Worried about the new neighbors

Yes that is true, however, I need to teach my dogs it is not nice to bark at the other neighbors. So that is good practice. We really don't have anyone living directly behind us (no house) and other neighbors on the other side of the house don't venture out much so I can't really teach them anything there.

 

Our neighbors have two dogs, one older and one younger. They whine for a good portion of the day. We live in ranch-style townhomes, and don't have backyards per se; we do have a common area out back that some people have fenced in a small portion of. We haven't done so yet, and neither have our neighbors. We do have really large porches. We know for a fact that the neighbors are trying to crate train the younger dog (they told us it isn't going well), and have been we moved in last June. Our theory is that when they're either not home or when they're "training", they put the younger dog in her crate out on the porch, and the dog whines. It goes on for 30-45 minutes at a time. Sometimes the older dog whines, too.

Yes, Oberon barks -- when there's a reason. He barks at the mailman, or anybody else who comes to the door. He barks when the garbage men comes, because they take our stuff. When he barks, he barks for a minute or two (sometimes even three!) and then he stops. The only times he whines is if he gets hurt (rarely, but sometimes Lee or I have accidentally stepped on his foot or tail, and he whines once) or when the dog(s) next door have been whining nonstop and Oberon gets concerned about them.

 

I was really happy when I moved in and I apologized to my neighbor about Honey's barking, and she said she couldn't hear it! (The advantage of moving into a house surrounded by older couples!) Then she said she loves to watch Honey jump around her trees chasing the squirrels. She was the best neighbor.

Now she's passed, and the house got bought by a guy around my husband and my age, he has a beautiful golden retriever, who the dogs are loudly attempting to get to know, named Atlas. I feel bad because Atlas never barks...but today he did come over and pee all over the fence, which seemed to embarrass the neighbor, (Atlas was firmly ignoring all attempts to call him over so he could make sure to get all the fence posts) I'm glad I'm not the only one worried about how their dogs are going to be looked at! (Meanwhile I was on my deck all, "Oh good they can get to know each other through smells!)

I'm really hoping having the larger dog that's so calm right behind us will help Mango's fear issues with them.

 

I moved last August and was worried about Piper barking but I've since had a few conversations with the neighbor (were a corner lot so only neighbor on one side) and they're like he doesn't bark much, our parents dog...now he barks (And of course Piper barks whenever he sees movement on the other side haha). But I think it's important to talk to your neighbors and let them know that they bark and I'm sure they'd be ok...and then invite them over for a BBQ so they can meet.