Mary Allen
Constant dog barking puts both dog owners and neighbors under stress. In theory, barking can be considered a noise nuisance and thus an infringement.
If you’re concerned that your dog is barking too much, you should find out what’s causing it as soon as possible before you start arguing with your neighbors. Otherwise, your dog’s disturbance or noise pollution could actually result in a complaint. In the worst case, the Animal Welfare Association is notified.
You can now find out what you can do and what consequences the public order office can have if you bark too much.
In a nutshell: Dogs barking endlessly – what should I do?
First, get to the root of the cause of the dog barking. Only then can you find the right solution and build on it. Does your dog bark out of insecurity, loneliness, or territorial behavior?
In the case of territorial-protecting behavior, it is often helpful to introduce an abort signal. Each time your dog begins to bark, say the stop signal firmly but not aggressively, and reward him once he’s calm.
Legal
The legal situation is a little complicated.
Basically:
Dog barking should not last longer than 10 minutes at a time and 30 minutes per day.
In rural areas (unfortunately a rather imprecise definition), on the other hand, barking dogs must simply be accepted.
Barking must be completely stopped on Sundays and public holidays. On workdays, the midday rest period (1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.) and the night rest period (10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.) must be observed.
Of course, you can’t just put a stopwatch on your dog that makes him bark 30 minutes a day – so the regulations are more to be understood as a signpost.
Brief barking of a few minutes is generally okay.
Repeated barking over several hours, as well as permanent barking, is not reasonable and is considered a disturbance of the peace of the house.
If the barking continues for more than 30 minutes without a break, it is considered a significant disturbance of the peace.
There are no rules on how loud a dog barks. Some federal states have issued bans on keeping certain dog breeds – these regulations are, however, absolutely individual and should be requested directly from the office.
My dog keeps barking – that’s why
First, we want to find out why your dog keeps barking. Some dogs are triggered by the noises of the neighbors or try to protect their territory.
Other dogs are bored instead or just don’t understand that barking is annoying.
Boredom and natural behavior
Barking is a completely natural way for dogs to communicate – so it’s difficult for your dog to understand exactly why this isn’t allowed. In the simplest case, your dog is bored or just wants to tell you something.
You can recognize this behavior primarily by the fact that your dog barks at you and stops as soon as you react to him.
Protect territory
A vivid example of this is my own Jack Russell male. He barks as soon as the neighbor’s dog enters or leaves the apartment – he doesn’t give a damn about all the other neighbors.
It is mainly male dogs and guard dogs that exhibit this behavior – their instinct (or training) leads them to guard their home. In this case, your dog will react primarily to other dogs or strangers.
Good to know
Dachshunds and terriers are considered hunting dogs. German Shepherds and Rottweilers, on the other hand, are the most well-known guard dogs. Dogs with strong territorial behavior (such as Dobermans) also bark more often.
Ffrustration, loneliness, and fear
Most dogs find it difficult to be alone. Their nature is to roam in a pack and be with one family member at all times.
However, we humans have to leave our dogs alone sometimes.
Many owners are already familiar with this problem: you leave the dog alone and it immediately starts howling or barking incessantly.
This attempt at communication serves to guide the pack back.
In these situations, many dogs suffer from a fear of loss – your dog may worry that you won’t come back or that you will be in danger without him.
When yelping or barking isn’t getting the desired result, some dogs build deeper and deeper frustration – that is, they bark more and more.
Dog barking – You can do that
You can train your dog to stop barking, but you need a little time, patience and, if in doubt, a professional.
Keep your dog busy
The boredom barking can be stopped by tasty chewing bones. Taking short breaks (if possible) to stop working and play with your dog also works wonders.
If you don’t have time at all, a dog sitter might be worth considering. You can find offers primarily on the Internet.
To ignore
If your dog barks at you despite being sufficiently busy, you can try to ignore him until he gives up. Once calm has settled, you can give him praise and attention.
Apply cancel signal
However, you should not ignore territorial dogs! Teach your dog a stop signal. In my case, it’s a clear “Closed!” – this stops my male dog barking and he gets a reward.
This is how you show your dog that you are there and that you can hear his signals at the first sound.
It is of great importance to construct the abort signal correctly by choosing a short word such as “close” or “quiet” which cannot be confused with other commands.
Also, have treats ready to encourage your four-legged friend’s positive behavior.
Practice being alone and reduce fears
Don’t worry – you are not alone with this problem. It also took me several months to teach my dog to be alone. The easiest way to do this is to slowly increase the amount of time you are alone.
First leave your dog alone in a room for a few minutes – if he stays calm and waits, you will let him out and reward him. Then slowly increase the time he spends alone.
Good to know
Ask your neighbors for understanding and help. When you go, you can let them know and ask for their support. This way you can find out if your dog might bark again after an hour.
Bark Control Collars – Yes or No?
Bark control collars can work and eliminate the problem but not the cause, but can be counterproductive for insecure dogs. If the barking is due to insecurity or fear of loss, you should rather resort to conventional parenting measures.
If you still want to find out more about vibrating collars, you will find an article here with all the advantages and disadvantages.
Persistent dog barking – what to do?
Do you feel disturbed by your neighbour’s dogs because they keep barking? To keep the peace in the neighborhood, you should…
… talk to their neighbors. Ask to stop the behavior or (if you want to) offer help. A dog sitter can be a great change and relieves dog and dog owner.
… keep a noise log. Note when, how long, and how often the barking occurs. Also, look for witnesses.
… tell your landlord about the problem and write a letter of complaint. Depending on the severity of the disruption, you can apply for a rent reduction.
… if nothing helps, inform the public order office and report it.
Conclusion
Dogs’ barking can be prevented by educational measures and aids.
If a legal dispute arises, the dog owner can, in the worst case, receive a complaint about the disturbance of the peace/noise and termination of the tenancy.
Neighbors who are bothered by the barking can, in some cases, apply for a rent reduction.