Report noisy dogs
The noise of a continuously noisy dog is enough to try the patience of even the friendliest neighbour. Dogs bark, howl and whimper for a variety of reasons - they may be lonely, bored, attention seeking, defending their territory, or ill. The problem can often be simply solved, whether you are the owner or a concerned neighbour.
Report a noisy dog
It is quite likely that the dog barks when there is no-one in the house, so the owner may not even be aware there is a problem. Try speaking to them in a friendly way to see if you can sort out the problem.
If that doesn't work, we can deal with dog barking under our noise nuisance process.
You should not report animal welfare concerns through this channel. You will need to contact the RSCPA directly to report animals in distress.
How to prevent your barking dog becoming a problem
- Training is the key. Train your dog not to bark at everything that moves, and get them used to you not being there by going out for different periods of time at different times of the day. Leaving a radio on at low volume may keep your dog company
- Make sure they are comfortable when you go out - that they've been exercised, have enough food and water, there are toys for them to play with and so on
- If your dog lives outside, think about where you put the kennel. If it is near to a neighbour's fence or to a pathway, the dog may bark because it wants to be included in the activity. Similarly, close the curtains if the dog remains inside to stop it from seeing what it is missing out on outside!
- Take your dog to the vet for a check-up - they may be barking to let you know they are ill