I have two labradors that I put in an outdoor covered run during the day when I work and the weather permits so they can play with each other. I live in the country far off the road and am renting the house. The closest neighbor, the owner of the house I rent is about a football field length away. Apparently the dogs are barking a lot during the day and are a problem. I know they are bored. They have about 5 different toys with them. The other alternative I have is keeping them indoors in separate crates. They are so much better behaved at night when they get to play with each other during the day. I have come home and suprised them during the middle of the day from time to time and they are always sleeping until they see my truck coming up the drive. When I am home, they are in the house with me and very quiet dogs. Any suggestions on barking dogs when outdoors? I thought about the citronella collars, but they may eat them off each other. I don't know if I put up a screen that they couldn't see through if that would help. Thanks for suggestions.

Hard to say whether they are really being a nuisance or perhaps your landlord just does not want the dogs on his property. Try crating one of them,putting the citronella collar on the outdoor dog and alternate, see if that makes a difference. I would let the landlord know that you are trying different "training" methods to make sure they do not disturb .

It's all about boredom, I get those very , very large femur bones , raw and give that to the crew, keeps them occupied for days. Or fill Kongs with a mixture of yogurt and peanut butter, then freeze firm, then give them that , it takes a long time to get all the "stuff" out of that Kong.

If there is a way to have music or something like that for them. It works like white noise to drown out "things" they may hear to bark at. Do they have a house to get into to snooze?

I have found that judicial use of a well designed bark collar is very helpful in eliminating nuisance barking. I use the PetSafe collar - available at PetSmart. Starts with a tone on the first bark, then goes to a very low stimulation if they keep barking, to a maximum stimulation (that isn't terrible - I tested on myself.) Then if they keep barking it shuts off for a while and starts the cycle again. Doesn't usually take them long to remember that barking isn't such a great idea, but they still get to bark once or twice if they forget. Another thing you might do is install a web cam to see what they are really doing all day besides barking. My guess is that they are sleeping or sitting and barking and not playing. If that's the case, they might as well sleep in a crate for the day! I don't like to leave my dogs outside when I'm not home anyway because there is no unescapable fence. Best of luck!

They may be barking as your landlord moves about his property, which is of course them just alerting but is a real nuisance to the owner of the property.Your landlord is good to let you know. If your dogs are annoying your landlord, they need to come inside. Is there a place where you could have the dog run inside in say, a basement, so that they could play then? If not, you may have to crate them. A dog who is annoying anyone is not safe, and is not a good citizen. Even otherwise good, quiet dogs bark at things they see--we have some squirrels who use dogs as part of their amusement park thrills and chills!

You could also try blocking their view of the landlord with some fence.

Yes! Blocking their view will do wonders. I had the same problem and put 3 pieces of privacy fence up and it stopped. If you cant install fencing, just get a few pieces and lean up against that side of the kennel. It will also keep sun off them somewhat, wind, rain, and snow from blowing in on that side! Have you tried introducing the landlord to your dogs? Let him give them a treat and know he is ok to be there. May try that. Good luck-nothing like griping people.

I agree some stockade type fencing to block the dogs view is worth a try, it has helped me ALOT.....though I have some dogs that will bark regardless

Thanks for the suggestions. I am going to try to find out more about when the dogs are barking. It has been several months since they have been in the outdoor area and maybe they are barking just after dark since during the winter it has been dark before I get home. I don't put them out in out if the weather calls for temps below about 40 or if it is raining. They have plenty of toys and water, but I am sure they are "seeing" things to bark at, because they are not barkers in the house. I will try maybe a screen to see if blocking their view works, but if that doesn't help, I will probably keep them crated inside. I wish I had a basement or garage to put the pen in, which is a nice welded wire one. There are mats down and it is covered, so they stay clean and dry. I lock it as well, because I have always worried about having dogs outside when I am not home. I live in the Country by a river so the area is pretty secluded, with the exception of the landlords house up on a hill that can be seen from their pen. If I had flat ground somewhere else, I would move the pen behind the house so they couldn't see the landlord. The dogs are definitely calmer at night when they are together during the day. Someday soon, hopefully I won't need to rent and won't have this problem. I will have a basement or garage and my older male can be out of a crate during the day. I don't think he would do anything now at 4 years old (he is not destructive), but I cannot take a chance since I rent. Thanks again for the suggestions.

