How can I keep neighborhood dogs from barking?

Question

I like to walk with my family and dog in the evening around my neighborhood. Unfortunately, I'm surrounded by neighborhood dogs that have not been trained not to bark unnecessarily. It makes what should be a pleasant evening stroll a tedious endeavor to move quickly from the dog's line of sight.

These dogs are often about 10 to 30 yards away, but they are sometimes even farther. The times I am closer to their fence, I understand why they bark, so I only blame myself those times. It doesn't seem to matter if its just me walking by or the whole entourage; they bark the same.

I also am fortunate enough to take my dog to work everyday out in the country. There is a neighbor who lives about 1/6 to 1/4 mile away. His dogs will bark at us if they can see my dog and apparently never tire.

I would really like to find an effective way to silence the dogs so I can enjoy what should be a peaceful time. I've seen a kind of electronic dog whistle on TV that claims to make dogs go away if they come at you threateningly. Does that kind of thing even work? I've tried standard silence commands, but if they do work it is only for about 10 seconds, and avoiding the other dogs simply isn't feasible.

Answer 1

Imagine a stranger was walking along the outside of your house. You'd be suspicious, and ask "What are you doing?" That's what the dogs are doing.

If it is simply a matter of familiarity, you could talk to your neighbor about introducing you and your family(including your dog) to his dogs. Often, once they know who you are, and see that you're friendly with their human(s), they will be less protective of their territory towards you and your family. Giving them treats(supervised by their humans) is a good way to ingratiate yourself with them. However, only do this with permission and after the introduction! Playdates between your dog and theirs is also a good idea, not only for the noise, but also for the mental, emotional, and physical health of all dogs involved. My dogs(all 5 that I've had over the years) used to bark at neighbors and their dogs, but after proper introductions, they became great friends! Well, except my newest youngster. She's a herding mix that we're still training.

If they're barking because their humans have trained or encouraged them to protect their territory or flock, it's likely just a part of the cost of living out in the country, like seeing cows or sheep might be. If your neighbors have sheep, horses, cattle, etc. that need to be herded and protected, dogs are often a part of that, and asking them to get their dogs to stop doing their jobs would be like asking a farmer to switch from a tractor and other modern machinery to doing it by hand just because you don't like the sound.

Sorry if I wasn't any help, but I hope this was of use to you. No matter your decision, be sure talk to the dogs' humans about it- they'll likely cooperate! Good luck!