[worknman]

Well, this question isn't about my dog, but my upstairs neighbor's dog. They got a puppy a couple of months ago and leave it in a crate all day when they go to work. As a result, it barks and yelps a lot. This is very unfortunate for me, since I work from home during the day, and either have to crank up the music in my home office or run two high-powered fans to drown out the noise. The property manager will do nothing about it except to tell the neighbor that his dog is barking, which she has done several times, and the neighbor doesn't seem to care.

So I am seriously contemplating escalating to the police and/or animal control, but before I do that (and risk getting evicted, which would be very inconvenient for logistical reasons), I wanted to ask a question here...

The dog used to bark pretty much non-stop all day long, but now will shut up after awhile, and then start up again an hour or two before the owners get home. If I let this go long enough, is there a chance that the dog will just resign itself to its fate and stay quiet through the whole day? In other words, as a general rule, will dogs that hate being left in crates bark indefinitely if left to their own devices, or will they eventually submit to it and stop the whining?

 

[titiaamor]

This is really, really sad. :-/ Can you offer to walk the dog or help in some way? Dogs are not meant to live in cages.

 

[worknman]

I am not allowed to go up there. About 3 weeks after this started, I left them a note to let them know that their dog was barking and to please stop crating it. (In hindsight, that was probably a bad move, as I had no idea at the time that crate training was actually a thing. As you might guess, I am not a dog owner myself.) It wasn't exactly a nastygram, but they complained to management, who forbade me from making any further contact with them.

 

[doxiemommy]

It seems odd that simply leaving a note got a response from the management, and yet your complaints to the management really get no response.

Yes, crating is a tool, to keep the puppy safe when no one is home to supervise it, and also to keep the home safe from destruction from a bored and frightened puppy.
Yes, puppies do often become acclimated to their crates. It can depend on lots of things, though, including the dog's personality (some just never really like it), and how the owners go about "crate training" them. Also, if the owners leave a treat dispensing toy or two in the crate it can help puppies associate the crate with good things, AND keep them busy.

However, since you are just the frustrated neighbor in this situation, I guess I should just say YES, dogs can get used to the crate. You have already noticed improvement, and it's been 2 months. If it were me (and, yes, my opinion is clouded by the fact that I have been through puppy stages) I would try to be patient, keeping in mind that often, owners ARE trying to do the right thing, and DO know that puppies cause stress between neighbors, and are often self conscious and worried about the situation.

BUT, at the same time, I do admit, I would feel (if I were you) like my concerns were being ignored, since you have complained with no real response or change. I really think you're in an unfortunate situation, what with leaving the note, and the attitude of the management.
Calling AC will, in all probability, make this situation worse before it makes it better.

 

[titiaamor]

I am not allowed to go up there. About 3 weeks after this started, I left them a note to let them know that their dog was barking and to please stop crating it. (In hindsight, that was probably a bad move, as I had no idea at the time that crate training was actually a thing. As you might guess, I am not a dog owner myself.) It wasn't exactly a nastygram, but they complained to management, who forbade me from making any further contact with them.

Oh. I would definitely report them every time you hear the puppy. I would also call animal control. :-(

 

[worknman]

I honestly don't know if the neighbor is trying to correct the situation or not, but if he is, nobody has told me. The vibe I got from the property manager is that people who live in apartments have the right to own dogs, and just like people with crying children or hearing a neighbor snore who's bedroom is next to mine, a dog who barks for long periods of time is just something I'm going to have to learn to live with. She said if they let the dog loose, it might chew up their furniture, and we just can't have that, can we?

I told her I'd been reading online about some crate training techniques and wondered if she could pass these along to the neighbor, and she says she can't do that, because it would be like telling them how to raise their children, and 'people get sensitive about that kind of thing', and can't even suggest that they work with the dog on crate training. She's obviously a dog lover herself, and is sympathetic to the neighbors.

Just a couple of days ago, after I sent her a letter in writing and threatened to escalate the situation, I got a call from her saying that she had escalated the issue to the regional manager (it's a chain of complexes) and was waiting to hear back, so I guess we'll see. I don't think it should've come to this, but whatever.

 

[hamandeggs]

The property manager sounds unhelpful. Have you checked your lease? Does it say anything about the right of quiet enjoyment or about what obligations people with animals have? Usually if the lease allows animals, there are provisions about not causing damage and not disturbing the neighbors. Also, I don't know where you live, but many jurisdictions have laws about what tenants have rights to, in terms of occupying a rental apartment, and that usually includes the right of quiet enjoyment. You should check online for landlord-tenant resources for your area. I'm not saying you want to go to court or anything like that, but knowing your rights (and what the lease says) would be helpful when you talk to the landlord or agent.

 

[luvmyfurballs]

I've never had a dog do this during the day after such a long period. Usually they cry the first week or so and in my case it was at night when I was sleeping. The dog probably has to go out or maybe there is another dog or cat in the house that gets the dog excited? I would try to make amends with the neighbor and maybe offer to take the dog for a walk during the day...who knows maybe you'll become a dog owner