Teresa

So when you finally get your own home they will get to be in a basement or a garage all day while you are at work, getting home after it is dark? That doesn't sound like a very good life for a dog. I'm sure they are well behaved now when you get home and they have been outside, alone (with each other all day) until after dark. They can finally relax and not be "on guard."

Maybe if you are gone all day for many hours and you rent you should not have 2 dogs. Maybe.

I would not be comfortable with dogs outside all day OR in a crate all day.

How is that selfish? Do you police your puppy people? What do you think their dogs do while they are at work? Not everyone can afford doggy-daycare or a house sitter. Lighten up!
A lot of us work.....dog money doesn't pay the bills at my house!
To the original poster. The ideas of bones or music is good, but what about a doggy-door into a garage or mud room? Would the land-lord let you do something like that? They might be quieter if they had another area to go have a nap. It's hard juggling dogs and jobs, but you can make it work. You can always get a bark collar.

You people are the most hateful, quick-to-judge people I have ever met. YOU DON'T KNOW THE CIRCUMSTANCES!!!! I love my dogs and they are 2 years and 4 years respectively. About 6 months ago I had a major turn of events in my life. I had a house, a fenced in back yard, another person in my life besides me that could balance the schedule. So my life changed. I am currently in limbo, forced to rent for now. I work at a job that I took because of the person that was most special to me in my life. Now he has pulled away. I am looking for a new job, maybe out-of-state. Then I will own my own house. I have a good career, just made a bad decision based on a person that I thought wanted to spend his life with me. The dogs are mine. I had a different situation when I brought them lovingly into my family. The dogs are all I have!!!! Maye I should just get rid of them. They will be better off. Never mind that the love me, I trained them, I sleep with them, I snuggle with them, I hike with them, I walk with them. Someone else would surely be a better home. I guess they need a new mom!!!

I am posting this here too.

Teresa, don't let this a**hole get to you. A lot of us have to work and our dogs are at home. We make the necessary arrangements to take care of them or have them cared for throughout the day.

My dogs are as "happy" as can be and they are used to their routines. I am not in a position right now to quit working and stay home with my dogs. My dogs are not providing my income and if I want to keep them and give them all the best, less some weekday time with me, then I need to continue to work.

I spend all of my off hours with my dogs grooming, playing, exercising and taking them to the dog shows. I have to shake my head at how some people have all of the nerve sitting in there high places ditacting what is right for others. When most likely they don't even have a handle on their own lives. People have children and work full-time why not DOGS!?

In the winter the sun sets early and anyone working a regular workday wouldn't get home before dark. So anyone who works shouldn't own a dog???

Some people on this forum are so critical and mean.

I know of breeders who are home all day and the dogs are left out in the kennels all day. The dogs are not given anymore time or attention then the time it takes for the breeder to clean the kennel, feed them and give them water and nothing more. The dogs are locked up in crates and kennels and do not get any special attention or care just because the breeder is home all day with them. But hey they are all in the right because they are home all day with their dogs, not!

Aint that the cold hard truth. There are quite a few breeders that are home all day living off the dog income. All their dogs get is an hour or two a day if they are lucky outside. Some stud dogs are locked up 8-12 hours in the garage night and day!! Most of them spend their entire lives locked up in cement runs only to be let out to a show once in a while.

I hardly think Teresa is a criminal here people.
Give it a rest!!

Have the dogs met and sniffed the landlord and his family up close? I have found once my dogs have met someone, they won't bark at them. Maybe if they are barking at the landlord moving about on his property, they may not bark once they meet him up close and personal, they just might feel he's one of the family.