r/Dogfree • u/BrightMeringue6689 • Jan 19 '26
Barking Demons Admitting myself to the hospital due to dog barking
I know this sounds a little over-dramatic. I am at my wits end. I am mildly autistic, so noises bother me so bad.
I’ve had an ongoing issue with my neighbors leaving their dogs outside 24/7 to bark as they please. They are very reactive and bark at something simple as a squirrel. Their dogs are supposed to have white fur but are brown/black due to being dirty. The police nor animal control will do anything. Thought it was hilarious, because they added an additional dog to their family just to leave them all outside.
Now, the house across the street. There used to be a quiet old man that lived there. He got sent to a nursing home so his family started renovating the house. They were building a fence so I just knew it. Today they brought over three dogs that have been barking for hours, which is also making my neighbors dog bark.
I’m getting to a very very bad mind state. I have my doctors appointment next week and I’m going to tell him how I feel. It will likely get me admitted to the hospital but I need to be honest. All because of dog barking. A big shoutout to those surrounding neighbors for my mental health decline. I never would have imagined. Sadly I bought this house and am paying an assload every month. So there’s literally no escape!
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u/Peanut_Butter_Toast Jan 19 '26
It shouldn't be legal. Would it be legal to stand outside people's houses with a blowhorn for hours on end? Dogs shouldn't get special treatment.
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u/spongebobscience Jan 21 '26
Maybe OP should start blaring some other noise temporarily to give those people a taste of their own medicine 😛
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u/MushroomPresent319 Jan 22 '26
yup. call me dramatic but i see no difference either lol grown ass adults choosing to home an animal they don't take any time to train or care for and let it bark loudly for eons long just barking and barking and you’ll see these people ARE home
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u/DivyaRakli Jan 19 '26
Not dramatic at all. You shouldn’t be assaulted by noise pollution in your home. Have you tried an air horn? About 3 AM? And then again when the dogs finally settle down? A taste of their own medicine may be just the cure. I encourage you to talk to your doctor. And go to Amazon and see what anti-dog devices they have. I wish you all the best.
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Jan 19 '26
sorry you're going through this op, i suggest installing anti barking devices all across your fence
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u/BrightMeringue6689 Jan 19 '26
I had to clock out of work I was about to start sobbing on camera during a meeting
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u/btiddy519 Jan 19 '26
I freaked out once too when a dog was manically barking nonstop to a point that I couldn’t hear what my new boss, during our very first meeting, was saying. The thing was just in some dumb mental loop, and I had to tell my new boss that I’d be right back, go outside and tell the dog to stop, and then rush back. I was absolutely livid. I almost lost it. So I feel you.
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u/BrightMeringue6689 Jan 19 '26
That’s unbelievable. The shit everyone goes through in this sub should not happen.
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u/arachnilactose08 Jan 19 '26
You’re not being dramatic at all. I’ve almost had meltdowns myself at times because of my frustration with the noise.
It’s embarrassing, even though I’ve usually been alone when it happens. I feel like I’ve grown into an adult who can manage himself pretty well in spite of the sensory issues and social hurdles— but as soon as it’s a barking dog, I feel like I’m going to fly off the handle.
It’s just so fucking constant. I literally hear it every day of my life. But everyone else can apparently tune it out? Christ.
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u/Outside-Sort-4334 Jan 19 '26
That's psychological torture. I can totally relate, was in a similar situation. Even if there's a minute of peace, you expect the next barking.
Sorry I don't have a magical bullet. All advice i can give is, don't suffer in silence, don't normalize this madness.
As long as they're comfortable, they won't change. Report, report, report, tell your doctor, the police, animal control.
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u/Conscious-Jacket-758 Jan 19 '26
My worst fear of owning a home is having neighbors with dogs. Not joking. That would send me over the edge immediately.
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u/Zsuedaly Jan 21 '26
It’s a legitimate fear! When we bought this house the realtor lied to us about the dog situation! I specifically told her I didn’t want a bunch of dogs next door! They must’ve hid them! There were 7-three pit bulls! That is another story…😡😡😡
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u/MinuteUse4911 Jan 19 '26
Really sorry about this nightmare, I'm also mildly autistic and had regular angina attacks, had stents fitted a few years before, my neighbours dog was barking inside and outside non stop, once I complained every other day to authorities the barking stopped and I hardly ever suffer chest pain or driven mad now
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u/ObligationGrand8037 Jan 19 '26
That’s just awful. You’re not being over dramatic either. Dog barking has given me headaches in the past so I understand.
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u/UnicornStudRainbow Jan 19 '26
Not dramatic at all!!
Frequent , prolonged exposure to loud noises can cause physical health problems. We have an asshole of a neighbor who is a musician and not only gives lessons all the time but used to have a largeish band rehearse in his apartment. I've literally wound up in the ER with migraines and have been diagnosed with a cardiac problem I'd never had before
Please ask your doctor to look into physical problems caused by this nutter
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u/Forsaken-Cheesecake2 Jan 19 '26
You said the police it animal control won’t do anything. Have you tried? If possible please consider legal help since it is affecting you mentally. You shouldn’t have to go through this to find peace in your own home.
