I get upset, my hair falls out

[Steamish]

Hey fellow Dudes!  I'm having a hard time abiding my neighbor's Pomeranian and am in great need of advice on how to keep my sanity.
First,  let me stress that I absolutely love dogs.  I have my own dog,  I've had other dogs in my life,  I used to train dogs,  and happily worked in a boarding kennel. 
About a year ago,  the neighbors decided to get a Brittany spaniel puppy - basically a high energy hunting dog.  My neighbors unfortunately are not at all high energy people. This has the effect of the extremely bored dog constantly barking. I understand that dogs bark sometimes  but this is for extended  periods of time at inappropriate times.
Barks at night.
Barks before 7 am on Shabbos.
I can't sleep.  I can't play with my own dog in my own yard.  We were dogsitting my special lady friend's father's dog  and there was so much barking that the poor thing got scared and refused to go in the backyard anymore.  If the dog sees us sitting in on our sunroom,  he barks. Even when I try to relax out in the garage all I hear is barking. They won't bring him in when he barks.
I tried giving their dog toys. He got bored with them. Began barking again.
We have spoken to them a few times about it;  the first time, my lady friend went over there still in pajamas two Sundays ago at 6:30 am,  later that day they gave us ribeye steaks as an apology (seriously) and  promises were made but quickly broken,  the second time last week they just shrugged it off and said "he just wants to play" and that he is still "just a puppy".    Great,  go play with him then!  And after a year a dog is not a helpless puppy and should know basic commands.
My lady friend even called the police once last week but they didn't do anything but drive by the house slowly.  Maybe they'll get some new detectives on the case?
We used to be on great terms with the neighbors but their inability or unwillingness to control their dog is seriously affecting my well being.
I want to move but my lady friend doesn't.  It is getting so bad that I have been considering having to leave her just to get peace from the stupid dog.  (And I don't really blame the dog,  I blame the neighbors)

[ZenDudeist]

The Dudely solution to your problem most likely involves a nice set of noise cancelling headphones, some creedence, and a good strong white russian, plus a nice rug to lay on.

But, it sounds like you got yourself all out of sorts about this dog situation man---I mean, if you feel the animal is mistreated, animal control (not the police) are the folks to get a hold of, but then again it all depends on how much you value whatever's left of a relationship with your neighbors---that said if the animal is seriously being mistreated, then I'd call A.C immediately anyway.

Is there any possibility of an amicable solution at all, or have things progressed too far?

You're under no obligation, and of course, it's not your fucking dog man, I understand, but---and this would all depend on how well your two animals got along, I'd maybe see about letting the dog come over to visit and play with your pooch once in a while---bring some canine happiness into the world etc... That would maybe make things a little more peaceful some of the time.

I don't know man, but unless you wan't to lose your special lady friend over this (seemingly) minor bullshit, I'd seriously consider getting some badass headphones and just learn to tune it out as best you can.

Abide.

[Dudeist Monk]

That there is some good advice by ZenDudeist.

We all have difficulty in abiding sometimes, but it really is the best thing to do.

Maybe every time you see your neighbor a little friendly reminder about the dog noise ("Your dog sounded lonely/upset/what have you again last night. Is it okay? Not ill or anything?" kind of thing.) might work. Nothing aggressive or confrontational, just nice and friendly. Maybe they'll get the message if it's mentioned every time you see them?

I don't know. Personally I'd do the headphones with some chilling music thing, but then I only have myself to worry about.

Hope it works out for you. Abide in peace, man.

[thevideoartist]

I know what you mean dude.  I go through a similar thing but with my neighbors.  I have one set that fight each other sometimes to the point of physically throwing each other into our adjacent walls, I have upstairs neighbors that have a dozen or so people over every weekend to drink beers and be loud and play repetitive spanish music (which I'm sure sounds great when you can hear more instruments than just the beat bleeding through the floor), Another set of neighbors have kids that are left unsupervised all day by their single working mom which is cool but their favorite pastime is to play soccer inside the house.  No dog situations but all frustrating.

In all of the above, I've tried talking to them, I've called the police (especially on the two who fight each other), I've passive-aggressively retaliated with my own noise... no results.  The truth is dude I just find it too exhausting and pointless now to even be bothered by it.  My special lady still hates it but I've worked more on helping her understand that these things will sort themselves out and we just have to be patient.  Our upstairs neighbors will get tired and pass out, the ones that fight eventually broke up though they could just as easily be hiding the other's body somewhere, and the kids next door are going back to school in a few weeks.  Headphones and using those noisy times to go out and do something fun are my ways of abiding.  I drink less since that tends to make me more irritable.  Just a general mindfulness of what will make things worse or better is a good thing to cultivate.

