October 1, 2006

Noise Free America
For immediate release

Contact:
Ted Rueter
877-NOISE-NO
[email protected]

Madison: The nation’s dog owners have won this month’s Noisy Dozen award from Noise Free America for tolerating constant dog barking. For many American communities, Fido is truly the neighorhood nuisance.

Ted Rueter, Noise Free America’s director, commented that “incessant dog barking is truly annoying. It keeps people awake at night and it wakes them up in the morning. Dog barking increases your blood pressure. Dog barking makes it difficult to enjoy the peace and quiet of your own home.”

Rueter also noted that many dog owners mistakently believe that dog barking is natural. “This is completely untrue,” he said. “Dog barking is the result of a poor-trained dog, or a dog who is lonely, bored, or frustrated. Dog barking also results when owners respond positively to barking. Dog barking is completely unnecessary–and dog owners are responsible.”

Dog owners need to take steps to reduce barking, said Rueter. “One is to recognize that a well-execised, happy dog is more likely to sleep all day while the owner is not home. Owners need to spend time exercizing with and training their dogs. They also need to send their dogs to obedience training classes, as well as firmly and loudly instruct their canines to “Stop Barking!”

There are also technical approaches to improving neighborhood peace and quiet. “For instance, owners can purchase anti-bark collars, anti-bark shock collars, or even debarking surgery,” said Rueter. He also called on the nation’s municipalities to consider instituting “no-dog zones,” where peace-loving citizens can enjoy the quiet without noise from Fido.

Noise Free America is a national citizens organization opposed to noise pollution. Its web site is http://noisefree.org. Past “winners” of the Noisy Dozen award include Circuit City, Echo Manufacturing, and Muzak.