Are there any quiet areas?

 Has anyone got advice on areas in Malaga Province that are fairly quiet as regards 'noise'  We own a house in a lovely area but the constant noise from dogs - night and day is driving me mad!  They never seem to stop.  Is that a Spanish thing or just bad luck with  the area we are in?

Any advice from anyone living in an area that does not have the barking and yapping of dogs all day would be very welcome!

The Spanish seem to love dogs and most don't seem to care about the constant barking.

I'm not sure you'd find any "dog-free" areas, it's more the luck of the draw as to what you get.  Saying that, I think the more expensive (exclusive) communities tend to have less dogs...although that's just my own observation.

 Thank you for your reply Justin.  I guess I might have to walk around all day with ear plugs in!

 I think you would be very lucky to find anywhere without the sound of noisy dogs!!!

I have lived on two seperate urbanisations and have found that many of the culprits are the good old ``Brits`` who decide to adopt strays

rescued dogs and do not know how to control them, let alone the average of 3/4 they own!!

Not sure if its a grandchild substitute or not, but I believe there have been more neighbour disputes over noise/mess than anything else.

I am not a dog hater before everyone starts having a go.Maybe I am a hater of the inconsiderate owners that cannot control their

pets.

You see Steve, there lies the problem, but I wish it were that simple.

We took in a stray podenca a few years ago, and gave her a home, along with our other two dogs brought with us from the UK.
Our Spanish neighbours, thinking we were a soft touch, then proceeeded to leave stray dogs on our doorstep, so we took in a couple of tiny, starving pods and nursed them back to health at some expense.

But the stray dogs kept right on coming, courtesy of our neighbours, even when we told them again and again that we simply could not take anymore.

Eventually we received a deputation from our neighbours telling us that they were fed up with the strays (which they had left there!) barking and causing a disturbance outside our house and they expected us to take them in and look after them immediately!

We now have 9 dogs.
We feed them, exercise them, care for all their medical needs, and make sure they make as little noise as possible, and our lives are taken over completely by dogs!

We never planned things to be this way. These dogs are definitley not substitute grandchildren.  If they were, we could at least leave them with a babysitter!

 Where we live is so quiet you can hear a pin drop.  No barking dogs, few screaming children and then only in July and August when visitors come.  It is also a UNESCO Heritage site and has spectacular views.  An apartment now costs about half what we paid in 2007.

10 km before Marbella, 8km up in the hills, 10 minutes drive to the Marriott and Don Carlos beaches.  The complex is called El Soto de Marbella, 1km from the German school in La Mairena.  Fase 2 is newer and better built than Fase 1 but the rooms are slightly smaller.  There is also a free 9-hole golf course, an active Clubhouse restaurant, 4 pools, a tennis court, gym, sauna.

Where we live in northern spain, it is so quiet, no children no dogs only ours, the weather is wonderful ,lovely summers no awful heat, cold winters but we have central heating so no problems. House is for sale if anyone interested.

I know of a very lovely quiet village ten minutes from the beach in the province of Granada on the Costa Tropical and there is a lovely three bedroom, two shower room detached  village house with a garden for sale at £150k. There are no children, just beautiful country side.

I know of a very lovely quiet village ten minutes from the beach in the province of Granada on the Costa Tropical and there is a lovely three bedroom, two shower room detached  village house with a garden for sale at £150k. There are no children, just beautiful country side.

Beware of those who say they live in quiet areas who then try to sell you their houses!

 Our apt is not for sale!  We live in it in the winter and rent it out on a weekly basis from April to October.  All of our renters have commented how quiet the area is, mainly because it is above all commercial areas, almost in the countryside but not quite.

I think most areas are fairly quiet once you get slightly away from towns and commercial centres. 

