Horrible barking dog problem

I know what a frustrating deal this is. On my street in Mexicali they pick up the trash twice a week and the dogs that go along the street late at night to go through the trash get all the dogs in the yards barking many times those 2 nights a week in Mexicali.

At our house in San Luis Potosi this never happens because in our end of town there are no stray dogs but I have seen some strays in other neighborhoods on occasion.

Sometimes in both cities I do see the animal control with dogs in the cages in the back of their trucks, so I guess they are working on the problem and always after garbage day everyone sweeps up the mess left behind. The garbage men are not too careful either and sometime leave a mess.

I have a gentle method for barking dogs: valium hot dogs. I slice open a hot dog, place a 1/4 piece of valium inside, toss it over the fence, and the dogs don't bark for 2 days.  It's harmless, humane, and allows you to sleep!  Calms them down.  Works like a charm.  Also, animal tranqulizers are available at your local veteranarian. If they owners can't take care of their dogs, I'll do it for them!

I had a problem when I first moved to Mexico and lived in chicago previuosly, I found that wearing earplugs and having a fan on helped. I did become less sensitive to noise after a few years. Good Luck. Abby

Abby is right, one becomes less sensitive with time. Earplugs on the bedside table are helpful too. Cheer up, things could be far worse than a few annoying pooches.

I am with you. People have a tendency to say that you don't hear them after a while but that is only true for those dogs that are in the distance. If they're on top of you they disrupt your sleep and can ruin the whole next day. For those of us who have health conditions this is crucial. And the idea that that the dogs have some kind of premonition powers of death is just a silly superstition. They are barking because they are trapped and unhappy in a forced and small environment. They are being mistreated and there are too many of them in a small spot and that is why they are barking. Somehow, expats have gotten the notion thatt it's cool to be okay with this. It's not. Nobody can wear earplugs every night; it will eventually affect your skin. Expats also have a revulsion against speaking up to the dogs owners, and so nobody else will and therefore the problem just continues. It's a problem for the dogs, and the wretched people who cannot get sleep and to pretend that it's anything else is an I'll conceived attempt to fit into something that is no good for anybody. Just because we are outsiders does not mean that we have to like every single thing about the environment to which we have moved.

Found this online...maybe if a couple of neighbors each had one it could solve the problem. I use something like these to keep mice out of my home:

product highlights
Deterring a barking dog is made simple with this barking control device. Perfect for all environments. Made exclusively for PetSmart.
Great for noisy dog households and neighbor dogs as well as condos and apartments
Weatherproof
Mountable
Battery operated
This device is pet friendly
Tired of constant barking in your home or struggling with noisy dogs next door? Stop annoying barking with the new Sunbeam® Sonic Egg™. Simply place the Sonic Egg 5 feet from the ground in the direction that the dog barking originates to help control unwanted barking. When a dog barks, the Sonic Egg emits an ultrasonic sound that only dogs can hear and works up to 50 feet away. The Sonic Egg™ is also weatherproof and can be placed or mounted anywhere around your home!

I tried one of those devices once when a new neighbor moved next door with a continually barking dog (a gringo, BTW!)  Since the dog barked all day when he wasn't home, he wasn't aware of the problem.  In the most diplomatic way I could muster, I asked if we could work together to come up with a solution. I was pretty shocked that he was really, REALLY nasty about it!  I was on my own.  The device didn't help. I don't remember what brand or model it was - couple of years ago. That doesn't mean some other brand or model or updated version might not work, so worth a try. The problem was solved in a tragic way.  The dog was a regular digger.  Dug under the neighbor's fence one day, took off and was later discovered dead, killed by other loose dogs. Felt bad for the dog, not so much for the nasty neighbor.

There's no cheering up because the dogs are ruining her life

You are spot on and problem is getting worst. Dog owners are treating their dogs like babies and the dogs are out of control because of lack of leadership.

You are spot on and problem is getting worst. Dog owners are treating their dogs like babies and the dogs are out of control because of lack of leadership.

I'm sad just like you for the past four years I've been trying very hard to find a place to live with no barking dogs. I'm failing horribly.

Great news on the dog being gone.. Dog owner most of the time are more than willing to allow their dogs to control your sleeping habits.

There were out-of-control dogs on either side of me in GDL, and my impression was they were cheap burglar alarms for the homeowners.  They were left outside on the roofs, so the noise had maximum effect.   Early Sunday morning walks I could count on meeting up with a pack of 6 or 8 dogs in a pack.  Obviously, dangerous stuff to be aware of.

Noise pollution is a common theme all over Mexico. People live in close quarters. If it's not from dogs, it will be from parties, construction, and a host of other causes depending on how urban the area is where you live.

It's just the reality of life in most parts of Mexico.

We moved into a house in Centro where there was a dog who literally barked 24 hours a day, every day. We thought we'd go crazy. We got an air cleaner that makes a nice white noise and we used a humidifier and a fan. More white noise. We could still hear him.

About 6 months later, I couldn't hear the dog one day and I asked my husband if he could hear him. We both listened and sure enough, he was still barking. We just didn't hear him any more. I often talk to the dog now and that seems to quiet him down. We don't hear him anymore, unless we listen for him. Same goes for the knife-sharpener guy who goes down our street with a loud whistle. I don't hear him any more either, unless I want my knives sharpened. Same with the garbage guy with the metal anvil. I just hear him if I'm listening for him. It's called selective listening -- that's what the Mexicans have. We need to copy them. After 4 years, I rarely even hear fireworks in the night any more either. It might partially wake me up, but I'm back to sleep in a moment and don't hear it any more.

There's a story about a foreigner who lived next to a barking dog. He went next door to complain to his Mexican neighbour. The Mexican guy apologized profusely and he said, "But, Señor, why do you listen?"

