DEAR JOAN: Today is the day that the straw broke the camel’s back.

A little over a year ago, my wife retired after working 30-plus years for the same employer, hoping to enjoy our final years reflecting and enjoying some quiet times with each other.

Within a couple months after her retirement, the house behind us sold, having several owners over the past 42 years. The new owners acquired a puppy, which was fine with us. Unfortunately, the puppy has not received any training and has turned into a menace, constantly barking nearly 12 hours a day from around 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Previous owners and renters have had weekday parties, where the local police have been called on numerous occasions. Our dilemma is that our local police department will not do anything unless we get a consensus from other homeowners on the court, of which there are at least three, two of them dog owners.

We do not personally know any of the owners on the court. I have had my life threatened by a prior owner many years ago, which involved the police.

The dog may be a doberman or weimaraner or a mixed breed, I don’t know. In any event, it is very similar to a dog that viciously attacked me when I was around 9 years old while living in Berkeley, something I will never forget. One of our former neighbors several years ago had a pit bull that broke through our fence; I almost had a panic attack.

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Having read your column many times about barking dogs, complaining to neighbors about the noise and their non-caring comments, I do not know where to turn.

I have a very small hole in our fence and it would appear that the dog is emaciated. I fear some kind of reprisal if I report it to the SPCA. Any advice from you or your readers would be greatly appreciated.

W.W. East Bay

DEAR W.W.: I certainly know how frustrating it is to live next to a dog that barks all day long. Adding to that frustration is knowing there’s little you can do to stop it. It’s the dog’s owners that have the power to do something, so let’s start there.

Have you tried talking to them? If not, I’d suggest going to the home with a big plate of cookies and a friendly smile. Being confrontational will only make them less likely to be cooperative. Explain to them that the dog’s barking is disturbing your peace, and ask if they can keep the dog indoors or work on training.

The barking won’t stop overnight, but if they seem to take your complaints to heart, then give them time to remedy the situation. If they tell you to get lost or the barking continues unabated, then I’d take another plate of cookies around to the neighbors to elicit their support in filing a complaint. Just because they are dog owners doesn’t mean they’re in favor of listening to a dog bark all day. Most likely, the barking causes their dogs to bark, so they might be just as frustrated as you are.

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Concerned Saratoga residents putting water out for wildlife but it’s not a good idea As for your concerns about the dog’s welfare, you shouldn’t consider reporting animal cruelty as a last resort for getting the barking to stop. If someone is neglecting a pet, whether it barks or not, it should reported to Animal Control.

Readers, do you have suggestions for W.W.? Let’s hear them.

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