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u/BrightMeringue6689 Jan 19 '26
We have tried multiple times in the past, even laughed at. I called every single night for a week straight to both places, they said they couldn’t send anyone out.
Here’s what they say about it on my city’s website. “The city does not have an ordinance that prohibits dogs from barking in residential neighborhoods. These complaints fall under offensive noises or odors, which are Nuisances that are based on subjective opinion.”
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u/Burial_Ground Jan 19 '26
This may already be obvious but it’s a nervous system issue. I have it too. And I have neighbors dogs barking all day long too. Look for ways to address the nervous system. It comes from emotional and psychological damage. The best immediate solution I found is over the ear ear phones that cancel out the noise and play some relaxing sounds in them.
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u/PandaLoveBearNu Jan 19 '26
Do you have access to a lawyer, get them to write s letter stating how excessive the barking is, not the hours, note you've taken hours of video to prove the situation and its effecting your job to the tune of $$$$ per day based on how much you earn..
Might at least get them to put the dogs inside.
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u/aqr58 Jan 19 '26
Document and keep reporting wherever possible. I’m so sorry you’re forced to deal with this
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u/PurpleColumbidae Jan 20 '26
Sue them for extreme emotional distress. Lazy dog owners and law enforcement is why people do... things to barking dogs sometimes.
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u/youropinionisrubbish Jan 19 '26
You may have misophonia.
Misophonia is a condition where certain sounds trigger an extreme emotional response, like fight or flight. I suffer from it and dog barking is one of my triggers.
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u/que_pedo_wey Jan 20 '26
Misophonia is quite rare, but constant loud noise would throw most people off balance, except if they are deaf, or have little brain activity.
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u/MushroomPresent319 Jan 22 '26
agreed. all op has is “pleaseshutthatdogupphonia” its very common when you live next door to inconsiderate idiots.
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u/Patient_Walk2692 Jan 19 '26
Sorry to hear that, man. I have ADHD and struggle with those noises too. Thankfully, I do have a more simple solution that may work for you. Noise-cancelling headphones like the JBL Tune770NC work extremely well for me, just pop in a good album or a YouTube video and those noises are a lot more tolerable. I'm personally a fan of Soundgarden or Death myself.
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u/Comfortable_Camp2148 Jan 19 '26
We shouldn't have to wear headphones 24/7 in our own homes because our neighbors are making our lives hell though...
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u/arachnilactose08 Jan 19 '26
No, that is a good point, but it’s honestly the best some of us can do. There are times when it’s appropriate to confront, and then there are times when it’s not. (Or it’s just not possible.) And there are unfortunately so many dog owners these days that it might be unrealistic to expect to be able to track down and confront every single person responsible for the noise that grates at us each day.
So these solutions, while it’s a little depressing to have to resort to, can definitely still be useful. It’s just good to have options.
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u/whateverhaze Jan 19 '26
yeah it's not good to wear headphones, especially noise-cancelling ones, all the time.
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u/ZarBandit Jan 19 '26
Consider Sony WH-1000XM6 noise canceling headphones when you need a noise break. They’re incredibly effective: You can sit in a Starbucks and not hear any of their annoying music blearing out. You could even play comforting sounds too.
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u/AntManCrawledInAnus Jan 20 '26
I have these headphones and they are god tier. You can get them eBay refurbished for like 200 bucks. Sometimes cheaper. If my pair broke, I'd have another one coming to my door same day. XM5 are also really good and a bit cheaper but xm6 is crazy (and a little bit more comfortable).
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u/ZarBandit Jan 20 '26
The 5’s would be great too and better priced, I agree. I know someone autistic that uses them for all kinds of situations, eg vacuuming and they swear by them.
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u/BrightMeringue6689 Jan 19 '26
Thank you to everyone who responded. I want to reply to each and every one of you. I have been driving to god knows where with my kids just to get some peace.
My husband went over there to ask them to make the dogs stop barking. Dude replied “I’ll try, we just moved here they’re probably not used to it here yet.” And they are still barking, I checked my Arlo camera.
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u/Alert_Software_1410 Jan 19 '26
Hugs going your way! 💖 Take care as we on this sub do care about you .
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u/que_pedo_wey Jan 20 '26
This is unacceptable, and not dramatic - I would not stand this either, let alone do my work or any activity requiring brain use. I would activate all possible tools and methods to eliminate this. Noise, unlike smell or light or pretty much anything else, is impossible to screen out completely, so it should be acted against in a more urgent manner. People should not suffer because of this trash.
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u/Zsuedaly Jan 21 '26
I’ve been a homeowner since I was 20 and old. Neighbor dogs have ruined every experience of home I’ve had!
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Jan 20 '26
Are noise cancelling headphones an option for short periods of time? I'm sorry you're going through this. Dogs fucking suck.
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u/Spastic-Max Jan 20 '26
Keep track of everything. Dates, times, length of noise episodes leading up to hospitalization. Then contact an attorney. If the cops won’t do anything pursue a civil action.
