Brits could be fined up to £1,000 if their dogs won’t stop barking

Dog owners have been warned that they could face fines of up to £1,000 if their pets become a noise nuisance with their barking.

While occasional barking is a given when owning a dog, if the noise becomes an issue for neighbours, the responsible owner could be slapped with penalty notices and fines as high as £1,000.

According to the Government’s guidance, councils are legally obliged to investigate claims regarding noise.

For noise to count as a ‘statutory nuisance’, it must ‘unreasonably and substantially’ interfere with the use or enjoyment of a home or other premises, or must injure or be likely to injure health.

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If a report is made to the council about a dog, the owner will be given a week to try and aid the problem. If they fail to do this, however, they could be handed a Fixed Penalty Notice of up to £110.

They will be prosecuted if they fail to pay the Fixed Penalty Notice or fail to find the money on time, and will even face conviction and a fine of £1,000.

In extreme cases, dogs can even be removed from its owners care if the barking is considered to be excessive.

Earlier this year, a woman in Derby had her dog removed and was fined after neighbours endured months of the animal barking and howling throughout the night.

A Derby Homes report revealed that the RSPCA was forced to take action against the dog owner after the problems became so serious it caused neighbours’ mental health and wellbeing to suffer, with the matter reaching the courts.

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For those concerned about their dogs barking habits, dog experts Kennel Store have offered some tips on how best to aid the problem.

Kennel Store’s top barking tips:

• Ensure you’re not rewarding the barking – make sure you don’t tell your pet they’re a ‘good dog’ and reward them with treats if they’re being noisy, as it will only encourage the behaviour. Instead, only reward the dog when it’s being quiet, as it will associate treats with good behaviour.
• Don’t raise your voice at your dog – even if you feel the need to shout – as they may think you’re joining in with them which could cause them to get louder. Try and figure out what is causing the barking, and see if you can remove the stimulus in attempt to make things a little quieter.
• Make sure your dog has a routine – a bored dog with no structure is more likely to behave destructively. Try and ensure your dog has regular exercise, set meal times and scheduled play times to enable the pooch to become more relaxed.
• Train your dog to become desensitised to barking triggers – if you come to notice a pattern of triggers that is leading your dog to bark, it’s vital to train them not to react to them unnecessarily.