Hi Donnie,
I am in the age group you are complaining about. I don't blame you. Your neighbors sound like irresponsible college kids. They also have a ghetto mentality. I hope you can sell your home for a nice profit and hopefully move into a retirement community. I live near Laguna Woods which is an amazing place. It has the only affordable housing in this area (laguna beach). I think you have to wait until age 55 though. I suggest buying a home in an association with strict rules. They vary in fees and enforcement, but are often reasonable. People who like a quiet, clean neighborhood often move into these places.
I rent, because I can not afford the 2 million dollar median price of a home. I heavily researched and found a complex with strict enforcement. My apartment is quieter than most homes. When I hear irresponsible noise, I call the management. I have had two people evicted in the last two years. One tennant was a college kid who played loud music, the other was a tennant who kept a dog (against the rules). I also got rid of the skateboarders. It is like a monastary on my block, I love it. Most other renters and home owners I know complain about barking dogs, kids, loud parties, sex noises, violence, threats, and many other nightmarish scenarios. This happens even in upscale areas. When people are packed in like rats, there is no escape from horrible neighbors. If you rent or own in a strong, responsible association, you can avoid this hell. Good luck.
Let me tell you when I lived in my last apartment this neighbor had 3 pipbulls and they had them off the chain all the time. One day I was walking back from dropping my son off from school the dog ran to me I frozed my heart was about to jump out of my chest the owner came out and said don't worry he is harmless I said ya right the dog needs to be on the chain and next time he goes after me you will be in trouble.......So SCARED.....
Folks, I really appreciate everyones feedback. It is a bit unusual for these people to be getting a dog since they have been living there now for about 6 years - I hope that it is just a boredom phase they (younger gen) is going thru across the street. I will have to say that it is not all day long. I have some pretty rotten neigbors here. It is really a shame because I live very near a resort area and the housing here is GREAT, now it seems the younger crowd is moving in. I certainly DO NOT want to offend any of the younger crowd, but some of the younger folks ( mid 20 to early 30's) moving in my neighborhood have a very strange way of themselves that I simply did not grow up in. There are some young home owners living up the street and its like they are still in this college mindset of wanting to "sit" out in the middle of the front yard drinking all night long talking loud with all the other commotion going on. I want to say - guys - you have a house now !!!! Like why don't you all go inside and carry your three ring circus inside. I mean sitting in the grass - oh well, to each its own I guess. In some ways I wish I lived in some retirement community even though I am just now starting to turn 50 this Saturday.
When I was living in Austin I had this a apartment for a while that had super thin floors. Seriously, I could hear my neighbor's telephone conversations through the freaking floor. This was odd because the walls, windows, and everything else about the place was top of the line...built to condo spec.
Anyway, so this same neighbor lived in a 400 square foot apartment with a 60 pound puppy. The guy worked nights. The dog howled, whined and barked all night, almost every night. You add this situation to panic disorder and you've got a real problem.
Every jurisdiction is different, but in Texas there are ways of dealing with it. I got the problem taken care of. If you happen to live in Texas let me know and I can help you out.
It's a problem that seems trivial to others, but it's definitely not.
Unfortunately lots of people want pets, especially dogs but are to lazy to train them. For example people are to lazy to walk their dogs especially in the morning so they open their doors and let their dog/dogs go to the bathroom, and roam the neighborhood, that is how I got bit the first time.
As for letting the dogs bark outside endlessly at all hours of day and night these dog owners are SELFISH individuals who do NOT care who the barking of their dogs disturbs including disturbing peoples sleep. They know that they have the police and animal control on their side.
Believe me I know what you are going through.
Thanks for understanding. I wrote the webmaster asking to have this post deleted afraid that it would offend someone. But there are some people that need their head slapped like really hard, and then to say - do you not have any sense folks? Our police takes things very lightly around here - it is like an act of congress to get anything done. I don't feel like moving - it is too much stress. People DO get offended at the least mention of their beast barking - don't know why. I do know that the out of control animal is just an extension of who they are as a person. Sorry again for the rant.
I was bit three times in my life by so called "friendly dogs" as the owners described them. The last time I was bit was two yrs ago. I was walking, minding my own business, a woman with a baby in the stroller and the dog tied to the stroller on a leash came the opposite way, I was neither looking at the dog, the woman or the baby, but that dog felt like he had to jump me and bite me in my lower arm. I had to have several stitches. 15 yrs ago I was bit by a lake, again minding my own business, it was a stray dog and I had to have SEVENTEEN raby shots.
I know EXACTLY how you feel. We had a dog next door barking his head off in front of a tree for hours whenever he saw a squirl or whatever in that tree. Dogs bark all night. The police wont come out.
Animal control, forget it! When I was bit 2 yrs ago the first thing the animal control said to me "did you provoke him", and to the owner real soft and friendly "don't worry honey nothing will happen to your dog".
Unfortunately people have more sympathy for animals then for kids who were molested by a child molester. Just look how some judges in this country treat these child molesters i.e. a slap on the wrist, no jail time, maybe community work.
Have you thought about calling the cops? I dont know where you live, but we have a noise ordinance in my area. I had neighbors turned in before for their dog barking all day long. If it is causing you this much stress/anxiety, you need to do something about it. I would call them!! Best of luck to you!!!