Dear Cathy: I read your column, “Constant dog barking driving neighbor crazy” (Jan. 12) in the Express-News about bored, barking dogs. Unfortunately, some dogs just like to bark at everything, and no amount of toys or activities will keep them from barking.

Our next-door neighbor moved in a little more than a year ago. We greeted them warmly because we were glad to meet them.

The person they bought the house from had a dog who barked outside all day. This new couple has two dogs.

The smaller dog is relatively quiet, but the larger terrier-mutt barks anytime it’s outside. On top of that, the neighbor expanded their fence and inserted two “windows” in the fence facing the street, so the dog has a clear view of anything going on.

This was a poor decision on their part.

My suggestions to muzzle the dog or acquire a bark collar have been unacceptable to them. When confronted, the husband replies, “We’re aware of the problem, and are working on a solution.” He was grateful that I felt I could approach him about the issue.

The bottom line is these folks are not taking responsibility for the disturbance their animal is causing. We have chosen not to complain to either our HOA or the city to keep peace between us, however, that may change if the barking gets worse.

I am familiar with “stop barking” devices and did acquire one. It worked for a short period of time, but according to the manufacturer, the dog has figured out that the sound will not hurt it, so ignores the sonic signal and continues barking.

What’s our next step?

Mike

Dear Mike: It’s great that your neighbors are not hostile or defensive with you. That is hopeful.

On your end, however, there is not much more you can do. You have made your neighbors aware of the problem, so the logical next step, if unresolved, would be to report them to your Homeowners Association or Animal Care Services to see if that motivates some changes. In the meantime, you might invest in a good white noise machine, so you can get some rest.

If your neighbor asked me for advice on how to stop his barking dogs, I would suggest removing the bubble windows from the fence. They probably thought the dog would stop barking if he could see what was going on, but that is usually never the case.

Then I would suggest supervising the dogs when they are outside, so they can train and correct the dogs for barking. Unless the dogs are corrected for the behavior, they will keep doing it. If they aren’t home during the day, then maybe they can hire a pet sitter or ask a friend to come over to supervise the dogs outside.