Thursday, May 31, 2012

This Week's Barking News Roundup - 05/31/12

69yo throws 64yo off balcony in dog bark dispute

Excerpt: Police say the older man had been complaining for some time about a barking dog.

Taking His Doctor’s Advice Could Cost a Combat Veteran His Apartment

Excerpt: [The veteran] is facing eviction from his three-bedroom co-op at Trump Village in Coney Island, Brooklyn, because the housing complex has a no-dogs policy.

Bayport: Off-leash dog park proposed for Barker's Alps Park

Excerpt: But some Bayport residents have raised concerns about adequate parking at Barker's Alps; maintenance of the dog park; and dogs fighting, biting and barking, according to correspondence received at City Hall.

Do You Let Your Dog Bark at Strangers?

Excerpt: Some people unknowingly train their dogs to be aggressive by allowing or encouraging their dog to bark at strangers. People believe this is acceptable behavior because the dog is supposed to guard and protect the family. All too often, acceptance of this behavior by the owner leads to an attack against the neighbor or the postal carrier.

Tip: This blog post is open for comments. Follow the above link to add yours.

From the Advice Department, we have the following questions...

How to quiet a neighbors barking dog?

My favorite answer (because I've done this): "Call the neighbor at 3 AM when the dog is barking and say, 'Your dog is barking' and hang up."

Believe it or not, the neighbors were sleeping soundly through their dog's ear-shattering yap-a-thon. Wish I could have had whatever they'd been using before they went to bed.

Sleepless night - barking dog. Advice needed

Question: Yesterday, tenants moved into the house over the fence (bottom of garden, not next door) and I was kept awake most of the night by their dog which they left in the garden to bark and, at various points howl. Started at 10pm, finally stopped at about 6am. I don't actually understand the mentality of that, even though I'm not a dog owner; I just found it a disgrace. Obviously it was a warm night so I had to have windows open. If it happens again tonight, what should I do?

Tip: This question awaits your answer. Follow the above link and offer it.

The Department of Shameless Self-Promotion. Want to offer some advice to the inconsiderate dog owners in your life? Well, that could be risky. To the point where you could be the one thrown off a balcony. Instead, get your point across quietly with the tee shirts and other clothing in my QuietBarkingDogs store. Or give your car something cool to wear -- the QuietBarkingDogs store has plenty of bumper stickers.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Barking Dogs as Protection

One of the most frequently used excuses for a barking dog is that it's needed for protection.

Well, I'm here to tell you that if those dogs were alarm systems, they would have been recalled as a defective product. I've seen and heard far too many barking dogs that go off at e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. Here's a brief list of barking dog triggers from my block:
  1. People walking their leashed (and quiet) dogs past the house where the barking dog is.
  2. Users of wheelchairs and motorized scooters
  3. Children walking to the school bus stop
  4. A young couple with a baby in a stroller
  5. Postal workers delivering the mail
  6. Runners and joggers
  7. Bicyclists
  8. People getting out of their cars and going into their houses
None of these are what one would consider to be major threats to life, limb, and property. So, what's with all the barking? And if the dog is such a great crime deterrent, why is it setting off so many false alarms?

The Department of Shameless Self-Promotion. For those who are fed up with all the noise, I've created an online store full of shirts and stickers that you can use for getting your point across. Here are a couple of items that talk back to the barking dog protection racket:
  1. Barking Dogs Don't Reduce Crime - PEOPLE DO
  2. Barking: Ruining Our Quality of Life - One Neighborhood at a Time
If the owners of these canine loudmouths are really interested in reducing crime, ask them to aid you in forming a neighborhood watch. I'll bet you money that they won't lift a finger to help.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

This Week's Barking News Roundup - 05/24/12

Barking dogs top list for complaints about noise

Excerpt: Wrexham Council revealed that of the almost 700 complaints made to the authority about nuisance noise in 2010-2011, 293 or 42 per cent were about dog barking, a slight increase on the figures for 2009-2010.

Tip: This news story is open for comments. Follow the above link to add yours.


Parker Warns Barking Dogs Will Cost $500

Excerpt: The city of Parker is reminding residents to keep an eye on their dogs because the fine for excessive barking could cost up to $500.

