Barking Dog - Need help

[89vncommy]

OK, here is the thing.. This is going to be a long story too by the way ...


Anyway, back in Jan I bought a little dog. Pom x Shih Tzu ... Anyway, I live in an apartment (I own it) and have some pretty stupid strata laws... Anyway, the dog was a spur of the moment purchase, because my fiance was bugging me for a dog for ages.

Our strata states that we can keep a small dog with written approval. Anyway, we had the dog here for months, and bout 8 weeks ago there was a complaint made about the dog barking. So the Strata sent me a nasty letter about removing the dog or facing a fine of up to $5,000.

I started to fight this with the body corporate, and even offered to: -

1) get a shock collar, so that when the dog barks it gets a little shock
2) have a vet perform a procedure to stop the dog from barking by slitting the vocal chord (sounds harsh but is not that bad)

Anyway, first I bought the collar, but it does not seem to stay over the dogs vocal chord to sense the barking. It worked like once, but it has not worked since...

Anyway, someone must have complained and the strata sent me a letter advising me that I had to keep the dog quiet at all times. So I thought that this was their OK to keep the dog.

Anyway, today, I get another letter that says complaints have been rcvd and that I do not have written permission to keep the dog and it has to go or get a fine.... Yada yada ...

If I try to sell the apartment, I will prolly loose money, and as I am on a single income (my fiance still studdies) and I don't really want to move out... What should I do ????

[gopher]

1) get a shock collar, so that when the dog barks it gets a little shock
2) have a vet perform a procedure to stop the dog from barking by slitting the vocal chord (sounds harsh but is not that bad)

********s like you should be banned from owning animals

give the dog to someone who will care for it

[-UNKNOWN-]

Simple... Loose the dog or loose the apartment. Maybe harsh but.. Meh.

[Snotty]

yeh i agree, think whats best for the dog

[89vncommy]

********s like you should be banned from owning animals

give the dog to someone who will care for it

Both are perfectly legal, and does not mean I don't know how to look after an animal or care for one.

My family has been breading dogs, and saving dogs from organisations like "death row dogs", and "Paws" .... For many years now ...

The people that need to have their head put in line are those old bats that live in apartments and complain about the slightest things.. I mean, the dog does not bark that often or loud, and other residents crank their home stereo's louder then my dog would ever bark ... But I come to think of that as apartment living, and would never rat on a neighbour without a real reason ...

[gopher]

just because they're legal doesn't mean they're not cruel

i bet you wouldn't put a collar around your own neck that gives you a shock every time you spoke.
i bet you wouldn't book yourself into hospital to get your vocal cords cut.

i'm sorry but i don't agree with any of this

you want a dog you buy a house not an apartment

[calais_304]

just because they're legal doesn't mean they're not cruel

i bet you wouldn't put a collar around your own neck that gives you a shock every time you spoke.
i bet you wouldn't book yourself into hospital to get your vocal cords cut.

i'm sorry but i don't agree with any of this

you want a dog you buy a house not an apartment

settle it just a dog i suggest you never travel to thailand.

[89vncommy]

I fully do not agree with the cutting of the vocal chord ... Yes it is an option, but one that I have not done ...

I offered it to the strata company so they would know that I am serious about keeping the dog....

The collar is not something that I was too happy with. There is a difference between barking and talking tho.. I know when it is an appropriate time to talk and to be quiet.. The dog does not know the difference...

The collar is adjustable, and has only ever been used on the smallest amount of correction... And has only ever been used when no one is home to stop the nuisance barking...

Strata laws permit the dog to remain, but for some reason I have an old bat in my block that once complained about me watering my plants on the balcony and flooding her balcony (which was not me) and for having a cleaning lady come in and sweep my balcony every day and sweeping the leaves onto her balcony ... (yet again false, and I wish I could afford a cleaner) ...

I wish it were easy to buy a house in Sydney, but the harsh reality of the matter is that it is not possible on a single income... That is why there needs to be some sort of lenience on other dwellings, which is why it is permitted in the strata laws... But there is no strata law against old bats with nothing better to do then make up stuff about residents...

[gopher]

settle it just a dog

why should i???

