Neighbor Fed Up With Barking Dog Next Door Decides to Take Action

A woman whose neighbor was fed up with her dog's behavior took the incident to social media, dividing opinion among social media users.

Oscar's owner (@cornflake81) shared in a TikTok video last month the note she received from a neighbor who became unimpressed with her cockapoo, Oscar's barking.

Dogs communicate with humans through body language and different sounds, with barking being one of their favorite ways to get their point across.

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While a bark or two is natural canine behavior, the American Kennel Club says that excessive dog barking can be a serious problem. Aside from owners not being able to get peace and quiet, neighbors might also get fed up.

Oscar's owner's neighbor grew frustrated and, to express concern sent a note that read: "Please can you tell your dog to stop barking!! It's doing my head in...from next door."

Following a picture of the note, the pup's owner showed Oscar, and right on cue, the dog howled, although it was muted in the video.

Newsweek reached out to @cornflake81 via TikTok for comment.

The number of times Oscar barks, for how long and why all remain a mystery. It is unclear if the dog's owner responded to the neighbor or worked on reducing her dog's barking habits.

It's hard for an owner to know whether their dog is constantly barking especially when they leave the house for work or errands. However, those who know their dog is an excessive barker can use the following steps from the AKC to hopefully reduce the barking:

• Identify why your dog is barking, which will help target your next step.
• Ignore barking for attention. Simply turn your back and walk away.
• Teach your dog an alternative method of earning attention, such as lying at your feet or sitting quietly.
• Train them that silence earns rewards.
• Teach impulse control.
• Do not leave dogs unattended in the yard.
• Block a dog's view from seeing out the window.
• Train your dog to go to their "place" when people come over.

TikTok Users React

The TikTok clip has since reached 436,200 views and 24,700 likes, causing a small divide in the comments section, with users sharing their experiences from both sides.

"All fun & games until you have to put up with it. When it's constant, it's enough to drive you mad," wrote one user.

"I'm the neighbour that tells them then complains to council when it carries on, I can't cope with dogs barking," another commenter said.

One user who's on Oscar's owner's side wrote: "Half these comments are not it!! This is hilarious, *from an owner of a fellow garden barker."

"So cute it can bark whenever it wants," a commenter wrote.

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