Barking dog

[MP]

I grew up with dogs, and never experienced this.

A neighbor has a dog that barks constantly when it's outside. It's not a yapping little dog, it's a medium size dog, so the noise carries.

I'm hardly ever home, so it's not a huge deal, except weekends or late at night if I happen to notice it.

I actually feel bad for the dog, because obviously it's not getting the attention it needs ... or it's retarded (is that possible for a dog, LOL?)

Anyway, who the f lets their dog bark constantly?

When this first started months ago, I actually called the police (not 911, just the regular line), because I noticed some newspapers piled up on their driveway, and thought someone may be hurt (like an elderly person) or there was some issue. Not sure if the police ever showed, but nothing has changed.

I know a lot of times these people are home, as I hear them eventually call the dog in.

Again, who the fuck has a dog to just put it outside to bark?

How would a getbigger deal with this?

I have no desire to hurt this dog. This all falls on the owners. It's their fault. Also, have no desire to confront the neighbor, as it's not a huge deal. I just find it mind boggling that someone in an upper scale neighborhood owns an animal to treat it like this.

[Victor VonDoom]

The dog is being neglected and wants attention. The worst thing you can do to a dog is leave it alone or isolate it.  Generally speaking dogs are pack animals and they want to be immediately near their owners (not out in the yard by themselves) or they want to be with other dogs (playing, eating, chasing, etc).  If a dog is alone in the yard constantly barking it is unhappy and needs attention.  Obviously, dogs can bark for other legitimate reasons such as barking at a passerby, a car, squirrel, or other animal, but just barking non stop signals a problem.  A dog should not be left alone for extended periods like that--unless it shows that it is ok with the situation (e.g. not barking all the time).  Even within a given breed, dogs have individual personalities.  One dog may be fine with being left alone for extended periods, but others may not be.  Doom approves of dogs.  Bah!

[Princess L]

Sounds like the owners are clueless.

Maybe the owners are unaware of the dog barking because it typically happens when they're not home.

Assuming they'd want to know about the problem,  say something along the lines of: 'I thought you'd want to know that the dog seems really unhappy and is barking and howling when you're gone..'  Some people will be horrified, apologize, and will take steps to do something about it. But if that doesn't work, I'd contact your local humane society or animal control.  Let them investigate.  Hopefully they will offer some guidance (to the owner).  

[Agnostic007]

Lived next to a nightmare couple who let their two large dogs bark all day long. I worked nights and it would wake me up over the sound machine I had in the bed room. I started off nicely informing them of the issue and over months it escalated into an all out war. I actually recorded their dogs barking and played it for them, they denied it was their dogs. Compete A holes. as a last resort I got the police involved (wasn't living in the town I was an officer in) and they were marginal help at best. The problem resolved itself when hubby was shown evidence his wife was cheating on him. They split up and the dogs went with him. Problem solved. But I share your angst... it is frustrating when POS owners don't care about their dogs or the disturbance they cause