Barking Dog
Barking Dog

Barking Dog

Barking Dog

If a barking dog is disturbing the peace in your neighbourhood, there are several steps you can take to approach the issue.
Last updated on: 27 January 2026
In this article
In this article

Managing Barking Dog Complaints

Barking dogs can sometimes disturb the peace and, if left unaddressed, may lead to tension or disputes between neighbours.

What constitutes nuisance behaviour?

Nuisance behaviour is defined as making noise, by barking or otherwise, that persistently occurs or continues to such an extent that it unreasonably interferes with the peace, comfort, or convenience of any person in other premises.

Our approach

We can conduct investigations into nuisance dog complaints.
To initiate enforcement action, we require specific and extensive evidence.

How nuisance dog complaints are handled

City of Newcastle follows a structured, multi-step process when investigating barking dog complaints to ensure fairness and compliance with legislation.

Raise a request

If you are experiencing issues with a barking dog, it is recommended you first:

  1. Raise the issue directly with the dog owner. Consider the following helpful pointers:
  2. Specific details matter. Let your neighbour know if their dog is barking at specific times or triggers.
  3. Owners may be unaware. If the barking is occurring whilst they are away, they may not realise there is an issue.
  4. Allow time for resolution. Give them a chance to address the problem.
  5. Offer guidance. They may not know how to best resolve the problem, so if needed, provide information or helpful resources.
  6. Keep a log of the actions you've taken to address the issue and the frequency/length of time that the dog barks.

If the issue persists after conducting the above steps:

Submit a request outlining the nature of the nuisance dog complaint. Include a log of actions taken and details of the barking activity, as noted above.

Next steps

  1. You'll receive an acknowledgement with your request number.
  2. Our team will review the information and evidence provided in your request. For details on how we handle barking dog complaints, please refer to the section above titled 'How nuisance dog complaints are handled'.
  3. Important to consider
  4. We require strong evidence to support and verify an allegation, and to justify any legal/enforcement action. We must follow specific rules for gathering evidence and starting legal proceedings.
  5. Legal actions can be contested and appealed by the person the legal process is against.
  6. A person's identity may be disclosed if our decisions are defended before a Court or if a request is made under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009.
  7. Nuisance Dog Orders expire after six months, and Noise Abatement Directions expire after 28 days.
  8. Once your request has been actioned and our investigation completed, you will receive a notification.

Time frames

We will carefully review all the information and evidence you provide with your request. Our team will begin the investigation and take the necessary next steps within a few days.
The duration of the investigation can vary based on the evidence provided and any actions required by City of Newcastle.