I personally cannot stand dogs who bark non-stop. Those small dogs with the incessant high-pitched yelping sounds are the worst.
As someone who works from home four days a week as a writer, having a dog bark all day really ruins my concentration. The dogs barking also make me wonder whether they are OK.
But when the dogs continue to bark after 6 pm, I start wondering whether the owner is OK. What type of dog owner lets their dogs bark so much while they are at home? Are they deaf or crazy? Maybe! Let's explore some reasons why.
Why Owners Let The Dogs Bark So Much
Here are some reasons I've come up with, along with some insights from other people with the same problem.
1) Neglectful dog owners. Some dog owners either leave their dogs outside or have a doggy door that allows their dog to go in and out at well. Although good for the dog, this can cause problems for neighbors.
The dog owners are at work all day and don't realize their dog is barking all day long. Only when a neighbor leaves a note or says something in passing do they finally know. Speak up neighbors!
These dog owners often think their dogs need free access to outside because the dog chews up their furniture. Otherwise, their dog tends to destroy their house. However, all dogs, except those with medical issues, can be housebroken and most chewing / destruction issues are a result of lack of training.
These dog owners are neglecting their dogs by leaving them at home all day. They are also not properly training their dogs. They should get a good book on dog training, put in a list of local trainers & a print out of good dog crates that a store close by sells. That plus a conversation about why training will not only help the neighborhood, but also make their lives easier can sometimes help.
Unfortunately, this doesn't always happen because people are lazy, neglectful, or don't want to spend the money.
2) Clueless dog owners. Some people honestly don’t understand that not everyone is on the same schedule. I had a neighbor who argued that, because it was only happening before 7 pm “when everyone was at work,” it wasn’t an issue. But plenty of people, including myself, work from home. My neighbor is a NICU nurse who works from 10 pm – 10 am and needs to sleep during the day. The neighbor didn't care.
Another neighbor was a manager at a manufacturing facility which ran 3 shifts, and he worked 12am -7:30am, so he too slept during the day. Across the street was a stay at home mom with a 6-week-old baby who wakes up every 1-3 hours.
Some people are disabled and home all day. They often sleep at odd hours, which is exacerbated by the constant, obnoxious noise. Only when you explain to these dog owners than not everybody has a regular sleeping schedule do most understand. Speak up neighbors!
Related: Is Dunning-Krueger Running Your Life?
3) Selfish dog owners. Some people assume that because it doesn’t bother them, it shouldn’t bother anyone. These are often the people who use phrases like “dogs will be dogs” to explain any unwanted behavior. You can’t really rationalize with people like this because they only see their side. In other words, these dog owners are selfish and only thinking about themselves.
You also cannot help them with training materials because they think it’s mean to make a dog do something or that dogs are happier when untrained and wild. These are the same type of people who walk their dogs off leash and then blame you for their dog's misbehavior.
Please Talk To The Dog Owners
The dog owners who let their dog owners bark all day are the same dog owners who let their dogs defecate on your front lawn and don't pick up after them.
You must confront the dog owners and ask them firmly to have their dogs stop barking and pooping all over the place.
Some of these dog owners are lonely, and are very defensive about their dogs, so be aware. But in order for the dogs to stop barking, you must say something to the owner.
Constantly barking dogs are not only annoying, they cause physical reactions in our bodies, not just emotional reactions. Barking dogs can stimulate adrenaline secretions in response to our flight/fight stimuli.
For your own well-being, speak up! And if it's easier, print them out this article or e-mail them this URL. Hopefully after reading, these dog owners will be more conscientious of their surroundings.
If they don't control their dogs, please call 311 or the cops to report the nuisance.
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About the Author: Sam worked in investing banking for 13 years at GS and CS. He received his undergraduate degree in Economics from The College of William & Mary and got his MBA from UC Berkeley. In 2012, Sam was able to retire at the age of 34 largely due to his investments that now generate roughly $250,000 a year in passive income, most recently helped by real estate crowdfunding. He spends most of his time playing tennis and taking care of his family. Financial Samurai was started in 2009 and is one of the most trusted personal finance sites on the web with over 1.5 million pageviews a month.