In theory, dogs are great. They’re loyal, loving companions who’ll sit with you after a hard day and tilt their heads empathetically when you’re feeling down. But then there are those dogs that love to hear themselves bark. It’s especially aggravating if you work from home or you’re kept up all night long. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to make that pup clam up and get the peace and quiet you need without being a jerk.
Talk to your neighbor first
This should go without saying, but you should talk to your neighbor before you try anything else. There’s a possibility they don’t realize their dog is barking so much—like when they’re away at work—or they may be aware of the issue and working on it already. Give them the benefit of the doubt, and avoid harsh accusations since that will only make them defensive.
It’s also important you do this face-to-face. Leaving an anonymous note on their door might seem like the best way to avoid confrontation, but it’s the easiest for them to ignore. Talk to them in person and let them see who they’re affecting. Use this as an opportunity to get to know them and get on their good side so they want to resolve the issue. If you refuse to talk to your neighbors, you’re half of the problem.
If they’re inexperienced dog owners and are not sure what to do, nudge them in the right direction. Show them bark training tip resources, like these from the Humane Society, or point them to a professional dog trainer in your area. If you do the heavy lifting and give them the info, they’re more likely to give it a try.
Block the dog’s view, make friends, be present
If the dog barks every time you walk into your backyard, blocking its vision might help. The dog is probably trying to protect its territory, but if it can’t see you, there’s no danger. Put up a fence screen, or plant some privacy trees and shrubs along the property line between you and the neighbor’s yard.
Of course, it could just be the sound of you in your yard, or even your smell. If blocking the dog’s view won’t work, it’s time to kill it—wait for it—with kindness. The dog barks at you because it sees you as a danger to it and its family. In order to make it stop barking, you need to not be seen as a danger.
Jen DeHaan, dog trainer and founder of DOGthusiast.com, suggests you make friends with the dog. Politely ask your neighbor if you can meet their dog and maybe play with it a little. You want the dog to get used to your presence and your scent. DeHaan recommends you have the neighbor bring their dog over to your yard, too, so they can get a good lay of the land and its many smells.
Food is an easy way to a dog’s heart too, but never feed somebody else’s dog without their permission. The dog could have trouble digesting certain foods, it could be on a very specifically timed diet for health reasons, or it could have allergies. The last thing you want is to make your neighbor’s dog sick. If you feel so inclined, ask the owner what kind of doggy treats they use, and ask if it’s all right for you to give them one from time to time.
Lastly, the dog might bark at you every time you go in your yard because you don’t go back there very often. It needs to get used to your presence, but it can’t if you only go out there once a week. Find a way to spend more time out there. Put on some noise-canceling headphones and read a book, start a garden, or do your workouts in the grass. At the very least, take some old shoes, T-shirts, and socks, then place them along the fence so the dog can get used to your smell (they might get peed on). Make your presence known so it doesn’t surprise the dog anymore.
Use a dog whistle or a sonic training device
Dog whistles emit sound in the ultrasonic range, meaning us lame-eared humans can’t hear them. But dogs can, and the sound drives them nuts. That’s why they’re useful for training. If you’ve talked to your neighbors, and their dog still won’t keep quiet, you can use a dog whistle to train them yourself from the comfort of your own home. It works like this:
Get a dog whistle. You can find them online for less than $15 (or if you’re extra, get one of these).
Keep the whistle somewhere you can easily get to at all times.
Whenever the dog starts barking, blow the whistle.
At first, this might make them bark even more right out of the gate, but your persistence will pay off. The dog will hate it—don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt them any—and eventually, it will realize that every time it barks, it has to hear the sound, so it will stop. There are even dog whistle apps (iOS, Android), but they may not be loud enough to use on your neighbor’s dog. An actual dog whistle will definitely be loud enough, and it’s something you could use through shared walls if you live in an apartment building.
If you don’t think you can keep up with the training, you might want to consider a sonic training device like the PetSafe Ultrasonic Birdhouse or an ultrasonic outdoor bark controller. You hang these up in a tree facing the neighbor’s yard, and every time the dog barks, it automatically emits an ultrasonic sound much like a dog whistle.
The get-your-neighbor’s-dog-to-stop-barking starter pack:
The must-have tool to get started: $9.79 (normally $11.85) THE ACME Dog Training Whistle
Automate the training with the sonic training device: $26.99 (usually $29.99) Ultrasonic Dog Bark Control Devices
Protect your ears: $44.99 (normally $59.99) Soundcore Anker Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Canceling Headphones
File a formal noise complaint
When all else fails, there is still the nuclear option: filing a formal complaint with your landlord, homeowner’s association, animal control or even the police if you’re in a rural area. Noisy pets often violate the terms and provisions of apartment leases and homeowner association agreements, especially if the barking is happening at night past a certain hour. And in some communities, animal services can cite people whose dogs are disturbing the peace.
Be sure to check your local laws and municipal codes. For example, the municipal code of Los Angeles defines “excessive noise” as “noise which is unreasonably annoying, disturbing, offensive or which unreasonably interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property of one or more persons occupying property in the community or neighborhood, within reasonable proximity to the property where the dog or dogs are kept.”
Most cities have similar laws in place. If you file a complaint, they’ll receive a warning. If it continues, and there’s proof of the noise, they’ll have to go to court. If that’s not enough to get your neighbor’s ass in gear, you might just have to move.
This story was originally published in February 2017 and was updated on Jan. 12, 2021, March 3, 2022, and again on Aug. 11, 2023, to replace dead links and revise the content to match current Lifehacker style guidelines.