We have today been issued with a abatement notice for our dogs barking, we have four little Maltese and they are let outside about four times aday to spend a penny and get fresh air for about 15-30minutes and yes they do bark if one of the neighbours is in his garden and he says he does'nt like it.
This is the first and only contact from the council we have had!
They have not measured the "noise" in decibels with a proper machine and they said they used their opinion!
The only time (once) they visited and found there to be a noise nuisance was when we were away and our dogs were in ( we had a friend visiting to feed etc) our cat flap on our return had been broken and the dogs were outside. The council say they had stayed at the neighbours house for 50 mins, we think this is rather fishy and think it might have been a set up. I have read, for a noise to be a nuisance it must be frequent! Help we are going to apeal and any advice or speal will help. They are not big noisy dogs and never go out after 10.30 par this once.which we can proove was a one off.

The local council will not issue a noise abatement order without the complaint maker having first filled out a diary of noise. The council will also quite often park nearby to the alledged noise maker without letting anyone know and listen for themselves. Further to this , they will give the complainer a tape recorder and ask them to record the noise as well as make a diary.

The noise does not need to be measured in decibels ..it will be the nuisance value as much as the loudness. The council has to follow up all complaints and they must think you have something to answer for in order to issue the order. Have you been in touch with them to put your side of it? Have you talked to your neighbour to see if there is a compromise you can both reach?

As Visitors are only allowed to make a single post , possibly you could Register with us so that you can talk to us about it?

Melody :)

Hello
Im afraid, as much as I love dogs, I find their barking a bit much. In fact, we have someone just opposite us (their back garden backs onto our cul-de-sac), and their dog barks at really inconsiderate times. Even when it is just during the day it is very annoying. No one comes out to shut it up and it is just so irritating.
I have to be honest, I have complained. A lot of my neighbours are totally fed up.
I always keep our dogs barking to an absolute minimum. Obviously if they are playing, the odd bark is acceptable, but I think once it gets past that, other people are well within their rights to get annouyed.
Sorry, just my oppinion.

Who did you complain to the neighbour or straight to the council?

I remember when we had a complaint a couple of years ago, we didn't even know that our dog barked in the middle of the night. We'd asked our neighbours to tell us if there was ever a problem and they didn't. Somebody went straight to the council. When we spoke to our neighbours they just said, yeah, she barks but it doesn't bother us!!

As soon as we knew there was a problem we did something about it and didn't kennel her anymore and the problem was solved.

I hate dogs barking too and my dogs aren't allowed to, the poor things I shut them up as soon as the make a squeek but I wish that people wd. go to their neighbours first before going to the council. I know that not everybody is nice and you don't know how they'd react though in this day and age I suppose.

I personally spoke to the neighbours first off when we had a problem with a neighbours dogs ...but to be honest , in this day and age I can see why some folks are reluctant to :)

And for what it is worth , the neighbour ignored everyone around here until they were contacted by the Council :)

I for one would want to know if my dog was barking, not for the nuisance value, but for my dogs sake. When I go out, I obviously dont know if the dogs are barking, I make it my business to ask my neighbours if they have heard the dogs as I dont want them to be suffering with stress while I am not here. Fortunately for me they seem quite settled when I leave them and there has been no problems. I have found that it is always best to approach the neighbours first so that problems can then quickly be resolved. I know that this is not helping the poster with the problem now, and all that I can suggest is to try and speak to the neighbour who is unhappy and reasure them that you will do your best to correct the problem, and let them know that you are willing to discuss any further problems with them amicably with out involving the authorities. If you feel that you cannot approach this person why not write a friendly note and pop it through their door. Hope everything works out for you :) Sarah

Have to say that I take that view too ..I always make a point of asking my neighbour if Hudson has made a noise ..he *used* to have anxiety when we left him and made loads of noise ..luckily she had a GSD that barked quite a bit so it worked out and we were the only two that could hear each others dogs :) She no longer has the GSD and Hudson has settled but I still ask if she has heard him at all.

I always check with my neighbours too. When we first built the kennel and run, I went round to both my neighbours and explained what we were doing. I also said there might be a bit of noise to start with while they get used to the kennel. They were very understanding. I think if you explain BEFORE you are going to do something, it makes a big difference. (plus we have lovely neighbours):D

I originally approached the neighbour with the problem (as did many other neighbours). I personally think it is very sneaky to go behind peopls backs. I work on the basis that I would rather be told than have someone moan about me...its far easier to deal with anyway. But...they were less than polite and fobbed me off (as with the other neighbours). This actually made me wonder why I had bothered in the first place, and I wished I had just gone straight to the council. As Mel says, I can see why some people dont go for the "personal" approach. Sometimes it can cause more problems.

I felt it necessary at that point to complain to the environmental health. I discovered that the dog was put outside for the vast majority of the day (and possibly all night)...I felt ever so sorry for it. It didnt seem to have any human contact at all. Probably very lonely. This was half the reaosn for my complaint. I felt sorry for it. They obviously dont care for it at all. Very sad :(
steph
x

I have a neapolitan mastiff and a rottweiller and they lay by our big gates at the end of our drive and just lately the local kids have come down our private lane and teased them so they have barked at them.Apart from that they are extremely quiet.But our next door neighbour has complained about this and was quite abusive to my husband over the phone.They are never out after 10.30pm or out before 7.30am.He has admitted he hates dogs and children,and because he goes to bed at 8.30pm we cause his life to be total hell.I know he is talking b******s and has lied that my other neighbours are annoyed about my dogs.I have since spoken to the other neighbours and they say they hardly ever hear my dogs.S o this chap has made himself look stupid.The council have told me that i have nothing to worry about as the barking is not classed as excessive.The lady at my training class is the noise inspector and she says she would have to witness it on three seperate occasions before any action can be taken.My neighbour has caused me not to sleep worrying just because he hates dogs.Aren,t some people petty??