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Posted by Lolabella on 07-06-2004 at 15:29:
Need Advise - Dogs
Okay...so this is not really a rant, but a definite daily frustration in my life and I am calling on the members of this board for advice.
Background: I currently own my own townhouse. Last December, the townhouse next to me was sold to a gal my age (30-something). Before the townhouse could be sold, she needed special permission from our Association to have two dogs (only 1 dog is permissable). I am on the Association board, and we granted her the permit to keep her 2 beagles. She indicated that one of the dogs was very old and didn't expect it to live long.
Since she has moved in, the dogs have become a nuisance to me. They bark (as dogs do) alot when people or other dogs pass by. But that is not the problem. The problem lies in the fact that one of the dogs continuously moans/howls for extended periods of time when its owner is away. I casually mentioned this to my neighbor in an email a couple of months back and she said that she would see what she can do.
The problem has not gotten any better, but extremly worse. Because of the warmer months, my windows are open as are my neighbors. And to make matters worse, I think my neighbor has met someone special, because she doesn't come home 2 or 3 nights a week. The moans/howls from this dog start about 10pm at night and continue on for about an hour. They stop and then start up again about 1am to 3am. Last Saturday morning, the dog woke me up at 6am with is anguished moaning. The poor thing misses its owner immensly.
I am at my wits end, as I cannot even have my windows open anymore for I am subjected to this poor dog's heartbreaking moans for its owner. Let alone, the fact that I am not getting enough sleep.
Tonight, we have an Association meeting at my home, and I need to face this woman and let her know that this problem has gotten worse. I want to maintain a friendly relationship with my neighbor, and I need some help on how to approach this situation with her. She can be a little bit stand-offish at times, and I don't want her to think that I am 'attacking' her or that I dislike her dogs. I just want some peace and quiet.
There is a regulation in our Association rules that dogs are not permitted to make noise. Our town also has a Dog Ordinance that perhibits dogs from making noise. Anybody that has dogs knows that dogs are going to make noise. The barking I can handle, cause I know it will stop, but the howling is becoming unbearable.
Sorry, this is so long winded, but I guess I am asking advise on how to handle this situation with her. I would also like to provide possible solutions to her to let her know that I am willing to work with her on this problem. Does anyone have experience with handling dog behavior problems?
Thank you all so much. Any advise will be greatly appreciated.
LB
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Posted by Cep on 07-06-2004 at 16:56:
My best advice is to bring to the attention of the owner first the law about the noise and if she would at least close her windows if she is to leave the house with the dogs in there.
If after you politely ask again nothing is done and there are no improvements the only thing you can do is inform her that you will be speaking to the housing association about the matter.
At the end of the day you will win out no matter what because she is the person who is on thin ground after being allowed to have 2 dogs.
Don't worry about your neighbour getting mad at you because at the end of the day there is little more you can do and if her attitude is to ignore a simple request like this after the associations leniancy then....tough shit basically you are well within your rights to complain to the authorities and its her own fault for not sorting the problem out when you first came to her.
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Thanks Cep
Gatchamania.net Administrator 
Posted by Tengu on 07-06-2004 at 19:25:
why not complain anonimously?
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"If you think I am a Condor, you may keep that opinion;
Though I am no Condor, my Skylines rusty enough."
Posted by Lolabella on 07-06-2004 at 19:43:
Well, I could complain, but the ironic part is the Association is only made up of 4 members. We only have 4 units in our Association, so tonight there will be 4 smiling faces sitting around my kitchen table trying to casually discuss the problems with each other without naming names, yet we all know who the troublemaker is in any given situation...
She is the only one who has dogs. The rest of us have cats.
I feel kind of responsible, because I am one of those people who voted to allow her to have the extra dog.
I guess I just don't think it's right to have dogs and then let them all alone for 2 or 3 nights a week. But, who am I to tell a person how to live?
I could call the local authorities, but I want to do that as a last resort.
I think I am just too nice...
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Posted by stardust on 07-06-2004 at 20:14:
I am a huge dog lover and I do feel it is unfair to leave the poor dogs alone all day, but sometimes it can't be helped.
Try suggesting to the owner to put on the TV or the radio (low of course) before she leaves the house. Sometimes it is comforting enough for the animal.
Her dog is suffering from separation anxiety and that is why it howls. My dad told me that my girl dog howls for about 15 minutes when she is left alone. But then she settles down and is fine.
Otherwise I see no other alternative but to put her out in the street or tell her to call beagle rescue. It is not fair to you or her dogs. If she gets mad too bad, rules are rules. I would hate it if I knew Dusty was howling all day. I would have to do something.
There is one other extreme measure and that is medication for the dog to help ease separation anxiety. Of course this all depends on how much sleep or lack of it, you can live on.
