As many of you know, my husband has been in Phoenix for the last few weeks but will be returning on Monday. As he is retired, he is normally home most of the day.

We have a doggie door for the girls to go in and out to potty, and Lacie loves laying out on her hammock and sunning herself whenever the weather is nice (like now).

Lacie has always been a barker. When we first got her, we lived in a condo in southern California and everytime a workman would go by, she would bark. We had a number of complaints about her while at the condo, and almost got kicked out.

Now we live in a small gated community of patio homes and when Jerry and I are gone, Lacie still goes out and barks her head off. Sometimes she does this even if we're home, but we scold her and make her come in. She especially does it when our neighbors are outside and she hears them.

Well, one of our next door neighbor was recently layed off and if now home during the day. With Jerry in Phoenix, Lacie has been going out more and more and barking and barking and barking. I guess I neighbor couldn't take it anymore, so he turned her into Animal Control who cited me for her excessive barking.

Today the doggie door is closed and pee pads are down, but Lacie and Tilly really only use the pee pads when we travel, so I'm sure that they're completely confused.

I've tried everything to stop Lacie's barking. We've used no-bark collars -- 2 types. One is the one where the collar sprays when she barks and the other emits a loud whistle noise when she barks. Although she doesn't like the spray or the whistle, neither seem to stop her from barking.

HELP -- we need HELP.

I would just let her outside when you can be out there with her. If she barks, I would bring her inside. Hopfully, she will learn not to bark so much when she is outside.

No more doggy door. Take them out on leashes to go potty.

Increased exercise is often helpful for "recreational barkers". Most small dogs do not get nearly the exercise they need. A good walk 1-2x/day (30 minutes of active walking, not strolling along). A few short training sessions. Organized fetch/tug sessions. Brain toys can also help (Busy Buddy, Kongs, any puzzle toys). You can even place meals in puzzle toys instead of feeding it out of a bowl.

I like to ask for an incompatible behavior when my dog barks. You may have to get creative on this for your dog. I've had my dogs sit in the kitchen for cookies when I say enough barking. I've had them do a down stay. I've had clients have their dogs carry toys, spin in circles, roll over, etc. I allow a couple alert barks and then use my "that'll do", "enough", or whatever word you choose. I then guide my dog away from the door/window (lure with cookie or use a leash) and we do the alternative behavior for yummy treats. My little old Jonathan will bark at nothing to run to the kitchen for his cookie LOL

No brilliant advice here, Lynn, just want to say I empathize with you and wish you good luck.
Maybe threaten her with long modeling sessions if she doesn't stop!

Mia sounds JUST like Lacie! No advice here but I sympathize with you... I know how frusterating (embarassing) it is....I am going to try some of the advice you have been given!

Oh no! I don't have any advice...Tango & Tillie are big barkers at different times. I can sympathize!

Peepers was a big barker when we got him. What we found is we both (hubby and I) had to be 100% consistent with the "eh eh" and rewarding for "use your quiet voice" (we taught him to grumble). And we had to do it EVERY time he barked inappropriately. He is 9 months old now and will let one bark out and then grumbles under his breath. We live on a townhouse so barking just can't happen. The consistency is the key. Once he caught on, it just took time and consistency to really extinguish it.

I had this problem with Madison and inappropriate barking. We tried lots of different things and our trainer finally suggested a "time out" in a dark closet. I hated the idea and wouldn't do it until Jim called me an "enabler" one day. I put her in the closet, told her TIME OUT and left her there for about 10 minutes (until she was nice and quiet) - the trainer said 20 minutes but I just couldn't do that.

Well, miraculously, now if she forgets and starts to bark extensively we just say "time out" and her head snaps around to look at us and she stops. I was amazed at how well this worked!

Tried that in my room....needless to say, she PEED! what a brat!

On no, our Lacie has a police record!!!

Geez, guess I've lucked out so far because our next door neighbor also has a yapper!
Otherwise, I'm sure we'd be in big trouble!!!!! Abbey and Tink are on security duty endlessly

As I write this, I'm putting together a convict outfit for Lacie to wear. My little girl is going to jail. NO, NO, NO.

We may have to absound across state lines -- but I'll never let my Princess Lacie go to jail.

Maybe they can just put an ankel bracklet on her.

Sorry to hear your neighbor had to call animal control. It would have been nice if they had discussed with you the problem they were having with Lacie barking. I have a golden retreiver and a cocker spaniel that are outdoors. My new neighbor has a sherman sheperd, golden retreiver, and another dog that barks like crazy!! There have been nights when the neighbor's dogs bark like crazy, I am easily awakened by noise, but not once have I called animal control on them. I'm sure one day my dogs barking might bother them, but I hope they will be as tolerant as I have been. Hope everything works out for you and Lacie.

woops Lacie you can come to awnties house and bark all you want ya right I hope your hubby gets home fast Lynn

I'm so sorry, Lynn - what a rotten neighbor! I always worry here because my neighbor hates dogs, and the building's board is not too dog-friendly. Fortunately, Bonbon is not that much of a barker - just when she hears someone outside or the doorbell rings.

