heeler/samoyed barking

Question
Hi,
I liked your previous answer about the digging and chewing that I thought I would ask you another one :)
My dog barks. He is just over a year.  I have talked to all my neighbors about him and they have said that yes he does bark but not for extreme amounts of time or excessevely.  I have one neighbor who calls us or the city by-law officer everytime the dog barks for more than a few minutes!  I leave the radio on outside, he is not alone (we have another dog for company) and he wears a shock collar when we are not at home.  I put him out at 8:30 am , I am back at home for lunch then they are back out until 5ish.  I have decided to buy an ultra sonic collar and see if that works.  The problem is I don't believe the neighbor.  I do think my dog barks but not excessively.  What do you suggest I do.  There is another dog that the neighbors just got that sounds like our dog, the neighbor that complains can't even see into our yard to see if it is our dog barking! Iam sick and tired of getting letters from the city in my mail box.  I am trying everything I can do.  They said I should leave them in all day! Which I think is wrong.
Please help me.
Thanks


Answer
Well, unfortunately, I'm going to agree that the dogs should be inside when you cannot supervise them.  Barking isn't the only thing that can get dogs in trouble - there's been an upsurge in theft, too, and as we know, those Aussies are beautiful...  Plus, there is a danger from coyotes in some areas.  I also don't like shock collars at all for any reason.  They are a device intended to make the dog obey because of pain.  I'd much rather use a citronella collar.  But, that said, some Aussies bark right through either device, and boy do our herdin' dogs have irritating barks;-)  One other thing you can try is to leave a stuffed Kong toy for your dog when you leave - some dogs only bark for a short period and that gives them something else to do instead, keeping them busy for the same amount of time that they might have been barking otherwise.
The best way to see if your neighbor is right is to videotape your dogs while you aren't there.  I believe your neighbors who say that the dog doesn't bark that much, but the one that is calling the law is the one you have to worry about - some people cannot tolerate barking and will make your life miserable.