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Stardust
A villain must be a thing of power, handled with delicacy and grace. He must be wicked enough to excite our aversion, strong enough to arouse our fear, human enough to awaken some transient gleam of sympathy. - Agnes Repplier
Posted by lyon on 08-06-2004 at 01:22:
i live in a coop of 63 units .. this kind of stuff comes up all the time.
if it contravenese the association laws, then she should be given a written notice by the association that she is responsible to get the situation taken care of within a specified amount of time - thirty days should be sufficient.
the letter should further state that if the situation is not taken care of to the association's satisfaction (ie, the dog still howls at 2 in the morning) then the bylaw should be invoked and whatever the consequences are, then your neighbor will have to deal with it. since i dont know what your bylaw states, i have no idea what the fallout could be but it needs to be addressed and addressed immediately.
letting it slide because you are nice and want to get along with your neighbor will only acerbate the problem - if you are only four units, then i am sure you are not the only one being kept awake.
the notice should be formal though and in writing - it puts the problem squarely on the shoulders of the person who needs to take care of it, while at the same not singling out a single person as the "instigator" of the complaint.
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Trample the weak. Hurdle the dead.
Posted by Firebird on 08-06-2004 at 08:07:
I agree with a lot of what other people are saying.
Anyone owning an animal should do all they can to make sure its happy if its not as a person your responsibility is ti put that right.
When I moved and found out I would be working longer hours I found my dog that I loved more than anything (a west highland terrier) a new home. It was not fair on her that I would not be home much and therefore she would not have company. Before moving I spoke to Vets and the RSPCA for advice so I could do the best by my lovely little dog.
I left her alone (reluctantly for 15 minutes longer than usual with a neighbour listening out for me. I was told of her howling and I just could not bear the thought of her crying so.
Your neighbour asked for permission to keep an extra job your kind heart permitted that but you can not take responsibility for her ill treatment and to be honest with you when someone is aware of the distressed caused to their animal with them away it is ill treatment to not only let it continue but to increase doing the very thing that distresses it.
You have been more than fair I think Lyon is right a written notice to this person given them a period to rectify the situation. She was aware of the rules before moving in and you have been more than a little patient.
Now she sees to be taking advantage.
I deal with complaints like this and end up calling out various agencies who then take away the dog and end up taking legal proceeding against the owner for neglect.
Good luck with dealing with it and let us know how it goes
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Like the Phoenix I rise from the fire. Beware all who try to tame me, you may get burned 
Posted by meridianday on 08-06-2004 at 08:50:
Does the neighbour know that her dogs are howling already? Because she might be appalled if she knew they missed her so much, and would want to do what's best for them as well. In which case it's by far the best thing to tell her.
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Mallanox : "My mother was Irish and my father was an alien. I was an only child and I dress funny." Posted by CricketBeautiful on 08-06-2004 at 15:37:
If she's leaving them alone a lot, two dogs is probably better than one lonely one.
The problem isn't two dogs, it's that the animals object to being left alone (as well they should). From the hours, I suspect there are also toiletting and food problems. (Contrary to popular belief, dogs do need to go out more than once a day; it's just as unhealthy for them to hold it as for humans.)
Some dogs, and some breeds, need more company than others. I think beagles usually need lots. They're also escape artists (acquaintance used to breed them) who were bred for hunting -- they need to RUN.
If there's any physical sign of problems, the Humane Society should be called. For barking, I think it's Bylaw Enforcement.
It may be too late to get her to move out -- here, at least, once you're in, your landlords are stuck with you, unless you're sharing living quarters (fine print: I'm no lawyer).
If it's just emotional, there are many, many advice columns and such with ideas. Toys. TV on.
Idea, which may open a whole new can of worms: offer to take the dogs out for a walk / run. Or suggest a dogwalker you know.
Best of luck,
Cricket
__________________
Between stimulus and response there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.
- Viktor E. Frankl
Posted by Tengu on 08-06-2004 at 15:42:
I think that covers what I was going to say
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"If you think I am a Condor, you may keep that opinion;
Though I am no Condor, my Skylines rusty enough."
Posted by Lolabella on 08-06-2004 at 16:32:
Thanks so much to all of you for taking the time to respond...
*gives group hug*
At the meeting last night ( at my house), the dogs did the talking for me. They actually let themselves be heard about 20 minutes into the meeting.
First, they started barking. My neighbor looked alarmed. I tried being casual and talking over the dogs, but she looked worried so I said 'oh...there must be someone walking by'. When they didn't stop, she got up and went back home to quiet them.
About 10 minutes later, the one dog started its pitiful moaning. My neighbor said 'Wow! That's Loud!'. I just looked at her with concern and said 'they really, really miss you when you are gone.' I went on to tell her that I checked with my vet and the vet said that Beagles are very social animals and have a tendency to suffer from seperation anxiety and moan and howl to communicate their feelings.