Would you be able to have a friendly chat with your neighbour, and explain that you understand the frustration, and that you are working on trying to fix this? The last thing you want if for them to complain again! Maybe by having a word with them, they might cut you (and Lacie) a bit of slack?

I am the Head of the ACC committee for our small ownerhomer's association and sometimes, even if I don't want to, I have tough rules to enforce. I'm required to go by the rules and regulations when approving or disapproving proposed changes to homes, landscaping, etc.

I do believe this is retaliation for that (in some way), and, of course, I can't prove (just suspect) which neighbor it is.

Funny but the citation has down excess barking (Tilly isn't a barker and so I know it's Lacie). Well the Animal Control has a place to check when the excess barking is occurring. You can check:

1. Early Morning
2. Night/Evening
3. When no one is home during the day
4. When the neighbor is outdoors in his/her backyard
5. Other

They checked OTHER for us. I have yet to figure out when OTHER actually is. She doesn't bark in the morning, the evening or night as I'm home then. She doesn't bark on the weekends as I'm home then or she's with me 99% of the time if I'm running errands or almost anything as that's our special time together. She doesn't bark most of the time when Jerry's home (which is the majority of the day). And Animal Control had a 2nd complaint filed within the last 5 days -- all of which I've been home as I've had the flu. Lacie and Tilly have been right by my side and Lacie hasn't been outside barking -- so I still believe it's retaliation for the Homeowner's Association.

Unfortunately for us, the Animal Control guy came by yesterday -- the day I returned to work and he rang the doorbell and looked over the fence in the backyard. Of course the dogs barked. They always bark when the doorbell rings and I would always want them to bark if someone was looking over the fence in the backyard.

Oh well, the most they can do is fine me (small fine) and Jerry will be back on Monday so, hopefully things will be better by then. For the next 2 days, the girls will just have to use the pee pads and not go out during the day. I'll be home over the weekend and then DH is back.

LOL I have to laugh as this breed are barkers it looks like as we have one too my dh says enjoy demi as she is our last maltese -- little does he know i will always have one -lol but she is quite the barker and always talks back when i tell her to be quiet it just riles her up more I believe they are bred to bark is what i was told by a trainer at petsmart - i read and i think i posted this before they were from the island of malta and they were bred to guard king and queen and warn others when they came near them so having two yorkie and a maltese demi takes the cake she will not stop when she gets going and we have tried everything -- GOOD LUCK -- and that was not nice of neighbor they could have discussed with you before hand

I'm so glad I'm friends with the neighbors next door! If anyone has ever had a reason to file a complaint it would be them. They have a dog that can't go in their back yard without a lot of noise coming from this side of the fence. Their dog is very well behaved and my two live for that dog to come out so they can bark and growl through the fence. I try to get them to stop but it's darn near impossible. It's not a problem in the winter but it's pretty bad in the summer when we're all out a lot. I've tried everything so now I just bring them back inside or make them stay on the porch.
I hope nothing comes of your complaint but you're not alone with the barking problem, the only difference is Lacie got busted!

I am so glad Lady isn't a a barker. The only time she barks is when she is ordering me around - fix her dinner, change her water bowl, take her in her stroller, etc.

Even for those of us who love dogs, barking can drive you nuts. Hopefully you'll get things worked out with your neighbor.

We have 3 barkers out of 4. But like Pat, I got lucky. It appears no one in my neighborhood has well behave furbabies. They are all yappers.

OMG, i always worry about this happening to us. We have all new people in our building... most are college students... BUT there are a several elderlies that live in the apts. as well. there is this one elderly lady who sits at her window ALL DAY having a smoke... she is the "eagle eye" of the complex. My neighbor who lived upstairs dropped a paper out of her car without noticing.. and reported her for littering.... children play outside... and she reported the parents for child neglegence....

when i dont say "Bye CUPCAKE" first, i will hear her barking once i leave.... i have to say bye to her first... and then she will be happy.... and not bark

when she hears knocking... she barks.... or when she is hungry

when muffin pisses her off... lol she barks...

muffin isnt much of a barker.... but when cup starts... muffin will do also...

ive tried the bottle of water... squirting her when she barks... she gives me a MEAN look.. lol

ive tried the can shaker... kinda works...

shes just a attitude filled doggy...