Ask Kari: My neighbor’s dogs are always barking! What do I do?
Dear Kari,
Our neighbor’s dogs drive us crazy. When they’re not home, they often leave their dogs outside on their small patio where they bark constantly for hours. They are large dogs and very loud, especially with our houses so close together. When our neighbors go on vacation, they leave the dogs home and have someone come in to take care of them, but they bark all night long, keeping us awake even with our windows closed. I’ve tried to talk to them about it, and text them when it’s especially bad. They apologize, but don’t do anything differently the next time. I’ve thought about calling the police (especially at 2 a.m. when I can’t sleep due to the barking), but I really don’t want to be that kind of neighbor. What can we do to make our neighbors realize how inconsiderate they are being, and start taking better care of their dogs?--Fed Up with Fido
Dear Fed Up with Fido,
It sounds like you have already attempted to address the issue with your neighbors properly, with not much improvement. I suggest you move forward with contacting your community homeowners’ association (I bet there is a policy regarding animals), and ask them to intervene and speak to the neighbors regarding this issue. If there is no improvement, I then suggest you contact your local police department who may be able to encourage the neighbors to change their behavior/choices regarding their pets. Good luck!
–Kari
About Kari:
Kari O’Neill, MSW, LICSW, is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and the owner and Clinical Director of Issaquah Highlands Counseling Group (IHCG), which is now Kari O’Neill Counseling.
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