Dogs Barking in Apartment

You have a right to live in an apartment that is free of noise pollution. If this is becoming such a problem that you can't keep your child asleep because of the noise, you can break your lease. Since you have complained to the apartment complex, and you have talked to the neighbor, you have the right to break your lease without paying for the consequence. Look up the laws on noise pollution in your area, but I broke a lease due to the renovations that an apartment was making and I was home most of the day and it was not in the lease that they would be doing renovations. If you have it documented that you talked to the apartment manager and they said that they couldn't do anything about it, and that you talked to your neighbor, then move. It's that simple.

Check with your city. Here you can report nuisance barking to animal control. They will give out a bunch of warnings first and later fine people if the barking does not stop.
Good luck!

Your apartment managment is wrong when they say they can't do anything. Constant barking is considered a disruption of the peace. Tell the apparment complex if they don't do something about it you will get law enforcment involved.

You can go to this link to get proper steps to take in resolving this issue. Good luck!!!

http://www.ehow.com/how_###-###-####_stop-neighbors-barki...

Oh yes I have been there before! Several times I went banging on their door at 1:30 am to "chat" with them about it. They would be good for a month or so then boom right back to it. Once I was so desperate for sleep I threw one of my dogs muscle relaxers over the fence (it was a duplex) and they went to sleep. I am a huge dog lover and even today I am shocked at my own behavior bur I was SO tired! We ended up moving for hubby's job anyway. I agree with what everyone is saying, tell the landlord your living conditions are unbearable and that if the problem is not addressed you will have no other option than to break the lease.

Contact the police or animal control and file a complaint. I have a Pom and she barks at everything. When the neighbors go in and out of their driveway she thinks we are getting company and runs to the door and barks. Yes it's frustrating to have to look at her and say 'no body's here' all the time. But Poms are like that.
Tell this dog owner that she needs to get a bark collar, take the dogs to doggie day care or obedience school. The dogs can be trained to not bark all the time. I had a similar problem, neighbors with a noisy kid (fireworks at 7 AM etc) after trying to talk to the parents several times, I ended up calling the police everytime it got to be too much. So did the rest of the neighbors, the police got so tired of dealing with this family they finally called Social Services. Our neighborhood quieted down. You have to right to be able to live peacefully in your own home. Talk with the other neighbors, I'm sure you aren't the only one who is upset by this, if all of you go to the landlord or building manager and complain and let it be known you will call the police or animal control everytime the barking gets out of control, something will be done. No property manager, or landlord wants a police car at the building daily. And they don't want to have to fill several apartments if you all move out.

I would go back to the apartment manager and say the barking dogs are making the apartment uninhabitable. It's the managers responisibility to make sure you live in a peaceful environment. I would also start recording the barking and let them management know that if they do not solve the problem you will move and sue to not have to pay any penalties for moving early and you expect your deposit back. Start recording asap you deserve to live in peace.

Horrible! Sorry you are having to live like this. If dog owner & apt will not do anything to support you. I would second calling police/animal control & filing reports, even if its everyday.

Also, they sell small portable devices (that you can operate from your apt) for a minimal cost that send a safe & ultrasonic sound (can't be heard by the human ear) that stops the dog from barking. Just google or search on amazon.com for "stop barking products" Good Luck!

Maybe the apartment manager cannot do anything about the barking dogs, but they are certainly breaking their end of the lease if you are not living comfortably in the apartment they provided you. You have every right to break the lease without penalty, get your deposit back and live happily somewhere else. Is there another equivalent apartment they can move you into in the complex away from the noisy dogs, so you don't have to make a major move?

Laura,

If your rent is not so high and other then the dogs next door, how about offering to walk and/or visit the dogs a couple of times a day?

You could call the cops, complain to other neighbors, tell the landlord, bang on your neighbors door at an late hour.....all negative reactions to a frustrating situation. If your neighbor has been there for many years, the landlord probably prefers her/him as a tenant before you, your husband and child???? Why not take the high road and see what happens.

I do not recommend tossing a pill to another persons animal or child....It's a felony!

