Barking

Man Got Mad at Barking Dog and Taped Him to Play Back
Poll

Playback's a B*@#&?

This case of "he said, she said" has some extra noisy results.
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This case of "he said, she said" has some extra noisy results. When a Shih Tzu/Yorkie mix named Buster wouldn't stop barking in Birmingham, England, an incensed neighbor got even by recording the pup's yips to replay for the dog's owner . . . at top volume at 3 a.m.! While Andrew Nicklin said he only did this as retaliation for the dog's barking, Buster's owner, Catherine Farrell, says he intentionally placed a radio by their shared fence to agitate her pooch. Umm, playback's a b*@#&?

I know that yelling at a dog does no good, especially if the pooch isn't responding to your voice, but even as a dog lover, I don't like the barking sound either. Do you think Nicklin's "punishment" fits Buster's "crime," or do his efforts fall on deaf ears?

Birdhouse Works As a Dog Bark Deterrent
Poll

Bark Deterrent Disguised as Birdhouse: Brilliant or Baffling?

Aww, feeding birds is so sweet, right?
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Aww, feeding birds is so sweet, right? Well, perhaps if this was an actual house meant for fluttery friends. Instead this
Ultrasonic Barking Dog Deterrent ($70), can be hung on any tree and emits a "harmless ultrasonic tone, inaudible to humans, that startles the animal into silence." No birds here, it's for the dogs.

Now as someone who's been kept awake by (someone else's dog) barking, I get it. Barking is annoying. However, this doesn't strike me as a solution for a pet owner, it seems like something for a neighbor who hates barking but doesn't want to be confrontational. What's your opinion about this cleverly masked product?

What's Your Take: Debarking Dogs?
Health

What's Your Take: Debarking Dogs?

While barking is never pleasant for anyone involved, what's the first solution that pops into your head?
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While barking is never pleasant for anyone involved, what's the first solution that pops into your head? Is it figuring out the cause . . . or stopping the noisy problem? The debarking surgery has been around for decades — essentially severing the dog's vocal cords — but has fallen out of favor since the concept sounds cruel to many people.

Beyond less invasive citronella and electric collar techniques (which still get critiqued), the American Veterinary Medical Association recommends that the surgery only be done "after behavioral modification efforts to correct excessive vocalization have failed." It's probably not easy to find a vet willing to perform this, but a recent New York Times article called it a useful option for owners facing noise complaints and possible eviction. Could you give this the green light?

Do Tell: How Do You Make Your Dog Stop Barking?
Do Tell

Do Tell: How Do You Make Your Dog Stop Barking?

Barking dogs belonging to neighbors are no fun, but what do you do if the noise's coming from within your own home?
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Barking dogs belonging to neighbors are no fun, but what do you do if the noise's coming from within your own home? Whether your pooch barks or howls for no reason, flips out at little things like the door buzzer, or sporadically sounds his alert throughout the day, how do you make it stop?

North adjusts well with a little refocusing — calling a name, getting his attention, or distracting him elsewhere — but there are still those pooches that have much to say when we leave. We don't want to find ourselves on the receiving end of a complaint, so let's share ways to make the noises stop.

Source

I Need Your Help . . . Barking Dog in Neighbor's Backyard!
Advice

I Need Your Help . . . Barking Dog in Neighbor's Backyard!

Now we've tackled barking issues on the site in the past, but my new pal, TrèsSugar came to me with one noisy dilemma.
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Now we've tackled barking issues on the site in the past, but my new pal, TrèsSugar came to me with one noisy dilemma. Turns out a neighbor has two dogs kept in the backyard at night. However, the two pups don't seem to care for this set-up as they bark or, as she says, one barks and the Pug sounds more like coughing or choking as it tries to chime in. Even though the woman occasionally sticks her head out the window to yell at them, the problem's keeping Très up at night.

I understand we live in the (fairly) temperate San Francisco, yet I'd never dream of leaving a dog outside, especially a smooshy! It's another case of who to call or what to do – I've got a couple ideas in mind but I'm curious how you would handle this sad, sleepless situation so let's hear it in the comments below!

Source

Lady Translates Her Dog's Barking on Dr. Phil
Dogs

Lady Translates For Her Dog

This lady thinks she's some kind of dog whisperer.
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This lady thinks she's some kind of dog whisperer. She also thinks she can convince Dr. Phil that her dog is human. Mmmkay. So the good Doc asks her to provide a translation of her dog's barking and all insanity follows. He should have asked her to translate "Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!"