Frequently Asked Questions

Dear Labby,

My new neighbor has three dogs: 2 German shepherds and 1 mutt. Their master works long hours. They are let outside twice a day for 10-15 minutes, in a pen. The rest of the day-in the house they bark a lot every time we open our door or move around our house outside. I thought I liked dogs, but the NOISE and the PACK scares me.

Any suggestions?

Signed,
Frustrated

Dear Frustrated,

Have you tried talking to your neighbor about your concerns? It's possible that your neighbor isn't aware that the dogs are barking all day and disrupting the neighborhood. There are actually several different reasons the dogs could be barking so excessively--for example, they may be protective of ther home, or they could just be bored. Your neighbor could get the dogs tuckered out before leaving for work, give the dogs fun stuff to keep them occupied while they're alone, or even arrange for someone to come in and play with them to break up the monotony of their days. Suggest that your neighbor call MHS--the counselors here have bunches of ideas to help people fix all sorts of barky situations.

Good luck!

Signed,
Dear Labby