sky027: i sympathize with your situation, i really do. but i have to say that i am glad your statement about controlling dogs is just your opinion. the fact is in residential family oriented neighborhoods, this is the norm. i actually, unlike you, would prefer the sound of barking dogs (and screaming/laughing kids) to the sound of bird chirpings. :-) unfortunately we all have to make adjustments where we live. my neighbor across the street wears ear plugs when taking a nap with her baby b/c of construction going on next door -- construction for almost a year now. same token, the neighbors who are doing the construction where ear plugs at night when the windows are open so they don't hear the crying baby while they try to sleep. i can't open my living room window b/c my neighbor smokes on her front porch...sometimes she has guests that join in this smoke-a-thon. unless you move to a place that has a cc&r or to the country, or move to a high rental to students area, you're kind of stuck. living in a family oriented residential neighborhood really isn't a place for a rental to a student. it's just not conducive to the student lifestyle. all i can offer is "white noise". i use various white noise effects so i can concentrate and read if i am working from home. good luck.

and for an added twist, try a neighbor who is going through chemotherapy and milks the sympathy. this neighbor does the exact same thing, opens the door and lets the dog do the business while she smokes, yes smokes. not only does she not pick up the mess, she litters the cigarette butt onto the shared lawn. she also does this in the alley. out of sympathy should all the neighbors not say anything and just vent to each other or do we make her accountable? this situation has been on-going before she was diagnosed with cancer too, so i'm hesitant to show sympathy.

It's a shame you two have already labeled the dog guilty...that is just 'lame'. :-) Just noticed too that Officer Michelle, in her response, made some assumptions of her own. No where does the owner of the dog state that she is away from the house nor does she state the dog is having a "barkathon." I was also told by my contractors that work can begin as early as 7 a.m. which will unfortunately keep night shift workers up, but oh well.