Dog barking

Excessive dog barking solutions

Excessive noise from a neighbour's barking dog can be annoying and upsetting.

This can often be resolved informally by explaining to your neighbours the difficulties the barking is causing. However, when this approach fails the council's Community Safety team may be able to help. 

First steps

You may feel uncomfortable approaching your neighbour but by talking to them calmly to advise them that noise from their dog barking is concerning you, the matter can be brought to their attention and hopefully addressed, without having to take any further action.

For a number of reasons, it may not be possible for to speak to your neighbour. If this is the case, you may wish to put your complaint to them in writing, in polite terms, pointing out that the dog barking is causing annoyance and asking them to takes appropriate action. It is good practice to keep copies of correspondence for future reference. 

If you would like some help to approach your neighbour about this issue, contact the Community Safety Officer Team on 0800 013 0076.

Formal action

The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. Section 49 allows aggrieved individuals to apply to the Justice of the Peace Court to make an order requiring the owner of any creature, causing annoyance to take steps to prevent this occurrence.  You will be required to present your case before a Justice of the Peace.

You will need to prepare a petition and serve it on the owner/ keeper of the dog. Read our guidance on how to prepare a petition (PDF, 47 KB) with helpful hints and tips about evidence you may provide in court to support your case including keeping a dog barking diary (PDF, 19 KB). Our Community Safety Officer Team may be able to assist you with gathering evidence of the noise being experienced.

If the court is satisfied that the dog is giving you reasonable cause for annoyance, they may make an order requiring the person keeping the dog to take such steps to prevent the annoyance from continuing.

Dog Barking (for owners)

It's normal and natural for dogs to bark. But when barking happens a lot, or goes on for a long time, it can be annoying and upsetting for your neighbours. If you're out a lot, or you're used to the noise, you might not realise just how bad it is.

Working out what is causing your dog to bark is the key to fnding the correct solution. Stopping them barking barking means changing their behaviour and this takes time and requires patience and persistence. Find out what you can do if your dog is barking to much  (PDF, 238 KB). 

Possible cause may be:

• boredom
• loneliness
• lack of exercise
• lack of stimulation
• hearing and seeing people passing by your home

There are some simple steps you can take straight away to cut down the amount of noise your dog is making. 

• If your dog barks at things outside in your yard or garden, don't let it go outside on its own. Keep it away from windows, so it can't see people or other animals.
• If your dog barks at the same time every day, for instance when people in the house are going to work or school, try to keep it busy at that time. For example, you could take it for a walk.
• Try to keep your dog calm. If it barks when it's excited, don't play with it at anti-social times such as very late at night.
• See if you can get a friend or relative to look after your dog when you go out, or take it with you.
• Make sure your dog gets some exercise before you go out. A tired dog barks less.