Dog Barking and the Neighbors

A dog watching the forest trail

Dog barking is a constant source of conflict between dog owners and their non-dog-owning neighbors. It's a complex issue with many sides to it, but one thing is worth stating right away: barking is a dog's natural channel of communication.

That said, there's such a thing as too much of it — a volume that's no longer acceptable, and in some cases barking that isn't even normal anymore, for example when it stems from the dog's anxiety.

What counts as normal?

Territorial instinct is an innate, basic instinct. So it's completely normal for a dog to bark when someone walks by or stops in front of the gate — whether the dog lives in a house with a garden or in an apartment building. No dog can be expected to never bark, never express its emotions, and never signal when it senses movement or danger.

It's also worth knowing that some breeds are more vocal and others quieter. It can be breed-related whether a dog barks a lot or rarely opens its mouth at all. How easily a dog becomes agitated, and how quickly it calms down and falls silent once the trigger is gone — say, the person at the gate walks on — is also an innate trait of its nervous system. That's why every situation is different.

When does it need attention?

It's a different matter when a dog barks because it's home alone, barking at the top of its lungs all day long. In that case it continuously disturbs the neighbor, who can't rest, study, or read. This is a problem that needs addressing, if only for the sake of peaceful coexistence. Barking rooted in anxiety can be helped enormously with training.

A dog won't bark needlessly and constantly if its needs are met:

• it gets the physical and mental exercise and engagement it needs,
• it has a safe place it can retreat to,
• it gets attention and interaction,
• it's in good health — barking can also be a sign of pain.

Let's talk about it

The best approach with a neighbor is to settle things peacefully and talk it through. If we ignore their signals and the barking becomes too disruptive, they may even start a property-protection procedure with the local notary, which can lead to more serious problems down the line.

If there's a problem, let's start addressing it. First, let's draw the line: what's normal and simply comes with owning a dog, what's still a perfectly acceptable level, and what's already too much. Whatever is too much needs to be dealt with — and we'll deal with it.