help with neighbors

[cypher1]

Call me insensitive and/or cold (as my friends have), but I cannot understand the fascination or emotional connection with dogs or any pet. I let a friend stay with in my guest room for 3 months before she moved back to Japan, which had a little dog for years, very obedient and hardly barked. The rule was the dog had to stay in her room at all times unless outside. Friend was done with school, no work for summer, and everyday always upstairs online or preparing her move, while the dog just laid in her room. What amazed me how she was so oblivious of her dog sometimes whimpering downstairs, and wondering why the dog's eyes were always crusted out. My other roommate (who loves dogs) and I had to explain to her how the dog seemed purely for her amusement at her convenience, which she still didn't seem to understand. I'm not saying this is the same situation as the original post, but I often wondered how other owners can let their pets make all that racket, and not take into consideration of their neighbors.

[nick__45]

This is where your HOA comes in and kicks asses. You make a formal complaint in writing and have someone on the board as a witness of the submission of such complaint. If it doesn't get resolved quickly and I mean quickly, contact an attorney that works on a winning fee (if he looses, he doesn't collect) to suit the HOA for breech of contract and you shall not have to pay for HOA fee until the situation resolved.

HOA is all big and bad when you do things against their wishes and not paying dues. Let them do the things the dues obligate them to do.

For the record, I think your neighbors should be euthanized for having a dog in an condo/apartment environment. They should be taken out back and beaten to submission for asking you to pay for their yard work. Nothing says I want you to understand you're a jerk like a kick to a groin.

[nick__45]

dub.

How to I turn off the error message each time I submit a comment? This is very annoying and I can't tell if my post was submitted. Therefore, dubs occurred here.

[nick__45]

Why can't I delete or modified this dub with just the word "dub?" And why can't I see my edited comment without having to hit refresh?

[nick__45]

There is 3 people in our HOA. It's an old single family home converted into 3 condos. And the yard is a shared backyard that is subdivided.

Basically a big yard with each of us having our own space. We worked on our area and those lazy bums did not and now want us to pay. We are refusing and it's upsetting them. It's not the cost, but we are not in favor of paying for other people's lazy asses.

The dog already wears a citronella and ultrasonic collar and she barks right through them 8 hours straight. She also barks at night if they go out the entire time so it's not just during the day and doggie daycare will only mask the problem NOT solve it.

The area they want divided like our home 40-40-20%, however they own the largest share of the yard so it wouldn't be fair to be 40-40-20. However, they refuse to acknowledge it because they are petty and cheap.

We have mentioned it and I've called the city today. I am going to give them one more chance and then call the cops on them. I live in a pretty affluent area and it will be embarrassing and the cops do come for such small things. My DH is horrified but wants me to be the bad guy.

And Snafu I have documented for the past month her hours of barking. I have it on email. I also have mentioned this since June and they have asked for patience since they are "working" on her behavior.

I would like them to hire a dog trainer asap (by the end of the week) and start hard core working on their dog's behavior. I am willing to be understanding and patient, but I want to see progress towards a resolution.

Are you renting or owning? If you rent, get the hell out of there. If you're owning, get out as quickly as you could. It is always bad ju-ju to get into condo living. The turd hill goes something like this:

1) non-HOA community with respectable people like I have
2) HOA community with modest fee and respectable like some places
3) non-HOA community with horrible people
4) HOA community with modest fee and horrible people
5) HOA community with high fee and horrible people
6) HOA community with cut throat fee and nice people
7) HOA community with cut throat fee and horrible people
8) Townhome
9) Apartment
10) Parents' basement or spare room
11) Siblings' couch
12) Friends' couch
13) Large condo
14) Condo of your style
15) Project housing

As you can see, your housing arrangement is what many people rank as the lowest of the low. Even section 8 people can get into nice areas in any of the first 9. It is hard to sell unless this is common in your area. Around here, it is impossible and possible illegal to split a house into pieces and sell. You can turn it into an apartment/rental units but you can't sell them. Get out the best you can and get into a rambler first and stay put. Put as much yard and fence between you and your neighbors. The best neighbors are retirees with a lot of lived in children. The house will likely be paid off and the live-in child will likely be around to keep things in order, which will prevent uncertainty of a new neighbor of a lower breeding pool.