I'm sure they person who took in all the dogs is a very kind, christian, caring person - but he didn't consider the other people around him - who then have to put up with the barking dogs at all hours of the day and night.  Where we live - most people have been tempted to 'take in ' strays etc - and look after them - but they take them out and leave dog poo everywhere - I know we're in the 'campo' - but it would be great to be able to go walking without having to avoid the dog poo (which could be just moved of the main paths with a stick in consideration of people who like to walk in the countryside) 

I don't blame the dogs - they are only doing what they are allowed to do - dogs - like children - need to be trained - (watch Ceasar the dog trainer) - dogs are dogs - not substitute babies - they respond to training and will be a joy to have - but of course this takes some responsibility of the owners and herein lies most of the problems.  Some owners are too lazy to train their dogs - they just get them and then allow them to run amuck!!! I suppose it's all about consideration - people have free will - but they need to take others into account - and if you have barking dogs - or unruly children - they impact others who live nearby.  Some people don't 'give a damn' - but a little consideration goes a long way in life to making a happy community.

So dog owners - think about others when you decide you want a pet - think of the implications - and the impact on your neighbours.

Tillymint, if you read the post properly, the people now complaining about the barking are the ones that dumped the dogs on their neighbour in the first place!

We recently stayed in a house in Coin and the only slight complaint we had was the barking dogs around which once one went they all did!  I don't know how many there were but it sounded like alot!  I suspect alot of them belonged to English people as there were a fair few living around where we were even tho it was off the main roads along a track!  However we are booked to go again and I can live with a week of barking but not so sure I could live with it constantly.  Some say you get used to it but I'm not sure I believe them.  I know in some areas the barking of dogs, particularly on urbanisations has caused problems with people renting out their properties but I guess there isn't too much you can do except be hard and refuse to take in strays.

Tillymint, if you read the post properly, the people now complaining about the barking are the ones that dumped the dogs on their neighbour in the first place!

Thank you fazeress,

At least someone bothered to read my post properly.

Unlike those who sent me PMs telling me how I should consider my inconsiderate neighbours better!

 Well, thanks for all the comments in response to my question regarding where is a quiet place in Spain. .  .  I guess I will have to wait for the Euro Directive banning unsupervised dogs and their excessive noise levels; not to mention owners cleaning up after their dogs!!!  I think I probably have a long wait!!

 I think that to find an area in Spain without dog barking is a high order indeed!  Most will agree with me that the Spanish do not hear noise the same way we Brits hear noise and that is something one has to come to terms with.

My neighbour has two big ugly (to me) monstrous dogs whose boundary fence is closer to my house than theirs, consequently, I get all the barking during the night in the campo when wild creatures start their nocturnal wandering.  My solution is to make the boundary fence area very unpleasant to their dogs by hanging on the fence the gadgets which emit a high pitch whine which is unpleasant to canine ears.  I also have a huge pump action water gun capable of squirting liquid (cleaning vinegar) a long distance, which I take every opportunity to fire away at them to include a 3am outdoor raid on them during one of their barking frenzies. I am then able to get up close and very personal.  The result is they hear/smell me and depart the unpleasant area; they hear the pumping action of the water gun and run for it and I have avoided any confrontation with my actual nice neighbours over their beloved dogs.  I have also improved my aim considerably as well as a bit of sport. 

My girlfriend who has a B&B goes one further:  their  "neighbour" who has a small plot of citrus trees leaves his poor spaniel there 24/7 and it barks continuously at night, which is not the best environment for guests.  When night falls, she goes down to the poor dog and gives it a sausage with a low dose sleeping pill.  The dog gets a night off from barking out of loneliness and everyone enjoys a good sleep.

 The above two methods work for us! 

If you don't like barking dogs my suggestion would be to find a property on a community which doesn't allow pets - if you check the community rules you should find out which ones don't allow pets. 

 Thank for all the advice, I think trying to find communities that dont allow dogs is an excellent one.  Just didn't occur to me that might be an option.

If anyone knows of any, information would be very appreciated!

Peniscola -the Terra de Irta area. Quiet. Peaceful.