what I'm gonna do....
I've decided not to call the Humane Society about the warning they sent. There's a couple reasons behind this. #1 - I hate confrontation. Even if it's not with the people that made the complaint (who I will cease calling neighbors because they've never acted like neighbors should), I don't like being all accusatory....especially with a 3rd party, which the Humane Society has turned into. #2 - I'm not going to sink to the next-door person's level. Except maybe telling her son to get out of my front yard if he tries to sled down it this winter. Because if he gets hurt, she'll probably try to sue me or blame me somehow.
So here's my solution. I went online to Drs. Foster and Smith and bought a bark correction collar. Yes, it's a shock collar. I'll admit that Phoebe does have a barking problem, but I try to correct it or get her inside ASAP if she's outside. But the barking continues inside...especially out the front window at people and it can be really really loud if the windows are shut because it tends to echo. I should have the collar within a week, then we'll start with the training.
I've been mulling this over all night and I finally just decided to be a better person about the whole thing. We'll see if it works.
Edited to add: I'm shredding the warning notice I got into tiny little bits. That'll make me feel better too. And I finished my Bellatrix socks.
So here's my solution. I went online to Drs. Foster and Smith and bought a bark correction collar. Yes, it's a shock collar. I'll admit that Phoebe does have a barking problem, but I try to correct it or get her inside ASAP if she's outside. But the barking continues inside...especially out the front window at people and it can be really really loud if the windows are shut because it tends to echo. I should have the collar within a week, then we'll start with the training.
I've been mulling this over all night and I finally just decided to be a better person about the whole thing. We'll see if it works.
Edited to add: I'm shredding the warning notice I got into tiny little bits. That'll make me feel better too. And I finished my Bellatrix socks.
Labels: annoyances, rants
posted by Alcariel @ 9:03 AM
7 Comments:
At 10:28 AM,
Christa said…
I haven't researched them, but I have heard of these collars you can get that, instead of shocking the dog, give them a puff of citronella. I guess they hate the smell of it and stop barking when they smell it.
At 12:23 PM,
Mia said…
Well small dogs are known for their barking. But this lady certainly has a problem. But next time this lady's daughter has a party and the mother is not home. I would call the police because there may be noise, alcohol, etc, problems going on.
And I would let Phoebe bark when you are home. It is in her nature. But tell the kid no sledding in your yard. It is called liability
At 4:25 PM,
Alcariel said…
I looked at the citronella collars and they aren't really intended for dogs that are "fluffy" or have a lot of hair. Phoebe's got both.
At 8:41 PM,
dragon knitter said…
burn the letter. that's even more satisfying!
At 9:30 PM,
mjennyt said…
People who don't have pets just don't get it. Sorry to have to deal with this, hope the collar works and quickly. I hate to think of Phoebe getting shocked too much.
At 10:12 AM,
Redford Phyl said…
A trick I learned from a pro handler to stop barking — a plastic squeeze lemon. The minute they bark, squirt some lemon in the mouth. It works. We had a Basset who had the world's biggest mouth. A few squirts of concentrated lemon juice, and all you had to do was show her something that looked like a lemon and she would shut up and make that horrible puckery face. She was 14 when we had to put her to sleep, and she would still react to a lemon. And look at it this way, Phoebe would be getting extra vitamin C, something that is good for her.
At 11:47 PM,
tobymax said…
I feel your pain...I am also dealing with a constant (according to the cops) complainer about my dogs barking. You are lucky to get a warning - I got a $150 ticket. In my city you get fined if your dog barks for 10 minutes straight. I was at work when my 2 dogs broke the law and what really ticked me off was that (1) the cops didn't give a rat's ass that the reason they were barking was that a very large tree branch had fallen the night before in a storm and was partially blocking their dog-door (yes, they are each over 100 lbs and apparently afraid of tree branches), (2) the bitchy old hag complainer had been calling the cops every time she heard one of them barking FOR YEARS, but they always stopped before the cops could clock them at 10 minutes - but she never told me. No phone call or nasty note on the door. Zip. And since they only bark when I'm not home, I never knew they were barking, and (3) all of my nice neighbors were shocked and said they've never heard the dogs bark more than a minute or two a few times a day, usually when the kids behind me are running around screaming their lungs out.
And I have one of the citronella collars - it works on my Great Dane, who is very timid, but the Saint Bernard doesn't even notice...and a shock collar didn't phase her either, even when I shaved her neck.
I use empty soda cans with a few pennies in them (tape the tops). When they bark, I throw the cans so they land next to the dog. It startles them and breaks their concentration, so they usually stop barking. And the best part is they don't associate the "correction" from me. Good Luck.
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