[tulog]

Buy an ultrasonic anti-barking device with the highest db rating you can find. A good one with a high db rating costs about $45. To be non-confrontational with your neighbors, mount the device discretely, for example inside a bird cage or other decoration.

It that doesn't work install two of them, directionally targeting the barking from opposite directions. This is likely to work unless the dog is completely deaf.

Also, don't be so reliant on their opinion. They obviously do not care about the damage they are causing you. Call the police, and report them to the HOA. If they interfere with your sale of your unit, sue them in court for interference with contract, interference with prospective business advantage, and private nuisance.

[tulog]

The dog already wears a citronella and ultrasonic collar and she barks right through them 8 hours straight.

The device is not set correctly, or it is not producing a high enough db response to the barks, or a response in the correct Kh range, to provide a deterrance.

Recommend buying 1 of 2 of your own ultrasonic devices. Buy the highest db device available. Don't be cheap and buy the $29 models. Adjust to an ultrasonic level. Unless the dog is completely deaf, it will work if properly configured. If not, buy two of them, and amplify them externally through a directional speaker aimed at the offending dog.

[wincrasher]

Sounds like communal living! Condos generally suck for the reasons you mention. But it's not paradise in the single family home world either. My sis has neighbors with barking dogs. Not much anyone will do about it - unless the dogs are in abusive situations, animal control can't do anything. Also, most communities only have noise ordinances for late night hours - during the day, not so much.

I've heard mixed results on the shock collars. I've had friend also find that if they left some speaking noise on it the house - like leaving a TV on CNN, it calmed the dogs. My dog will actually sit there and watch TV if it's on. But I won't leave on Animal Planet for him - he'll attack the screen if he sees a cat, squirrel or rabbit!

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Thanks for the advice. I ended up talking more to them and pretty much demanding a dog trainer come in asap. And yes I am home. I will not be walking their dog because I walk my dog at 8 am, 5 pm and 8 pm religiously. He gets walked before my DH goes to work, at the end of the day, and night time. We have a set routine.li

These neighbors are jerks. And I don't know how many different collars and noise machines they've tried. Beagles are difficult dogs. I grew up with one and our neighbors hated us.

Wincrasher,I realize this but I think if I keep on complaining the cops will listen. Also if it comes down to it we will begin to make a lot of noise with our subwoofer and start shaking the house in the evenings from 6-9 pm. I won't like to do it, but I will.

We've been very good about noise and trying to be patient. We've been mentioning this since June. BUT they still haven't hired a dog trainer or started to work on the issue.

The issue is more than just attach a collar or machine. They need to work with the dog. She's upset and it's not working out.

[cschin4]

They are idiots. You should have as little to do with them as possible. Reason, logic and human kindness simply are not going to work. I really don't see how anyone could stand being so close to other human beings. And, I would not get involved in ANY lawn projects with them that involve money. I would let the lawn look like crap before I would toss my hat in with them. I would advise selling and moving and getting your own space.
As for dogs, I highly recommend Wheaton Terriers as I have one and she rarely barks. She doesn't even bark at other dogs or squirrels. The only thing she has ever barked at is the trash truck.

[cschin4]

I don't see how calling the police will do anything but cause more bad blood with your neighbors

So what? It is high time we stop letting the bullies and the obnoxious people of the world walk all over us. Call the police.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

cschin, I still need cooperation to sell so we decided to confront them again and threaten the police. They still don't think it's their dog. LOL. Some other mysterious dog barking.

[cschin4]

cschin, I still need cooperation to sell

Why? And, if that is the case, how does enlisting the police help secure their cooperation? There are simply some people that are just rude and don't care if they they are bothering other people or not.