[TheForgotten]

the way I was taught, was owners had more rights the renters, but maybe that's different in different states.
Also, my mum has a half-breed shitzu, and I can vouch, they don't bark loud. you just got a lonely old goat for a neighbour, and beleive me, if it comes to a court case, she'll win no matter what.
Another option for the barking... I heard about this collar a few years back, works on the same principle as the shock coller, but sprays a small amount of lemon juice or similar in the dogs face. maybe just a concept, maybe made the shelves...
or just bite the bullet and sell fido to a kid who'll take good care and maybe let you visit every so often

[Dan355]

It's not a "shock" collar as in electricity is it? Im almost 100 percent sure they are very illegal. You must have one that sprays citrus oil etc.

Yea im not to keen on your choice of dog but as said it has to be small. I couldnt imagine a small thing like that could make much noise at all. I would suggest u get rid of the old bat next door. Maybe put a shock collar on her.

Is the dog Male or female? Desexed? Im guessing its still a puppy? Keep it quite untill it grows up a little then see how it goes. Could be a bordem thing when ur not home. I could imagine being cooped up in a apartment all day, not very fun. If you Keep it buisy then it should keep quite.

[89vncommy]

my mum has a half-breed shitzu, and I can vouch, they don't bark loud. you just got a lonely old goat for a neighbour, and beleive me, if it comes to a court case, she'll win no matter what.

Exactly, and the dog does not even bark loud enough to make the collar go off ...

Another option for the barking... I heard about this collar a few years back, works on the same principle as the shock coller, but sprays a small amount of lemon juice or similar in the dogs face. maybe just a concept, maybe made the shelves...

Yep that one does exist, does not have the best efficiency rating tho, and some people consider it to be worse as the smell of the citronella hangs around long after the dog has been barking... But that is another option also.

or just bite the bullet and sell fido to a kid who'll take good care and maybe let you visit every so often

I have thought of this, but the dog has really grown on me ... I originally bought her for my fiance, but I really love the darn thing ... I was going to send it down to live with my parents for a while, but can't give her away ...

It's not a "shock" collar as in electricity is it? Im almost 100 percent sure they are very illegal. You must have one that sprays citrus oil etc.

Yeah, it gives a little shock (controllable by 3 stages, and each stage has a smaller shock associated with it). So on stage 1, if the dog barks it gives a little buzz. If the dog barks within 30 seconds of that the buzz increases slightly. You can then increase this to stage 2 and stage 3. As it is only a small dog, I would never make it go above stage 1, and if continual barking was a problem then yeah, I would look for something else. It was purchased and is legal. Got it from a company called pet safe.

Yea im not to keen on your choice of dog but as said it has to be small. I couldnt imagine a small thing like that could make much noise at all. I would suggest u get rid of the old bat next door. Maybe put a shock collar on her.

That is just it... As above, the barking of the dog is not even loud enough to make a collar go off... The only time the dog really did any loud barking is when we would leave the apartment. The first day the dog had the collar on, we left the apartment, the dog barked... Collar went off, and now the dog doesn't bark when we leave anymore...

Is the dog Male or female? Desexed? Im guessing its still a puppy? Keep it quite untill it grows up a little then see how it goes. Could be a bordem thing when ur not home. I could imagine being cooped up in a apartment all day, not very fun. If you Keep it buisy then it should keep quite.

Yeah, is a female and not desexed. I also have a cat that has been in the apartment for about 4 years now and it keeps the dog company ... So that is why the dog does not bark too much as it has another animal to play with ... The dog will be 1 year old on the 8th November, so she is pretty much getting out of the puppy stage....

[s0sage]

why dont you make shit up about the old lady?

say she sexually harrasses you whenever you see her in the building.

says lewd things unbecoming an elderly lady .. pinches your ass when you walk past, whistles .. whatever ..

[minux]

If you didnt buy a little buttfck dog you wouldnt have this issue, serves you right for owning a dog that would be found on queer eye for the straight guy.

That being said, the cruelty in the options you choose is a joke, if your parents did breed dogs, you would know the various councils across australia disliek an option of de-barking.

