Barking Dogs in Cancun

If you visit Cancun & don't stay in the hotel zone, you'd better bring some earplugs or get used to the sound of barking dogs. They are everywhere here. Stray dogs wander the streets and parks at night, but the problem is mostly the domesticated dogs and their inconsiderate owners. Apparently there are laws about making noise here, but like most laws in Mexico, they were made to be broken. Calling the police is probably useless (or worse). We haven't tried it yet, but we will, as soon as our Spanish improves.

Most people who have dogs here keep them outside, as guard dogs. And noise after midnight seems to be accepted here. A friend who runs a hotel in the neighborhood worries that the loud music from a nearby surf bar is bothering his guests, but he hasn't formally complained to anyone. We have tried to buy an anti-bark (shock) collar for Diablo & haven't been able to find one here, in a city of almost a million people (& what seems like as many dogs)!

When we lived at Hostel Kankun, we were often roused by neighbors' dogs barking at other neighbors' dogs. While hanging out in the kitchen one day Jen & I joked about visiting the roof with a high-powered sniper rifle. The other people in the kitchen (a crusty old Italian guy & a middle-aged Russian-born Los Angeleno) were not amused. They didn't seem to realize that we were joking. Of course we were. Mostly.

Dogs (damn dogs) next to Hostel Kankun

In our current location (near the Parque de las Palapas), we are again surrounded by canine neighbors. Last night, our puppy Diablo was barking at 3:00 am, because the landlady's dog (a cranky cadaverous poodle with a negative life expectancy) was also barking, probably at some imagined intruder.


Another thing I find amusing is that people with barking dogs sometimes complain about other people's dogs. The nuns next door, for example, who have a puppy that barks on occasion, have reportedly complained about our dog barking. And our landylady wants us to leave, in part because of Diablo barking.


Anyway, I haven;t been sleeping as well as normal. So that's all for now; I need a nap!


Of course, I probably won't sleep, what with all the barking.. damn dogs! Oh, wait, that's our Diablo...