Barking dogs

Dogs bark for a number of reasons, but regardless of the cause the end result is a nuisance to neighbours and has a serious effect on the quality of life for those affected. The following procedures are provided as guidelines for alleviating the problems associated with a barking dog in the neighbourhood.

1. Discuss: you should discuss the problem with the owner of the problem dog. They may not be aware that a nuisance exists as the barking of their own dog may not be a problem to them but may be offensive to you. In most cases owners want to do the right thing and will cooperate. Should this not be successful and the owner is unwilling to cooperate, you should:
2. Mediate: call the Community Justice Centre. It's a free service that specialises in solving problems by mediation with no obligations imposed unless agreed to by both parties;
3. Complain: if both of the above steps are unsuccessful, a report should be obtained from the Community Justice Centre and lodged with Council which will determine the validity of the complaint and may decide to take appropriate legal action. This option should be only used as a last resort.

Why does your dog bark?

• boredom;
• needs exercise;
• wants attention;
• may suffer from separation anxiety;
• lacks shelter, water and/or food;
• may need veterinary attention.

The most common problem these days is that people go off to work and leave dogs to their own devices all day and the only way they know how to complain about being left alone is to bark. Can you imagine sitting in your backyard on your own for eight hours a day with nothing to do?

What can you do about your barking dog?

• walk your dog for at least 15 minutes each day;
• leave toys out for your dog to play with when you're not there;
• make sure your dog has plenty of water, food and shelter from both the sun and rain - and check them regularly;
• play with your dog when you are home;
• make sure your dog is regularly wormed and receives veterinary attention when necessary.

If you are already doing all of the above and your dog is still barking you may need to seek advice from an animal behaviour specialist.