Need Advice--Chester hates our neighbours!

[mcstak]

Chester is now 9 1/2 months old and his behaviour inside and on our walks has improved immensely.

The problem I have at the moment is that I just don't know how to correct is his behaviour with our neighbours.

Long story short: our neighbours go in their hot tub every morning around 7:45am, which coincides with the time Chester needs out to do his business in our yard. He is always supervised in our yard. It doesn't matter if he has been exercised, but as soon as he hears their voices he goes ballistic! I know it drives him crazy as he cannot see them through the wooden fence. Usually I am able to calm him down immediately by saying "quiet" and he would comply, but now I am wondering if the new fear stage has set in as he just cannot control his barking if he hears them.

This morning was particularly bad for me because he was barking so loud he could not hear me (I was trying to remain as calm as possible not to get him even more upset). Then I think his anxiety took over and he started jumping and head-butting my back like he has not done in many months. He was trying to bite my clothes, etc. He was out of control. It only lasted a minute, but it scared me.
This is not the norm for him, so I wasn't thrilled to start my day like this.

It doesn't help that the neighbours will shout to me over the fence in a very passive-aggressive manner: "he sure is noisy".

(Because they are not dog people, they don't feel comfortable petting him because he is still a hyper puppy who will attempt to jump and that scares them. I can understand because he is quite big now.)

Any advice on how I can control this situation? I often wonder if Chester senses a certain vibe from these people and that sets him off? Or is it just a fear stage?

The best solution would be if they moved (just kidding!)

***He also has another issue with the other neighbour's roof. Last week they had 6 guys working on their roof. It spooked Chester so much seeing all these strangers on the roof that every time he goes outside he stares at their roof and just barks even though there is nothing there. Luckily in this situation we can quiet him down immediately.

Once again I appreciate all the advice I have received in the past.

[bett]

has he met and greeted your neighbors when they aren't in the tub?

perhaps, with a treat given to them, to give to him, if he sits like a gentleman, and obeys your commands, will lighten the barking. he may be barking at the unknown.

the roof- well it is noisy and different to see people on a roof so i would walk by, show him, and reassure him (soft voice, nice doggy no barking, no one there) kind of stuff.

he's really not reacting so out of whack. more protective than anything else. regardless of the vibe. i wouldn't want to hear a noisy dog at that hour either, and i have 3 dogs.

[kimbersmom]

It sounds like he's going through a reactive stage.

Meanwhile... OK, I love dogs but I'm going to side with your neighbors. If you know they go in the hot tub every morning at 7:45 am, then don't bring Chester out there at that time. Go take him for a walk so he can do his business, or take him out at 7 am or 9 am.

[Tanya]

It sounds like he's going through a reactive stage.

Meanwhile... OK, I love dogs but I'm going to side with your neighbors. If you know they go in the hot tub every morning at 7:45 am, then don't bring Chester out there at that time. Go take him for a walk so he can do his business, or take him out at 7 am or 9 am.

great alternative in the meantime. Or have him on a long line so you can real him in ASAP if he does react. I would look at a possible meeting outside so he knows he they are.

[mcstak]

I have tried avoiding him to go out at the same time as they are in their tub, unfortunately, sometimes he really needs out even though we let him out earlier when no one is there. Usually I can calm him down immediately, but today he over-reacted as I explained earlier.

It doesn't help that these are the type of neighbours who will complain to the town about noisy dogs, so I am doing my best to keep him quiet and avoiding their hot tub time if possible.

As for a meet and greet, he has seen them face to face (no petting as they are afraid), but does not make the connection when he just hears their voices and can't see through the fence.

His over-reaction today really took me by surprise.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I appreciate it.

[Tanya]

around that time I would check if they are out and take him out on leash or on a long line. sometimes avoiding the issue or preparing for it goes a long way.

ANd/or - work on training. find a super yummy treat and keep him on leash at the opposite end of the yard (or indoors with the door open). work on some SUPER basic command, nothing hard, and see if you can get his attention. get closer as you can.

[Woodrow_Woodchuck]

I had a similar situation with Sunshine. On one side the neighbors are an older couple with two (or more?) yappy little dogs they mostly keep inside. Sitting on the front porch you can hear their muffled yapping, it seems to be constant. They must poop and pee inside because I rarely have seen them outside, on leash, and when they are it is very noisy. They also feed some of the local feral cats on their front porch. I spot them eating from dishes there.

There is a row of Leyland Cyprus between our properties and a wire fence. Sunshine was, still is!, FASCINATED with them. She will go under the trees and stand there staring at their house. If there is ANY activity, car, cat, person... She would start barking. I would literally have to go right up to the trees, a few feet away from her, and call her before she would listen and come. Then I quieted her down and we went elsewhere.

To cure her of barking, I climbed under the trees and sat with her, at the fence. She would just STARE at the house. In her defense, she does have a great view of the house and yard from under there. As soon as any activity happened she would bark. I used the phrase "It is just the neighbors." I'd sit there, reassuring her everything was OK, it was just the neighbors.

It took 10 or 12 sessions before she caught on. Then she would just let out a single bark and look at me. I would reassure her it was just the neighbors. They are not doing anything, it is their yard, no need to bark.... She still will spend time under there, watching their yard but hasn't barked since.

The whole time she was barking, the tail was also happily going, so it was not like a threat situation. I thought more of a 'hey, here I am come play with me!'

I have dealt with any of her fears in a similar method. Confrontation and introduction to the fear. The only example I can think of off hand is a shopping cart. They are pretty noisy and scary at first. I give it a label, "It is a shopping cart." We would let the offending one go by and I would walk up to another one bending down and touch it. "It is just a shopping cart." She would cautiously approach and sniff it, then everything was alright! It didn't attack her after all!!!

[POPTOP]

Good ideas. Our neighbor loves Archie and he does not react to him. However, if his little yappy mops are not, Archie is obsessed with them. He does not bark, but he wants to get to them. The little yappers are aggressive, snapping, etc.

Archie is now not allowed to cross the driveway, the part that is in our fenced back yard, so he cannot get close. On the other end of the garage is our garden so it's double fenced and again he cannot get close. If he reacts, I immediately call him and engage him in some sort of training or play. If I tell him to get away from the fence, he's getting real good about doing that. It took time and going out with him every time he went out but well worth it.

[mcstak]

- work on training. find a super yummy treat and keep him on leash at the opposite end of the yard (or indoors with the door open). work on some SUPER basic command, nothing hard, and see if you can get his attention. get closer as you can.

For the longest time he didn't really bother with the neighbours. Usually just a quick bark to say "I am here", but ever since he turned 9 months he freaks out at the sound of their voice. I will try Tanya's suggestion of a yummy treat to distract him.

Usually he will stop barking if he hears something and I say, "oh it's just a bird; or kids, etc", but for some reason the sound of these people's voices sets him off. The neighbours across from us are in their hot tub often, but he doesn't care because he has a clear view of their home and can see them. It's the "not seeing" who is behind the fence that is setting him off.

Hopefully tomorrow morning will be a better day with a lot more training.

[ZoeysMommy]

Not seeing whats going on is a tough one. Our backyard is enclosed with 8 foot brick walls so my dogs cant see anything from any direction. When we moved here i didnt have a problem with my lab, she doesnt react to much of anything but my corgi was/is a barking fool. It took some time and reassurance but i have almost convinced her its just the neighbors. I dont leave her out there at all by herself and when she starts i quickly redirect her attention. Its a work in progress but its getting better. She also knows when to be quiet and when to speak on command and that is the most helpful with her