Not a Wonderful Day in the Neighborhood

  Posted on March 5, 2011  by Joy of Living  No comments

Does your dog tend to bark a lot, and as a result your relationship with your neighbors is strained?  The March 2011 issue of the Whole Dog Journal has these suggestions to help diffuse the situation:

• Don’t get defensive, listen to what your neighbor has to say.  Even though she may exaggerate her suffering a bit, there is some truth to what she’s saying.
• Apologize, let her know you understand where she’s coming from.  Ask your neighbor to bear with you while you work on finding a solution to the problem.
• Ask for your neighbor’s help, find out specifics (is there a certain time of day that the barking seems worse, are there certain triggers that seem to spark the barking?)
• Stay legal, be sure your dog has updated tags and identification.  Obey leash laws and ensure your dog is not escaping and running around the neighborhood.
• Take action, once you’ve determined what’s at the root of the problem, be sure to take steps to correct it.