIL.

She does bark sometimes at our neighbours cat (who sits on the roof of our shed) and people going past with other dogs etc. (working on "clicker training" for that). She also barks at the postman and anyone else who knocks on our door and she barks at the binmen.

If she starts barking when she is out in the garden, I always bring her back in.  We have a wrought iron gate, so she can see anyone/anything that goes past.

The letter from the council stated that "the dog barks for several periods during the day for long periods"  (I don't think so... )

I have tried to contact the man from the council who sent the letter, several times but, he is always "unavailable" or out of the office.  I have left him a message to call me back.  BTW he said in his letter that his investigations may include monitoring and the use of tape recordings!

As far as I'm concerned, he can go right ahead, our next door neighbour's Labrador barks most of the day ( I wouln't even dream of complaining about him)  but if the council man does his recording............I think he'll find it's a Labrador barking................NOT a Cocker Spaniel!!

Really upset though, we have lived here for nearly 12 years and always got on well with our neighbours!

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[8 Hairy Feet]

Yargh!
I had this too years ago from a neighbour
and I knew who it was....
Ignore it because you know it's not your
dog!
Let them do whatever investigations
they want as it will come to naught
as far as you are concerned
Still it is annoying.Try not to worry
steffxxx
eta also on my complaint it said
"electrical items"

[Chocolate Hero]

Sorry this has happened to you, This is a worry of mine at the moment with my parents dog barking & nasty neighbours, still trying to think of a solution to the barking. Ive not really got a suggestion of what to do hoefully someone can enlighten you. Its awful to think that your neighbours have a problem aimed at you. Keep trying to get hold of the council, they can sometimes be helpful.

Good luck hope you are able to sort out the letter. Im not really sure what they do for people reporting barking problems.

[Bibby]

So sorry to hear this, you would have thought whoever it is would have come to you first to try to solve the issue. Just a thought, but I would be tempted to make my own recording of the Lab barking so that you have some defence if it is taken any further. I would also start to keep a diary of when you are at home so that you are able to demonstrate that it's not your dog. I have a neighbour across the road who has 3 dogs which are left outside all day. One of them is blind, and they bark everytime a car or a person passes, so more or less constant! Unfortunately they start off the rest of the dogs around, including mine! Like you, I bring her in but I am sure that most people can't tell the difference in the bark so they are really not sure which dog it is, and often other dogs are "blamed" for the noise. Fortunately, nearly everyone in the village has a dog so nobody complains, but I can imagine it must be an awful situation for you

[lynnruby]

Thanks all, you would have thought that if anyone had a problem they would come and speak to us?  Our immediate neighbours (either side) have no problem with Ruby!! I still haven't had a return phone call from the council, I tried to email the guy (but it bounced!!) so no further forward. I have however started to keep a diary, yesterday she barked twice "asking to go out" . She woofed 4 times at some workmen, so I brought her in.  She has just woofed now because next doors Lab is barking. She is a complete bl****y menace to society 

[HeatherandBenjy]

We had this a couple of years ago from our neighbours. Like you, it wasn't our dogs causing the problem, but nonetheless it was very upsetting.

We kept a diary of every noise our dogs made, we wrote to the council and invited them around to visit us. When the council chap turned up he saw the diary, saw that we were able to keep the dogs calm and quieten them down after he'd arrived and that our dogs were well kept and our house and garden was clean (our neighbours had also complained about the number of dogs we have, saying they were a hygiene problem).

He promptly went next door and gave the neighbours a warning for wasting his time and at the same time gave them a telling off for having tons of dog poo in their garden (from their one dog) and said he didn't know how they had the nerve to complain about us.

Not sure which part of Cumbria you're in, but just to reassure you that it can turn into a positive thing!

[lynnruby]

Thanks Heather  we are in South Lakeland District Council area.  I think I have now successfully sent an email  and I have invited Mr Environmental Health Officer to visit us.  If he turns up, I will show him the diary and he will be more than welcome to look round my house & garden.  He will also see that Ruby is loved and well cared for 

[Patp]

So sorry to hear about this!
I agree with the diary, even try to do some retrospective entries.