I'm sure the dog will eventually either be trained not to bark or get to old to want to... or maybe it'll bite some kid and get put down.  Dude we just don't know.  But in the meantime, find your rug, wherever it is.  Encourage your special lady to join you there... and abide.  Most importantly though dude, don't feel bad if it gets under your skin.  All dudes have troubles.  You take the good with the bad... then add some kahlua and make a caucasian.  Your troubles will never completely be over, but I don't know about you... I take comfort in that.  Means even in the worst situations, you're no better or worse than the rest of us, the choice to be content is still there all the time and if you choose not to, it's not a cardinal sin or a letdown... just that... a choice.

Take er easy dude.  I know you will.

[BikerDude]

Politely broach the issue with neighbor and if it keeps up make a complaint.
Everyone has a reasonable expectation that those around them will not intrude on their mellow.
There are rules dude. This isn't Nam.
Call the cops.
Ideally that's what they are there for.
To keep the peace.
Hopefully they won't shoot his dog and then the neighbor because they feel threatened by the TV remote in his hand but barring that it should get some results.
Oh shit I see you already tried that.
Well you may need to press the issue with the cops.
I happen to know that these complaints are very common and the cops hate dealing with them.
They will eventually though.

[Steamish]

Thanks dudes.  Neighbors seem to be a lost cause but I have compromised with the special lady and we are going to build a privacy fence which won't be soundproof but will hopefully block the view of whatever their dog wants to bark at resulting in less barking.  We are also planning to move in four years (which is how long we have to keep the house according to our federal first time home buyer program that granted us a big chunk of our down payment,  otherwise we have to pay it back). 

I have now also moved the entertainment center into the basement which is thankfully finished in 1970s wood paneling and wall to wall shag rug,   and even has a bar.  Honestly I am enjoying hanging out in the basement more than the living room now,  it is quiet,  dark like a theater for viewings of TBL,  and we can kick the bass up without being as annoying as our nihilist neighbors.  A side benefit is that I also no longer have to worry about the odor from the latest bong rip when someone knocks on the door.
Also brought a radio into the bedroom so I can have a sound barrier against any errant morning barkings.
It's still awkward whenever we have to see the neighbors,  and they still don't discipline their dog,  but they haven't let it out at 6 am for a while, and fuck it,  life's too short to be worrying about that shit ,  am I wrong? I do get a chuckle whenever I do see it,  invariably bored and chewing on something expensive  though.

[BikerDude]

So does your hair really fall out man?
That's a bummer.

[Steamish]

Well to be fair,  it began falling out long before that dog was born 😆

[Steamish]

Pretty decent update, fellow Dudes!

The neighbor's sense of being considerate continues to deteriorate but I finally convinced the special lady friend that the best thing to do is move! So I have been scrambling around touching up rings and dents and catching up on all of the general maintenance I've been procrastinating on. The house looks great and is being listed by our realtor probably this weekend. The improvements I've done over the last year should help it sell quickly and for more than we bought it for. Most of our non essential things are even packed! We still have not yet found a new house because we need to sell this one first but there are a few prospective pads with a bit of quiet acreage out in the country away from any would-be Nihilists.

[jgiffin]

I have now also moved the entertainment center into the basement which is thankfully finished in 1970s wood paneling and wall to wall shag rug, and even has a bar...[a] side benefit is that I also no longer have to worry about the odor from the latest bong rip when someone knocks on the door.

That sounds like a pretty chill retro-style place for a session. Shit, I'd take a pull!

Congrats on the moving thing, too. A few acres around you would be a nice cushion for any soon-to-be neighbors.

[Steamish]

I have now also moved the entertainment center into the basement which is thankfully finished in 1970s wood paneling and wall to wall shag rug, and even has a bar...[a] side benefit is that I also no longer have to worry about the odor from the latest bong rip when someone knocks on the door.

That sounds like a pretty chill retro-style place for a session. Shit, I'd take a pull!

Yeah man, there is even a built-in shelf that was great for tube display and storage, it was totally the legendary Bong Room we all dreamed about in high school. We had tie dyed tapestries hung up and everything.
It's a real shame about the neighbors, the house itself is great!