What would you do?

Reba

Reba

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TCS and I have spent the last few months working very hard to prepare our neighbor's house for sale (her husband died, and she's moved away). It finally went on the market yesterday.

One family from out of state was very interested in the house. However, the neighbor on the other side of the house has a constant yapping small dog. The family was very turned off by that. :(

This is going to be a problem every time someone comes to look at the house. The realtor says, "It is what it is." His only suggestion was to call animal control.

TCS is thinking of having a talk with the neighbors. I'm not keen about that. We've already had to talk to them about their, uh, non-standard privacy fence. Awkward.

It's not our house but our elderly neighbor has asked us to prepare and manage the house for sale.

Any suggestions?
 
Check with animal control about the hours when noise may be a covered under a noise ordinance.

Also if the dog is constantly barking, I would think it is neglected. Is it outside in a yard alone?

A properly trained dog is not going to be constantly barking.
 
Make the house deaf-friendly then the buyers won't care about a yapping dog. :)
Maybe ask the neighbor to put the dog inside during showings (assuming they're home). You'd have to make sure they know when the showings are going to occur.
 
Open the gate one night? Spray It with vinegar 7-8 times a day?

:dunno: if you have a HOA you might check with them. I am not sure animal control can do anything since it is a fenced yard and daylight hours.
 
LoveBlue said:
Make the house deaf-friendly then the buyers won't care about a yapping dog. :)
Maybe ask the neighbor to put the dog inside during showings (assuming they're home). You'd have to make sure they know when the showings are going to occur.
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What?? If they get deaf neighbors, they aren't going to care about a yapping dog. I can't hear any barking in my neighborhood, can you??

But it's a good solution, sell the house only to deaf buyers. :P
 
I had this problem myself...and it was my own dachound barking whenever I left for work...she barked at anything! Even butterflies....I lived in an apartment then...and my neighbors complained...Management told me I had to do something or move....the Vet suggested to muzzle her...*sigh*...so I did...to come home that night and she had somehow got the muzzle off....

The barking continued...so the Vet said he could "debark" her....but only if I was going to keep my dog...and as cruel as it sounds...that's what I had to do...or move...or give my dog away...

Perhaps the people in the house work long hours? and the dog is left alone a lot....Maybe a "pet sitter" would solve the problem...even dog training...It's a touchy situation...and some people will get angry, so I can see the reluctance to talking to them about it....
 
Does not matter what hours, cause usually hours that noises are allowed are during daytime, and when do you think prospective house buyers checking out? During night time? I HIGHLY doubt it.

I really don't know the solution. There are other issues that is far worse than dog barking. I have known some buyers would buy house right next to train tracks, near the airport runaway, next to highway, next to busy street, etc.

Bottesini said:
Check with animal control about the hours when noise may be a covered under a noise ordinance.

Also if the dog is constantly barking, I would think it is neglected. Is it outside in a yard alone?

A properly trained dog is not going to be constantly barking.
Click to expand...
 
Bottesini said:
Check with animal control about the hours when noise may be a covered under a noise ordinance.
Click to expand...
The noise ordinance only covers after 10 p.m. Most people view the house during the day. :(

Also if the dog is constantly barking, I would think it is neglected. Is it outside in a yard alone?
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I believe it is. It's a wooden double-layer privacy fence, so I can't really see anything. It barks when the family is at work/school, and it barks when the kids are in the yard playing, and it barks whenever someone passes by. Essentially, it barks most of the time.

A properly trained dog is not going to be constantly barking.
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I don't think it's trained at all. I never seen them taking it for a walk. I don't know why they have it.
 
LoveBlue said:
Make the house deaf-friendly then the buyers won't care about a yapping dog. :)
Click to expand...
I would love that. :)

Maybe ask the neighbor to put the dog inside during showings (assuming they're home). You'd have to make sure they know when the showings are going to occur.
Click to expand...
TCS may have to ask them about that. One problem is that we have no idea when the showings will be. Also, most of the showings are during the day, and the family isn't home then. I suspect they leave the dog outside all day because it either isn't housebroken or its tiny bladder can't hold it all day. (It's a very small dog.)
 
Maybe you could ask them if you could have a key to the yard and give the dog a snack and some attention when the house is being shown.
 
TXgolfer said:
Open the gate one night?
Click to expand...
Sometimes it escapes under the fence, roams the neighborhood, then sneaks back in before they arrive home, so I don't think that will work. :giggle:

Spray It with vinegar 7-8 times a day?
Click to expand...
You want me to get arrested?! :shock:

:dunno: if you have a HOA you might check with them. I am not sure animal control can do anything since it is a fenced yard and daylight hours.
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I looked up the HOA covenants. There is nothing about barking dogs. I haven't found the animal control regs yet. They are closed for the weekend, so we can't contact them until Monday.
 
Bottesini said:
What?? If they get deaf neighbors, they aren't going to care about a yapping dog. I can't hear any barking in my neighborhood, can you??

But it's a good solution, sell the house only to deaf buyers. :P
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That would be great!

Any ADers moving to the Lowcountry of SC?
 
Buy an ultra sound anti bark device and plug it in outside before the buyers come or you leave the house, it will be an annoyance to the dog and it wont bark. I have used one myself when selling my house in the city... then its up to the new owners to deal with it.
 
Most places have laws about dog barking. Supposed to bark for no more than 10 minutes or so. A neighbor of my brother tape recorded my brothers dogs barking more than 10 minutes and took it to the town council.
I have had a prospective buyer scared off 1 house I sold in the past. I just asked them to please take the dog in if they saw people in the backyard. They readily complied. You can tell the dog owner that their dog is scaring off prospective buyers and you would keep a record of loss sales due to their dog. It may worry them enough. Tell the dog owner you know a philadelphia lawyer
 
Bottesini said:
What?? If they get deaf neighbors, they aren't going to care about a yapping dog. I can't hear any barking in my neighborhood, can you??

But it's a good solution, sell the house only to deaf buyers. :P
Click to expand...

The suggestion to put the dog in the house was for showing the house to hearing buyers. Sorry for the confusion. :(
 
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