We went on to discuss the problem a little bit further, but my concern now is that she is only worried about the level of the noise and not the fact that she leaves them alone overnight.
I have decided to give her another opportunity to rectify the problem. Now, that she actually hears what I am subjected to I am hoping that she takes her dogs with her on overnights. Yes, the noise is a problem for me, but I agree that they should not be left alone. Those poor dogs just want their momma.
In my original email complaint to her a couple of months back, I suggested that if she needed me to take them out while she was away, all she had to was ask. I am more than willing to help her out. She has yet to ask me, but maybe she will feel more comfortable.
If the howling continues, I guess I have no choice but to file a complaint with the Association and then the local authorities. I just really hope that things never progress to that level.
Thanks again for all the comments, info, and advise. I will keep you informed.
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Posted by stardust on 08-06-2004 at 20:55:
Now this is out and out cruelty. She is only concerned about the level of noise and not their comfort?! Now I am angry.
Beagles need exercise. This is why I preach to match a breed with your personality. If you were a couch potato I certainly wouldn't recommend a lab.
Whenever someone is interested in my breed I always ask why (they are scotties). If I get something lame like they are so cute and not something like cause they are so independent then I advise against the breed. And she has two of them? Poor dogs.
Do yourself and those dogs a favor and call Beagle Rescue.
I am now getting off my soapbox.
__________________
Stardust
A villain must be a thing of power, handled with delicacy and grace. He must be wicked enough to excite our aversion, strong enough to arouse our fear, human enough to awaken some transient gleam of sympathy. - Agnes Repplier
Posted by Lolabella on 08-06-2004 at 23:47:
Stardust...I appreciate your concern for the dogs. I am concerned as well.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that my neighbor understands the situation now. I am going to give her a week. If I don't see improvement, then I will handle the situation accordingly.
Our furry friends of this world need more people like you in it!
I will let you know what happens.
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Posted by Tengu on 09-06-2004 at 08:45:
yes, I once saw a stuffed dog in an antiques shop but was too poor to buy it.
__________________
"If you think I am a Condor, you may keep that opinion;
Though I am no Condor, my Skylines rusty enough."
Posted by Lolabella on 04-04-2006 at 19:27:
I know that this is an old thread, but I thought I would update it...
My neighbor never did entirely rectify the howling dog problem. It continued on for nearly 2 years, I just got used to living with it. I bought another T.V and daybed and moved them into my second bedroom, when the howling got bad, I retreated to this room which is on the opposite side of the howling dog.
About 2 months ago, I noticed that it was relatively quiet one night, and then the next night, and the next night...pretty soon I had 1 month of quiet every single night. I could sleep through the night without being disturbed. I came to find out that the poor dog died about organ failure. I felt so terrible for the owner that I actually sent her a sympathy card.
Last night I saw her for the first time and she thanked me for the card. It's the first time since she moved in that we were actually chatting and friendly towards each other. She said she missed her dog...I suggested she might want to get another one...
Will I ever learn???
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Posted by Cep on 04-04-2006 at 20:04:
most likely not Lolla baby but at least you have a heart of gold!
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Thanks Cep
Gatchamania.net Administrator
Posted by Elvin Ruler on 05-04-2006 at 02:21:
Thanks for the update. If she does decide to get another dog, maybe you could suggest to and offer help with finding a breed that can tolerate being alone better. Or maybe a cat. Cats fare a little better. If you get two cats, you can leave them alone fairly easily, once they're litter-trained.
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What if there is a spoon? 
Posted by CricketBeautiful on 05-04-2006 at 15:05:
Yep, the right breed for the owner and home can make a huge difference. No guarantee, but it does help to load the dice. Cats can be good, too.
Me, I'm not an animal person. I might benefit from having one, but right now all I can think of is the extra work. (Hmmm, do you think three months of house-hunting and cleaning this one is showing?) It's a very long commitment if it doesn't work out, so I'll wait a few more years.
I enjoyed having fish, but don't have any luck with them.
So glad you and the neighbour are talking again.
__________________
Between stimulus and response there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.
- Viktor E. Frankl
Posted by Metaliant on 06-04-2006 at 11:51:
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I have read this thread and I feel sorry for you and the dogs but not for your neighbour and very surprise that nobody has done anything in the last 2 years about it.
You are brave for putting up with all the howling and barking of the dogs when your neighbour is away everytime and I do feel sorry about the dog dying.
Maybe she should buy a cat who are inderpendent. When I was a kid, a cat from 2 house down from ours, used us as a second home and rushed off when his owners came home.
I know this sounds cruel and apologise, but I hope you can get some sleep.
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