Your say: Barkfests can be the make or break of neighbourhood life

Before we moved into our new house I use to go down and potter about the new area and I did hear a barking dog on some of those visits.

Little did I know that it was a persistent barking for the next five years.

It was dusk and we hadn't lived there very long when I heard this continual barking and I thought the dog was injured so I pulled out my ladder to try to find out what all the ruckus was about. I shone my torch to see a dog I thought it was caught up on wire and that it had hurt itself, there was absolutely nothing wrong with this dog, perhaps bored and lonely.

I phoned the council to investigate. They sent a ranger around twice to the neighbours because this was what the council suggested. I also taped this dog to show the ranger (how ridiculous).

After a while I discovered the owners were going out regularly off to meetings and returning around 11.30pm or later. Meanwhile I still don't know if they knew what was happening until later?

I bought some noise cancelling headphones in the hope that I may not hear the echo of "barkfest" travelling down the side of my house and bouncing off the wall into my bedroom. Have you ever tried falling asleep with headphones on?

I wrote letters to my neighbours explaining helpful hints when you leave your house, such as trying to leave their dog an old jumper with their scent on it and pop it in the laundry with a puppy training mat. Maybe music or a toy.

My dog is a nightmare, barking when someone is passing our home. She is otherwise quiet so I must admit I let her let off a bit of steam. She is tiny and with radar ears, and a guard dog despite her size. She is a guard dog letting us know there is stranger nearby.

The best way to stop a dog barking is to ignore it barking and when all is silent and your pet is being quiet say "shh good dog" and make sure you have a tiny treat - cheese, mince, chicken, rawhide, chew. It won't take long to do so persist.

You will need to persist and take control after all you are 'The Boss'.

Lastly, go to the internet for information to address problems such as dog pulling on the lead!

Oh dear Greg Adamson (DA Letters, February 8), time proved that Scott Morrison was not the messiah; he was just a very naughty boy.

Too many failings to mention and it is more than time that he moved on.

There are many positives associated with Australia being involved with renewable energy apart from the necessity to reach net zero greenhouse emissions by 2050.

Some of the positives, that are perhaps not widely known, are as follows.

Wind and solar farms enable host farmers to have a reliable source of income, as a backup, to farm income, particularly derived in drought possible areas.

The Australian Energy Market Operator has announced that approximately 70,000 people will be needed to build and maintain renewable projects and transmission lines in regional Australia over the next 20 years or so that will result in a great many new jobs being available, particularly in country areas.

Coal power industries continue to pollute for their entire life times whereas wind turbines are greenhouse gas emissions free once they are set up and operating.

There is no evidence that wind turbines or power lines have adverse health effects on humans.

And estimates indicate that only less than half of one per cent (0.4 per cent) of agricultural land will be required to be used in NSW alone for renewables to replace the energy generated by coal power stations.

Do you have something to get off your chest?

Send your letters to the editor to letters@dailyadvertiser.com.au, or simply click here to submit your letter.

You can also leave your comments directly on articles published on our website, dailyadvertiser.com.au. Simply scroll to the bottom of the story and let us know your thoughts on the issues of the day.