Blessings...

Most likely the dogs bark because they are bored and not exercised enough. That's not true that the owners can't do anything when they are not home or don't have the money to fix it - there are corrective collars that the dogs can wear (some do a zap, some spray citronella or emit a high-pitched beep) that will go off whenever they emit a bark. Of course, it would be better if the either the dogs were in a better home and environment that met their needs, or were dropped off at a doggy day care every day, where they could wear themselves out and not be in the apartment barking all the time.

Write a letter to the manager of the apartment complex (so you have it documented) - tell them if the matter is not resolved, you will go to the police.

You could also go to the police directly and file a complaint - there are noise ordinances after all and these owners are allowing nuisance barking to continue. Report it anonymously - I'm sure when the police start showing up and start talking about taking the dogs away and issuing fines, the owners will find a solution real quick.

When they get home play the loudest grungiest heavy metal music you can find, put your stereo right up to the adjoining wall, and put some cushions behind it and on top, so it only gets directed into their apartment.
do this especially just before you go out somewhere, and you will be gone.

Another really annoying noise, is screaming baby, so you could record some really loud screaming baby noises, they can't complain about your baby crying, I mean he is sick, and he is crying poor thing, he just has a heck of a loud cry.
I am vindictive, but they are making your life hell, give em some back

I agree that your apartment manager can and should do something about this. I would contact whoever is above the managers head. Call the police for the noise. Maybe record the barking to have as evidence.

When my DH and I were newlyweds, we lived in the same situation only the owner was home most of the time and screamed at her dogs all the time to stop barking. We thought she was yelling "Be quiet, doggie!!" But after a while we learned that her dog's name was Docky. I would have preferred to hear the dogs bark than listen to her.

Call animal control. Where I live , they will issue citations if a dog barks 30 mins or more. It's not fair to your family to have to deal with that type of noise all day, especially with a new baby. Check for noise ordinances in your city or county. To support the complaint, I would record the barking & give it to the authorities. It sounds like your neighbor is not empathetic to your situation at all, I'd even let her listen even if it means leaving a sample of the noice on her voicemail. Pets are a huge responsibility, your neighbor must do better.

Inn the dogs defence they are shut up in an apartment all day, dogs need to run, romp and play. I would talk to the lady and tell her, it's not that you don't love dogs, but that it starttles your new born every time they start barking, and it's hard for him/her to get back to sleep. Most people won't do anything unless the noise is after like 10:00 PM, maybe she can get someone to take the dogs out for a walk or a run everyday, that may help them not bark so much. we have 2 dogs but the little high pitched one is half poodle and half daushound abd she parks at everything and every one so who knows but it's worth a try. J.

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It's an apartment. It sucks but thats just how it is.

We had that with our neighbors next door. 6-8 hours a day of solid barking! My own dog was not allowed to be outside anymore lest she learn their dogs bad behaviors. We ended up calling Animal Control! The Police also showed when the dog was loose. It took them over 3 hours one day to catch the dog. This was an agressive breed as well. Over 6 months we called about 20 times. EACH time they came, they had to write a report. After 3 visits, a warning was left....then came fines that were followed with a Court date!
We tried to be understanding with the neighbors about it and even when we were all outside with our dogs...ours would bark and we are right on her to stop barking. We let it known that she didn't need to be barking. She would stop and they would hear us but their dog would still be barking......
They moved out finally after 911 was called because their smaller dog got out and attacked the neighbor....NOT the first attack from these dogs, either, just the final. Neighbors threatened to file charges. So they moved, taking the 3 dogs. Our neighborhood is soooo much happier.
I felt really bad for the dogs as it wasn't their fault but their owners. Ultimately the landlord of the house was notified and he agreed with the neighborhood! Even tho it meant he got no rent on the house for a few months. Having polite tenants with good dogs makes everyone happy.
The apt mgmt needs to step up on your behalf and the collars are a great way to keep everyone happier!!!

If you can afford it, buy two barking collars yourself at a petsmart and give them to the lady