Tip: This news story is open for comments. Follow the above link to add yours.


Remedies Exist to Stop That Local Barking Dog

Excerpt: "I have a neighbor that lets her dogs outside in the backyard for hours, and they are barking the ENTIRE time nonstop. I can't understand how she can be so ignorant to the rest of us."

Tip: This news story is open for comments. Follow the above link to add yours.

Council takes lead on Edinburgh's barking dogs


Excerpt: Edinburgh City Council's noise team are educating both dog owners and those disturbed by dog barking during Noise Action Week 2012.

The Department of Shameless Self-Promotion. Start spreading the news! Barking is becoming as unfashionable as secondhand smoke. And you can become a peace and quiet fashionista at my QuietBarkingDogs store.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

"Dogs bark. That's what they do."

When it comes to excuses offered by irresponsible dog owners, this one has to top the list. Here's my suggested dialogue...

Irresponsible Dog Owner: Dogs bark. That's what they do.

You: Yes, and some dogs bark. Andbarkandbarkandbarkandbarkandbark.

I guarantee you that they'll beg you to please stop the "barkandbarkandbark" line. At that point, you say, "Welcome to my world."

Whether the irresponsible dog owner will take the hint is another matter. Many of them are so clueless that they don't realize that their dog's noise is causing even a little bit of inconvenience to others.

Here's a fun factoid, courtesy of Dr. Craig Mixon's excellent BarkingDogs.net site:

"Humans around the world began to selectively breed wolves or the descendants of wolves. They sought to make each successive generation more in the likeness of what they conceptualized as the ideal canid companion. Over time, through the process of selective breeding, the descendants of those first cubs ceased to be wolves and evolved into dogs.

"Some of the humans who genetically engineered the evolution of the dog had little use for canines that barked much, so they selected breeding stock that was more vocally restrained. Those dogs are the ancestors of today's quieter breeds.

"On the other hand, some humans intentionally bred dogs who showed a marked predisposition to vocalize. Out of those dogs came, among others, today's terriers who lapse into intense, frantic barking with little or no provocation.

"So, we say that some dogs just 'naturally' tend to bark a lot, which really means that, by virtue of their genetics, they are predisposed to bark. It's important to note that having a genetic predisposition to bark doesn't mean that the dog has to bark. It just means that he is inclined to do so."

You can read more at Dr. Mixon's Why Dogs Bark page.

The Department of Shameless Self-Promotion. If you'd like to drop a not-so-subtle hint to the irresponsible dog owners in your life, well, there's my QuietBarkingDogs store.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Had enough of barking noise?

You've probably been tempted to holler out the window at 3 o'clock in the morning. We've all been there, and we understand your frustration.

As annoying as barking is, let's face it: Fighting noise with more noise can work against us.

So, permit me to suggest a different approach. Let's wear our sentiments on tee shirts, sweat shirts, and other clothing. And how about bumper stickers for our cars? Those are a great way to share our message.

The Department of Shameless Self-Promotion. To give our global peace and quiet movement some fashion flair, I've designed a line of shirts and stickers. They're meant to help you spread the word -- quietly. The QuietBarkingDogs store is open 24/7, and you can stay as long as you like.

Bedeviled by barking dogs?

Well, you've come to the right place. This blog is for everyone who wishes that those dogs would just quiet down for once.

Matter of fact, I'd like to dedicate this post to those canine loudmouths next door. The dual airbags that rousted me out of a sound sleep in the wee hours of this morning. Dear dogs, your sonic sewage was most unwelcome inside my house.

And to the owners of these dogs, how hard would it be to keep them in the house at night? I doubt that opening your back door would take Herculean strength. I'm sure you could do it if you put your mind to it. Then, after you've let the dogs in, we can all get a good night's sleep.

That would be so wonderful.

The Department of Shameless Self-Promotion. Because my thoughtless dog-owning neighbors have been such an endless source of inspiration, I've created the QuietBarkingDogs store. It's chock-full of products for the bark-beleagured. So, thanks, neighbors. I couldn't have done it without you.