My neighbors have filed two complaints about my dog barking. The most recent one came after I'd been home sick for five days. I let the first one go, because my girlfriend had met us at home and the dog got excited, then had to go in his crate. I blamed myself for that one. The second one seems totally unprovoked. The reason I bring this up, even though it seems really trivial, is because there was an incident the day the woman above us complained the first time. My girlfriend and I were saying goodbye in the parking lot, and my son knocked on the window and said, "No kissing." We were walking back in to go to bed, when the woman upstairs came out and yelled to "Stop making noise out there." My son had come out to say goodbye. He was very upset over this incident. I think the dog complaints are related to this, but I have no way to prove it. I'm planning to talk to my landlord today, but I have half a mind to go confront the woman. I think it's retaliation over something she's seen or heard, but I don't quite know how to fight back. I'm in the process of buying a house, so I'll be moving in a few months anyway, and this whole thing will be mute. I just don't want to have to alter my lifestyle for the remaining few months of my lease.
I am assuming that this woman is at home all day long and has nothing better to do with her time but to complain about every little thing. Has she seen you with your girlfriend, is this maybe homophobia? Anyway, whatever, you still have to live near this woman for the next few months. I think it would be an idea to go and see this woman, maybe apologise for the fact that your dog has disturbed her, tell her that you will try to keep him calm and that you are moving in the next few months so the problem will be resolved shortly. Barking dogs are increadibly annoying, I know coz my dog has a tendancy to bark but a few barks by an over excited dog cannot be compared to a dog that barks all day long when its owner is absent. Maybe you need to find out just how much barking the dog does by asking other neighbours. If your other neighbours have not been disturbed then you know it is just this woman out for a gripe, in which case I would ignore it and if your landlord talks to you, get your other neighbours to back you up. Good Luck
I agree with Louise's idea. Many years ago my mum's next door neighbour had a dog which barked and whined continually all day every day while left alone in the house. Not only was this very annoying for mum but it was also clear that the dog was distressed about the situation. After a few weeks when it got no better despite speaking to the neighbours (who seemed unbothered by it), she called the RSPCA and the dog ended up being rehomed. The neighbours moved out shortly afterwards. I am not suggesting your dog is as noisy as this, but if it is barking a lot during the day when left alone then it clearly isn't happy. Asking other neighbours could help you find out what's really happening. Or you could leave a cassette recorder recording which will let you hear the first hour after you leave. Then you will know if there really is a problem (which may involve changes to reduce the distress suffered by your dog) or if you just have an awkward neighbour.
Thanks for the advice. I spoke to the property manager yesterday. The problem is only on the weekend, when this woman is home with apparently nothing to do except run her washer and vacuum at 5 in the morning. So, I just plan to do nothing on the weekends, or else do things where I can take the dog with me. There'll be no problem that way. Yes, I do think this has something to do with homophobia, because my girlfriend and I have certainly not been discreet. I'm just going to try to get along until May, when I can move. I've worked with my dog so that he stays calm during the week. The dog trainer I've worked with says it's because he has a routine, but on the weekend, the routine is broken, so it's another training issue. Training takes time, and this woman won't give me that time. I've videoed the dog, and I know about how much he barks. I actually thought this problem was resolved, because all physical inidicators said it was resolved.
