What to Say When Your Neighbor’s Dog Won’t Stop Barking

A few specifics can help keep everyone from barking up the wrong tree. Instead of complaining that the chihuahua next door howls “all day,” provide exact times and durations, suggests Kate LaSala, a dog trainer and behavior consultant in New York who specializes in fear, aggression, and separation anxiety. Perhaps the dog barked from 9 to 9:42 a.m., then again from 10:10 to 10:20. Those details can help the owner connect the noise to a delivery, a visitor, or being left alone.

If you’re concerned about the dog, say so. LaSala suggests explaining that “your dog sounds like they might be in distress or panicked.” You’re giving the owner information they can use to help their pet, which could improve life on both sides of the fence.

Your neighbor might have a simple retort to your complaint: “Dogs bark.” Resist the urge to bark back. Before explaining why this particular barking is a problem, show them that you understand their perspective, Gershman suggests. If you live in a pet-friendly building, for example, acknowledge that they’re allowed to have a dog and that some barking is inevitable. “They’re more likely to listen because they feel understood,” she says.