Sunrise Howling

Dear Dog Lady,

I am a dog lover. However, I struggle to find any love for the dog owners whose noise level makes the sounds of a barking, yapping, growling dog seem like a pussy cat. I live (near) a popular early morning spot for dog owners to get together. For a long time now my boyfriend and I have been frustrated by many dog owners' lack of consideration for the people who live here. Six a.m. isn't social hour for everyone, even dog lovers, that's for sure! I'm hoping my letter will help to bring attention to those dog owners who need to be mindful, less loquacious and more thoughtful of their neighbors.

I would appreciate any further suggestions you may have on how to approach this ongoing issue.

Cheryl, Boston, MA

Cheryl, gulp, Dog Lady ‘fesses up: She might be one of those yowlers under your window at 6 a.m. – perhaps not literally, but figuratively, in spirit. Sunrise and sunset are happy hours for dog keepers and their dogs to mix it up socially. Especially in the early morning, a dog owner enjoys bounding out of bed, rousing Bowser, and hitting the streets or parks -- good for the body and soul. Dog Lady and her dog need their early morning walk as surely as people who need people are the luckiest people in the world.

OK, all that being said, it still doesn’t solve your problem of noisy dog owners under your window. Dog Lady is all for the “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” approach. After all, you claim to be a dog lover. Maybe you should adopt a dog and join the sunrise serenade.

Too extreme? OK, get up one morning, go outside and talk to members of the dog pack without rancor. Remind them other people share their turf and ask them to be mindful of people trying to sleep nearby. If you are reasonable, your message might get through.

Dog Lady reminds you that you have chosen to live in an urban jungle, a congested place where glaring sounds travel. Coping with noise pollution is a daily fact of city life. The best we can do is to ask politely for quiet, which doesn’t always mean we’ll be heard above the din

Posted by Dog Lady at December 8, 2004 06:21 PM