Congratulations! Sometimes, I succeed, but a dog 24/24h,I couldn't... even with the wise advice of mindfulness.. :-)

This is an old problem which has new posts. That's because its a chronic issue in Mexico,

Currently, because everyone must be at home it has been very quiet.  The dogs feel the pack leaders such as they are, are home so all is well.

Normally I have the situation under control using three items. A sonic dog bark device that has to be within 50 feet of the offender,  a dog training whistle, and a white noise machine.  Now I rarely have a problem. I sort of trained the neighbor's dogs
You have to get those things in the U.S. but they do work. They also take some time especially in the case of the whistle.

the neighbors will usually not help you and do not feel that their dogs barking is a problem.
"it's just what dogs do"

Thanks for that information. My wife and I are considering a move to San Miguel, but being big softies when it comes to how dogs are cared for, we are afraid we won't be able to stand all the stray dogs and the ones we hear are left on the roof tops all day and night. It's a concern for sure.

I've lived in Mexico for a little over a year now and not once have I had to suffer through dogs parking through the night.  And during many of my walks, I have encountered only a small handful of dogs, and more importantly, have never seen more than 3 unleashed dogs together.  A couple of times I noticed dog-walkers caring for a handful of dogs, but always appropriately on leash.  I'm in San Miguel at the moment and here too have not had ANY trouble with dogs.  In my months in Mexico, I've traveled a lot--Merida, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Puebla, Cholula, Guadalajara, Ajijic, CDMX, Quere'taro, Guanajuato, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi' and Puerto Vallarta.  So, from my experience, the commentary (regularly seen about dogs on this site and other forums) overstates the conditions on the ground.  Maybe I'm just not walking the "right" areas or sleep too soundly.

divingsteve wrote:

I've lived in Mexico for a little over a year now and not once have I had to suffer through dogs parking through the night.  And during many of my walks, I have encountered only a small handful of dogs, and more importantly, have never seen more than 3 unleashed dogs together.  A couple of times I noticed dog-walkers caring for a handful of dogs, but always appropriately on leash.  I'm in San Miguel at the moment and here too have not had ANY trouble with dogs.  In my months in Mexico, I've traveled a lot--Merida, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Puebla, Cholula, Guadalajara, Ajijic, CDMX, Quere'taro, Guanajuato, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi' and Puerto Vallarta.  So, from my experience, the commentary (regularly seen about dogs on this site and other forums) overstates the conditions on the ground.  Maybe I'm just not walking the "right" areas or sleep too soundly.

So  Drivingsteve.

For some reason, you are saying those of us who have noticed the dogs are exaggerating. and for what purpose would we do that?

Given that in one year you have traveled practically all over Mexico per your statement. during that time you have discovered that everyone else is exaggerating or being untruthful.
Perhaps you do sleep like the dead, or perhaps it would be good to have your hearing checked.

I just have to wonder when everyone except you has a different experience why would that be ?.

I have over the last ten years been to many of the places you mention as well as places you have never been to. I live here. I have no reason to exaggerate or lie. Most of the places you mention have been places I encountered a barking dog or two at night.

You are not responding to the original question I answered. But you are basically telling them its all in their head.

I wondered whether that was going to come across the wrong way. I was only giving my experience.
I too have wondered about my hearing
Maybe I have just been lucky.
Your suggestions for dealing with it were helpful, should my luck run out.
Your comments on this site have always been helpful to me

divingsteve wrote:

I wondered whether that was going to come across the wrong way. I was only giving my experience.
I too have wondered about my hearing
Maybe I have just been lucky.
Your suggestions for dealing with it were helpful, should my luck run out.
Your comments on this site have always been helpful to me

Hi Steve,
no long term damage was done. I sometimes read my post over several times just to see if I am correct and not confusing anyone. My main goal is to provide the help needed, to be correct, and supply useful advice.

Hi to all, been travelling Mexico since 1993 and living full time since 2017.

Barking dogs are everywhere, seen and heard them everywhere we travelled. But if you are living/staying in a high rise condo complex or gate community or hotel resort complex with the AC on at night you might not notice it.

We live in a local mexican town, dogs are everywhere day or night they bark after other dogs or passing person.

Adios y buen dia a todos, GyC

Rather than my hearing, it might be my memory that's failing.  I stayed for 2 months in an Airbnb in Playa del Carmen, and the owner's dog barked incessantly every time I came and went, but fortunately not during the night.

Thanks! The dog barking and stray dog stories were the only thing giving me pause.

So perhaps one more point on the dog issue. I have pretty much dealt with it and other than occasional problems even in high-end hotels and gated communities. I'm fine and sleeping well.

What I want to point out after reading over the posts is that the problem isn't just in Mexico. I have had the same problem in the U.S . and to a lesser extent in Peru.

All of them don't want to hear your complaints about their dogs. It's basically your problem.
I strongly recommend that no one takes the advice about putting valium in hotdogs and basically poisoning or sedating dogs into a coma. Dogs do not have the same system as we do for one thing, and the owners might take very strong violent action if they find out what you did. This is likely in most countries and it is very likely a crime in most countries.

When I first came here there was a big rally/protest because the police had been ordered to club stray dogs. The people were not happy about that at all. Since then things have really improved and some of the protestors formed groups to capture strays an, get them altered, and try to find them homes. That doesn't mean some owners don't leave their dogs alone when they go on vacation, they do, and hopefully, a neighbor notices the dog crying and cares for them. This also happens in the U.S.

@hammoncm

@hammoncm Are you for real? A few annoying pooches??!! I am so fed up of not being able to get a goodnights sleep I am about to get a gun license to put all these pests down. I can hardly imagine anything worse than having your own space being violated night after night. Don't you think no rests affects your health and psyche? Indeed this is a very big problem.