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It’s normal and natural for dogs to bark.
But when barking happens a lot, goes on for a long time, or at antisocial times, it can be annoying and upsetting for the neighbours. A dog may bark if it is bored, anxious, wants attention, doesn’t want to be alone or can see and hear people or other animals. A common cause of dog barking is being left alone, for example while the owner is at work. In these cases, often the dog’s owner is unaware of the problem.
If a dog’s barking is causing you a problem, it is best to approach your neighbour in the first instance. Telling them you popped by because you thought something might be wrong avoids direct confrontation.
If you feel this approach won’t work, you could tell your neighbour that you’re having difficulty getting to sleep as a result of the dog barking, if it is happening at night. This will emphasise that the barking is causing you a problem. If you feel you are unable to approach your neighbour, then you can contact the council and we will advise the dog owner that a complaint has been made, while keeping your identity anonymous.
If you have received a complaint about the noise your dog makes, stay calm, and try to see it from their point of view: perhaps they are working shifts, or have got a baby or small children. Bear in mind they might be worried about whether the dog is okay and remember, you might not know how serious the problem is if your dog is barking more when you’re not at home.
Speak to your neighbours and ask them if they have noticed your dog barking excessively, and if so, when. If you are out a lot, ask them to note down the times when the barking happens. If you are in, make a note yourself.
Barking dog complaints are dealt with in a similar way to any other noise complaint. Initially, we advise you to let the dog owner know. If this action does not cause the barking to stop, please contact environmental services.
We will require details, including your name and address, plus the address where the dog lives. Each complaint is treated confidentially, and you will remain anonymous.
We will initially contact the owners to inform them of the issue and give advice on how to stop the dog barking. We will also provide you with diary sheets to complete, noting down the times and duration of each barking incident.
On return of the diary sheets, we will assess if further action is necessary.