Also dont let it ruin your routine and homelife.  Put it down to the fact that somebody had probably had a bad day!!

You are under enough stress as it is. 

Pat x

[Sarah.H]

Sounds like you are a responsible dog owner and I'm if someone comes out to 'investigate' they'll quickly realise that 

[Rowan Liver Roan]

Hi, I work with a council (in Scotland though) and you'd be amazed how many people continually complain about dog barking. In all honesty, sometimes I want to say "well do you want them to miaow"? I'm not underplaying living next to a nightmare as I do, 2 dobermans and a collie who bark savagely 24/7 BUT when it gets too much (or Rowan is so afraid she won't go out) I would politely say to the neighbours who are actually decent people and react well and take them in. That's the problem now- my job shows me how horribly sneaky people are now, not taking responsibility and dealing with things themselves but tell-tailing and expecting the council to do it. Given the man is avoiding you I'm guessing he doesn't want involved and has sent the basic letter because he has to. As others have said, don't take it personally with him, just make sure you explain what you've said here. In Scotland the responsibilty for dog barking complaints gets passed back to the complainer and the only way they can progress is to fill in (all by themselves and it's not anonymous) a section 49 of the Civic Government Act and submit it to the district court. The JP ultimately could impose restrictions or specific implements (ie things the dog owner must or must do) or can say the behaviour is reasonable and to be expected. Both the complainer and dog owner get their say first. I would say not to worry, because at the end of the day who could look at a wee cocker and get them into trouble! They'd be kissed to death first....and one look at those soulful eyes - well...

[dizzytrish]

This is something I do worry about as I have three dogs and unfortunately have to work all day, but I speak to my imediate neighbours regularly, and they both say that mine only bark when I am home , they both say the dogs are quiet during the day, but I always ask them to let me know if they do become a nuisance, because at least then I might be able to do something about it. Although one neighbour, about 7 houses away texted mat at work saying that another person had moaned to her about the dogs, it all came about that her husband was ill and she was working night shifts, but it wasnt my dogs in the end, but another new neighbour over the back!.
Mine cannot see any comings and goings from the road, but the fences are high and terraced houses.
can you block the gate so she cant see people passing?, the diary is a great idea,
Hard I know, but try not to worry too much, and hope it all works out.!

[ali2010]

We had a complaint from someone who lives behind us (via facebook  ). I know how annoyed you must he feeling, I daren't let Albert out now when its dark other than on an extendable lead.

Try not to worry about it, it sounds like the neighbour who conplained is being unreasonable

[lynnruby]

Thanks again for your replies    Not much new to report.  The council man has not returned my phone call or replied to my email.  Yesterday, a large van parked opposite our house and a man got out of the drivers seat, got in the side door and sat there for about an hour and a half.  Not sure if it was the council man doing his recording..........but if it was, the only dog he would have recorded was next doors Lab.  Ruby was quieter than a mouse the whole time. 

It will be a week tomorrow since I started keeping a diary of Ruby barking and I have to say it is actually a very interesting excercise!!  She has hardly barked at all.

Yesterday, I spoke to another neighbour (4 doors away) who is retired and at home most of the time.  She thinks the complaint is a load of rubbish and if it goes any further, she will write to the council to complain about the "complainant"  and tell them he is wasting their time.  She has an idea of who it is and said he has made complaints about 3 other dogs in the past 

[sarahR]

Thats good news that you have the diary and some one who is prepared to back you up. Hope all goes well.

[lynnruby]

Thanks Sarah    If it IS who I now suspect, he is, as I type, running some kind of very loud garden machinery i.e  Hedge trimmer or similar.  Bearing in mind it is blowing a gale, pouring down and has been pretty dark all day.............is he trying to incite her to bark?  Who in their right mind would be hedge trimming in this weather?    Anyway, she is doing really well with "clicker training" 

I have just left a message for a local builder to contact me re: building up our wall from 4 to 6 feet high and putting in a solid gate so she can't see out.  I know for certain that we (or Ruby) are doing nothing wrong, but I could just do without any more stress right now!! We had yet another death in the family on Saturday morning