DOG NOISE - BARKING PREDATORS OF THE PSYCHE
Surely you too have wanted to enjoy a bottle of wine or a cigar in peace and quiet at home recently, only to be disturbed by the barking of your neighbours. Dog noise! This can range from the annoying squeak of a Chihuahua to the earthquake-inducing cry of a Great Dane. If you also suffer from this problem and fear that it will affect your mental health or the letting of your home, you don't have to put up with it - contrary to the cries of children. You are completely at their mercy.
According to Art. 684 of the Swiss Civil Code, no neighbour has to put up with the constant barking of dogs. For the Swiss Animal Protection STS, the limit of tolerable noise is also exceeded if the neighbour's dog barks for around an hour every day.
In the excerpt from the law you can see that the type and volume of the barking is secondary. The duration reflects the criterion for possible legal action. However, the concept of tolerance is also included in the article of law. This is of great importance in the context of the coexistence of living beings. You should therefore first ask yourself to what extent you can tolerate the behaviour of the troublemaker. According to the extract from the law, you are at the mercy of a dog's brief barking and cannot exercise any rights to alleviate its suffering. However, a friendly conversation with your neighbour can help. Otherwise, you can get a louder dog.
However, if your neighbour lets his dog bark in the garden for hours on end and does nothing even after a friendly conversation, please hold off on taking any dubious action. Instead, try the following options if a friendly conversation is not enough. On the one hand, in future you will be able to tell your neighbours every time you meet them, and on the other hand, a little barking can be quite reassuring.
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