[sixshooter]

just because they're legal doesn't mean they're not cruel

i bet you wouldn't put a collar around your own neck that gives you a shock every time you spoke.
i bet you wouldn't book yourself into hospital to get your vocal cords cut.

i'm sorry but i don't agree with any of this

you want a dog you buy a house not an apartment

Well said greengopher !

settle it just a dog i suggest you never travel to thailand.

Why should he settle... just cause other people eat them doesn't mean they dont deserve to be treated humanely.

You're just an animal aswell... would you like that treatment done to you ?

A dog is mans best friend... and alot more loyal than some people !

[Nobody Actually]

If you didnt buy a little buttfck dog you wouldnt have this issue, serves you right for owning a dog that would be found on queer eye for the straight guy.

That being said, the cruelty in the options you choose is a joke, if your parents did breed dogs, you would know the various councils across australia disliek an option of de-barking.

Well said greengopher !



Why should he settle... just cause other people eat them doesn't mean they dont deserve to be treated humanely.

You're just an animal aswell... would you like that treatment done to you ?

A dog is mans best friend... and alot more loyal than some people !

my thought's exactly. ffs, you've already got a cat. your fiance will have to settle for it instead. give the pup a better life somewhere else.

by the way, just curious. do you walk the dog regulary ( like every day) or is it cooped up in the apartment 24/7?

[89vncommy]

If you didnt buy a little buttfck dog you wouldnt have this issue, serves you right for owning a dog that would be found on queer eye for the straight guy.

That being said, the cruelty in the options you choose is a joke, if your parents did breed dogs, you would know the various councils across australia disliek an option of de-barking.

Yes, some councils do not like the procedure, but have not out lawed it. And like I said it is an option ... Not one that I want to do or will do, but is an option to show my willingness to keep the dog, and to show I am pro-actively looking for solutions to the problem. Some people have a change of heart when they are advised of a procedure like that, and it can change minds about complaints... The suggestion of that was to make the Strata go to the old bat, and try to shame her out of complaining.. Make her think that it is a harsh thing to do, and she would rather listen to a dog somewhat barking then make an owner do that....

Truth be told, I would rather rent out my apartment to someone, and buy/rent a townhouse villa where the dog would be permitted as my worse case scenario ... But I don't feel that I should be made move out of my own dwelling when there are neighbours that cause more noise by having floor boards, hammering at odd hours, cranking their music at odd hours, and blocking the drive way and my garage every once in a while... I personally put up with that under the thinking of "well it is apartment living, so we have to give and take sometimes".

my thought's exactly. ffs, you've already got a cat. your fiance will have to settle for it instead. give the pup a better life somewhere else.

by the way, just curious. do you walk the dog regulary ( like every day) or is it cooped up in the apartment 24/7?

The cat was not happy with being the only animal. I have had him for years, and he loves the company. He use to have a bit of an attitude problem, but now that he has someone to play with, I have seen a real change in him which has been for the best.

And yes the dog is walked either every day, or every second day ... My fiance even bought a raincoat for the dog ... (well got me to buy it anyway) which cost like $40 ... I personally don't walk the dog in the rain, but she does.

I think that was how we first got found out for keeping the dog... The old bat saw my fiance carry her in one day when she was trying to hide it. Then she must of heard it bark and chased down to find out what apartment the noise came from ...

I have written another letter to the strata, to try and find out how we can solve the problem today, and also called the strata manager directly to discuss.

There is another dog in one of the other blocks of our apartments (There are 4 separate blocks) who are able to keep a small dog also, so I am not sure why they are allowed and not me....

[vy_storm]

I am debating whether to close this thread or not.

People have offered suggestions and advice, but I can't see any point of the arguments from here on in. It is basically your decision, and any ethical judgements are your own, not those on the forum.

If you want it closed, let me know, otherwise it can run its course, keeping in mind that it needs to stay on topic.

[89vncommy]

Yeah, I have noticed that it is turning into a bit of an ethical debate ...

Don't mind if you delete it all together ...

[vy_storm]

No worries, will just close it for now. Let us know how you get on with it though as it looks like there is some genuine concern for your situation. I can always re-open it for you to add to later on.