Dear Mr. and Mrs. Neighbor,

You know, we sure have enjoyed having you across the street from us. You have been very good neighbors and swapping favors back and forth on chores is just one of those things that neighbors do. Thank you!

I do have one request, only one. Please, when you are dogsitting your DD's schanuzer and jack, would you not put them outside in the yard and leave them all day while you go to work? Between them and your schnauzer, they bark all day long. I mean all day, too. Then that blasted miniature poodle in back of you folks gets started and it is just cacophony all the time.

It's merely annoying when the 3 beasts get up in your front window and bark like idiots at the mailman. It's always the same mailman in the same car at the same time of day. The other neighbor's cocker doesn't bark at him, the spaniel down the way a bit doesn't bark at him, the white fluffball the other direction doesn't bark at him, our beagle doesn't bark at him... why do those 3 little yappy beasts always bark at him? The bark when DS2 pulls up in his car, when I pull up, when Himself comes home, they just bark at every last thing that passes by.

Then there is the issue of folks walking their dogs past here. IMO, it really isn't vital for those three to raise the roof when someone comes by with another dog on a leash. I have watched people have to haul their dogs up on a short leash when walking by and some people don't come by here anymore because of the yappers. Some have started coming clear over here in my yard just to get as far away from the pandemonium as possible.

Now, mind you, I know you just love those beasts to bits and your daughter thinks the world of hers, but geeze, folks, get them under control. There have been times when they started at 6 a.m. and barked well past 7, waking everyone in the neighborhood that wasn't up already, including me. I know folks who have schanuzers and jacks and they don't bark constantly like that. Maybe a little discipline might help?

I know it would help inter-neighborhood relationships.