My mothers dog barking

Adelle from Central Whangarei

Hello All

My mother has a hearing dog and today got the dreaded "Dear homeowner" letter. This letter complains that mums hearing dog /guard dog barks at night.

There are three reasons she barks at night and although you don't hear it mum is on the phone trying hard to get someone to help her at night but by the time the police get here the people have taken off and even pulling out the police dog shows they so far and then vanish.

reasons for dog barking (by the way she NEVER barks at shadows)

1 some person (this is the main one) is cutting from the reserve at the back of Raumanga Valley Road to the road these are big men who would scare anyone on there own let alone an elderly lady).

How about instead of complaining shine a flashlight around YOUR yard to see who is hiding there! The reason she is barking at the fence is they have gone into the neighbor's yard to avoid the barking dog!

2 someone's beloved pet dog has been let off for the night and it is in our yard crapping! or attacking the above dog.

3 someone is trying to get into your house because the yard is guarded by a dog. again refer to section two of part 1.

You took the time to write the anonymous letter why not have the guts to knock on the door and say "I am being kept awake by your dog can we work something out?"

We will now against all training from her training provider who take steps to train these dogs to alert the person of any threat or problem at the property where they live.

The service dog will from now on be shut in at night as my mother has been robbed six times before the dog arrived and not once since. Never mind that the dog stopped one group breaking into a garage but hey it was not yours so no problems but it may be next time so thanks for the threat to call the council but no knock to ask what is going on or to tell us of the problems the council have told us that we have the right to answer your concerns but since there is no name or address we are forced to do this in this manner.

I do feel sorry for people who have barking dogs as neighbors but my mother is not that scary to approach so why not talk to her about this rather than resort to threats in the mailbox. I am at the property daily so if this is a case of "She may not hear or understand" this is not an issue. Next time there is an issue knock and we will offer a cuppa as we try to work this matter out.

Sorry to all not involved but this is the only way we can respond to an anonymous letter.