Constant Barking

[emmabeth]

If your neighbour is winding your dogs up on purpose, this is indeed unfair..

However your dog may DIE as a result of this feud between you and your neighbours, and that isnt acceptable at all.

You will have to keep your dogs in unless you are out there to supervise them.

That doesnt mean forever though - that means until you can outwit your annoying neighbours and counter condition your dogs to react differently to the noises they make.

This IS perfectly possible, but it will NOT happen if you leave your dog outside to bark unchecked at the noises. You have to manage the situation first.

Then change the meaning of the sound of a rock against the fence (for example) - each time the neighbour throws a rock at the fence YOU give your dog a load of cut up hot dog sausages. Repeat this as many times as you can (if your neighbour isnt throwing rocks enough get someone to hide out of sight of your dog and make the same noise), so that your dog pairs 'rock at fence = TREAT TIME'.

You should find that the barking reduces, because treats are more fun.

If you dont, then your dog is enjoying barking too much and probably needs more mental and physical exercise than he is currently getting. Also consider if the rewards are sufficiently rewarding, you may need stinkier, more exciting treats, or a hungrier dog.

Also make the time you and your dog spend in the yard about focussing on you and 'working', so train out there, play games out there, if you have enough space set out some simple agility equipment and toys so that time spent out there is constructively used, working with you.

THIS takes the focus OFF 'what is there to bark at' and puts it back onto you and seeking to earn reward from you.

And your neighbor is going to look mighty unreasonable if he/she complains at the sounds of you training and using a clicker outside.. 'omg my neighbour is a responsible dog owner who trains their dog in the yard and I can HEAR them..'. Yeah.. what a crock.

Please believe us though you will not win this by leaving your dogs to bark at these people, no matter how unreasonable they are behaving - your dog will lose in the end, he will pay the ultimate price. Think your way round this and beat your neighbour by being smarter, not more pigheaded.

[Fundog]

It sounds to me like the neighbor with the camera has something against dogs in general, and is trying to eradicate the HOA of dogs, then he plans to get a "no dogs" clause written into the CC&Rs of the HOA. I only have one other suggestion, although I'm not sure yet what it would accomplish, except to buy you some time to outwit your neighbor: Take your dog to a boarding facility for a week or two, and let your neighbor assume you no longer have your dog. This might give you opportunity to observe or overhear what your neighbor's real intent is, and to counter it.