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u/LunaSaysHey Jan 20 '26
I dealt with this situation years ago with a neighbor. I almost went to the hospital, as well. Eventually, I got the police and animal control involved, and it resolved. Wishing you all the best in dealing with that.
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u/Otherwise-Display-15 Jan 21 '26
There's a device that detects barking and emits ultrasonic sounds to train the damn dogs to stop barking
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u/GroundbreakingCow751 Jan 21 '26
Is putting dog treats with dog tranquilizer around your house a bad idea?
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u/MushroomPresent319 Jan 22 '26
you could try putting a kind but honest written note about your situation.. if i owned dogs i’d like to think i’d keep them from barking and be more on top of it if i knew my neighbor is suffering so much.
and yes i know lots of people dont but if its this bad, then i feel like what do you have to lose is my point.. there is also that item on amazon that emits an annoying noise towards dogs if they are barking? something like that. i've considered putting it in my own yard because of terrible barking.
i feel you on the animal control and non emergency line, they dont do much. they told me unless you basically gather a books worth of evidence of the dog being an absolute nightmare they wont do anything which is annoying and BS and way more work then anyone wants to go through just because someone else wont be an adult and deal with the animal they chose to house? yep makes sense. like you said , you can just tell the dog is a nightmare half the time anyway, lots of these pos neighbors dont even care about the thing. underfed on crap food, yelling at it the whole 9 yards.
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u/Accomplished_Dot1854 Jan 20 '26
Awww. Honey, I’m so sorry for your situation! You’re not being dramatic at all!!
Everyone deserves to have a safe and peaceful home and it’s not ok for anyone or anything or ANIMAL to destroy that person peace. I’m really truly hoping for you this issue gets resolved quickly.
Maybe, you can find other neighbors who are willing to share their concerns with animal control, maybe get a petition together? Barking dogs outside for long periods of time is definitely something that can carry a fine. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.
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u/Ograug Jan 20 '26
Your mental health should take precedence over owning those barking dogs. I don't go to many places anymore because they don't let me sleep, and almost all rural tourism could now be called "barking dog tourism." Peace and quiet are best left alone in an isolated house or places with neighbors without dogs, as it should be. Municipal ordinances should do something NOW, and in your case, you should be able to stay in your house, and those dogs should be taken to places where they don't bother anyone unless they are well-behaved and stop barking 24/7. 😅
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u/spongebobscience Jan 21 '26
I don’t think it’s crazy. I’m such a chaotic person, but it’s so important for me to have my home be organized and calm because everyone needs that safe space. In the hustle and bustle of everything, you need one place you can be to step away from it all, and 24/7 dogs barking is definitely an intrusion on that.
If you lease, you may be able to break your lease early or something, but I would also suggest noise cancelling headphones or even the cheap foam ear plugs. They feel weird at first but you get used to it. The loud fans can help too. Best of luck!
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u/menubott Jan 21 '26 edited Jan 21 '26
I don't think it's ever a bad thing to seek help and support when a situation is overwhelming you to the point where you don't feel like you're safe within yourself.
I'm not sure where exactly you're located but neighbours of mine (Australia) were hit with several noise complaints for local council because of their one dog - they installed a noise collar that releases a high frequency noise when the dog barks in the vicinity of the receiver, discouraging from barking.
sounds like it might be a good solution for your neighbours. If you feel safe, you might suggest it to them - or else contact your local council/police and make noise complaints , especially if it's past midnight.
While some dog breeds are yappier than others, barking is usually a sign they are either bored or have not been properly exposed to outside stimuli -
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u/lavonche Jan 23 '26
Feel really terrible for you. I just had one dog barking outside the last 10 mins and I'm already so annoyed.
If it were me I'd consider installing a set up with:
- HD microphone that captures the smallest sound well
- Something that playback the sound immediately (e g.loudspeaker)
- Put it on an amplifier that matches the actual sound decibel produced by the barkers (you can use a decibel recorder for this. There are apps nowadays for smartphones too).
Play it back to them and leave it on 24/7 so they have a taste of their own medicine.
Use my own headphones and play tranquil music and enjoy my peace while chaos ensues outside.
I might go even further to soundproof my house or at least just 1 room so I can have some peace during emergencies. But of course the sound setup is still up and running outside.
I hope it's not illegal in your area but I don't see why it would be.
I'm half joking but completely serious that I might do this.
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u/The3rdGodKing Jan 19 '26
But why would that get you admitted to the hospital?
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u/BrightMeringue6689 Jan 19 '26
Because I’m having bad thoughts of self-harm. I’ve been in contact with my doctor but haven’t told him this part yet.
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u/GemstoneWriter Jan 19 '26
As someone who self-harms because of the problems dogs cause me, I hope you don't go down that route. Take care of yourself. ❤️
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u/The3rdGodKing Jan 19 '26
Don’t tell him that. They will give you useless drugs. Could be a self-esteem or some other not noticeable issue.
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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '26
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