Oh, I feel your pain, I REALLY feel your pain. We are living in misery at the moment and have been for awhile. It seems we are the only house in the area that isn't sound proofed.
We've been in this house 18 years. When we moved in, old man on the south side had 5 sheep on his block (1/4 acre blocks). People on the north side had a blue cattle dog. People across the road from the old man had a blue cattle dog and some other bitza thing. The cattle dog next door used to only bark if there was something to bark at. Like someone walking past. As soon as the person was out of sight, it stopped. 30 seconds of barking tops. The dogs across the road went non stop. In fact, he admitted to encouraging them to bark because he felt it kept people out of his pristine yard. He also mentioned the dogs were old and not long for this world. One dog died a few years back, the other died about 3 years ago, so yeah, they were really old dogs 18 years ago.
My best friend from the city bought the place next door that had the sheep. They kicked the old man and his sheep out, bulldozed the house and built a new one. They brought their yapping dog with them. This thing used to yap at anything. People walking past. The postie. Leaves falling off the trees. Clouds going over. I mentioned to her quite a few times about how much noise he made at all hours of the day and night. Response "we don't hear him". Oh, so the house must be sound proofed then. Interestingly, it became unsoundproofed when I was over there, because I could hear the mutt no problems. Couldn't report her to council because she worked for council taking the calls about nuisence dogs!
People on the north side sold up and moved and a young couple moved in. As expected, the right of passage in life is, buy a house, get a dog. That dog was the most adorable Rottie, but bark, OMG! Given he was a shift worker, I have no idea how he managed to sleep with that thing barking its lungs out day and night. Apparently they didn't hear it either, so they must have a sound proof house too.
The house directly across the road sold and was then a rental. An older couple moved in with 4 dogs. 2 large dogs, to little yappies. The dogs were inside most of the time, but each day they would let them into the front yard and these things would go spare. It was like attending a dog fight. The incessant barking, the fighting, the growling and they'd just sit there watching it all take place. That would then set all the other dogs in the area off. I don't know how many complaints from neighbours, how many reports to council, we got the real estate involved and nothing changed. It was the best day of our life when the For Lease sign went up out the front. The new people have dogs and you NEVER hear them. I mean NEVER.
My friend next door sold up as her marriage ended and the people that bought had 2 German Shepherds. One was quite old and the other about 6 months old. The old dog died within a few weeks of them moving in. The ONLY time you heard the pup was when they got home. He would bark twice, as if to say "oh good, you're home" and that would be it. He never barked at people walking past. He just didn't bark.
He got a transfer interstate, so instead of selling up, the rented the house out. The new people that moved in had dogs. This pair were out of control. In the end, we would throw rocks onto their back colorbond fence every time they barked, which after a few months settled them down a bit. They never heard them because obviously the house was still sound proofed. I was so pleased when they moved out because their dogs ended up killing one of my pets (and council did nothing).
The next people that moved in there were feral pig hunters with pig dogs. Those things were savage. I couldn't walk out the door without them trying to bust the fence down. That was 8 months of living in sheer hell. They all had lengthy criminal records and caused nothing but trouble. The cops would turn up every other day with guns drawn. In constant contact with the real estate, which refused to do anything, because it wasn't their problem (really?). I got quite concerned when they said straight up "our dogs will rip your pets to shreads".
Given that they would throw live animals at their dogs to rip to shreads, I became quite fearful for mine and was taking quite a bit of time off work for fear of coming home to a massacre. Finally tracked down the owner and filled them in. They had no idea their house was being destroyed, despite the real estate saying they knew everything. There was 17 of them move in. In the end, most had gone back to jail and the dole of the remaining ones didn't cover the rent and buy drugs, so they left.
The next couple that moved in had dogs, which weren't too bad. They'd have their moments, but it was bearable, just. If we told them to shut up, they did, rather than tell them to shut up and get savaged through the fence.
5 or 6 years ago, the couple with the rottie sold up and the current young couple bought it. As per usual, buy a house, get a dog. That dog was lovely. She was a rescue and very timid. I grew quite fond of her. They were quite irresponsible and often didn't make sure the gate was closed and she consequently got out and got hit by a car. The results of that was, we have to get another dog. This is another mutt that won't shut up and they won't shut it up. She could be outside doing stuff, the dog is absolutely red lining because a leaf fell off the tree half an hour ago and she says nothing to it. Their excuse is, "she doesn't listen to us". Funny, if we call her name when she's red lining, she stops. This dog barks at anything and everything and it's got even worse since they had the kids because she no longer gets taken for a walk.
About 12 months ago, the house on the corner got sold. It's across the road and down 2, so not directly next door or across the road. We knew the instant they moved in. Full on barking 24 hours a day, non stop. A border collie in a 500m/2 block with a large house (read, small back yard). Initially I tried t ignore it because I know dogs can be unsettled when moving to a new place. But, it didn't stop. In fact, it just got worse. I got bailed up at work by someone who works in the department next door asking if I lived in X street and I said yes. She said she had bought the place on the corner. My comment was "you've got a dog".
After 4 months, I'd had enough. I went to council. I know the ranger paid them a visit because she mentioned to me at work there had been a complaint. A week later, I made another complaint. Apparently others had too. I know she got a visit because she mentioned it again. She said, we don't hear him when we're home and we've got no idea what he does when we're at work. I said, he barks, a lot and I'm not surprised people have called council. After the 4th complaint, they got a citronella collar. I know when the put it on because the dog would bark once, then make a short cry bark. 2 days later, the barking was back and escalated. Apparently he didn't like the collar so they took it off.
I have been back to countil 14 times and each time they say that they will end up getting fined and if nothing changes, they will sieze the animal. I don't think they have been fined because she would have had a whinge to me about it. She did say a couple of months ago after a complaint that she went and saw all the immediate neighours and apologised for the noise, but still nothing changed. The last complaint about 3 weeks ago must have seen the collar go back on because the dog was quiet for 2 weeks. The collar is off again because it's back worse than it was.
I can accept a dog barking at someone walking past. Problem with this dog is, it is still barking, sometimes 3 hours, after the person walked past. He has a real issue with trucks. Garbage day is a nightmare as the trucks go past 6 times. it starts barking when the first one collects, and I kid you not, it will still be barking at 4pm in the afternoon, which is nearly 8 hours after the first pick up. If I go out to my letterbox, it starts barking. It will still be barking 2 hours later. I don't know how it's not exhausted. The longest I have timed it barking non stop (and I mean non stop without a minutes break) was 13.5 hours. They don't hear it, so their house must be sound proof too.
I have been up since 8.30 this morning. It's not 1.20pm and it was the barking that woke me up. It HAS NOT STOPPED since I opened my eyes. I don't think I have ever been so happy that I have to go to work this afternoon.
Sorry this is so long, but I am just so over neighbours not giving a stuff. Put a rooster in your back yard and see how quickly council jumps down on you and demands you remove it. Yet, a dog can bark for 13.5 hours straight and nothing happens. Why did the Chinese use wate torture when they could just use barking dogs?
Rant over.
