Leeneia says, "Is it barking at you? If so, approach it slowly, speaking gently, and toss it something nice to eat."

Don't forget the caveat "...with the owner's permission to feed his/her dog." The dog may have a medical problem (diabetes, food allergy, etc.) unknown to you, and you could with all the best intentions be poisoning the dog. Or the owner may have the dog on a strict weight-loss or weight-gain diet prescribed by a vet, and you could inadvertently be undoing the owner's efforts. Or the owner may have trained the dog to guard the property, and your attempt to befriend the dog could be in conflict with that training.


Leeneia also says, "I have no intention of putting up with an aggressive dog right on my home territory."

Eeeeek!!! "Next door" is not one's own "home territory"! Next door is someone else's home territory! Leeneia, if your "standard procedure" is to consider the next door neighbor's dachsund to be on your "home territory" when it's barking next door, I'm worried about you. I suggest that you seriously consider an attitude adjustment! Rather than trying to bribe someone else's dog into betraying its own territorial instincts, I suggest consulting with its owner about befriending and feeding his or her dog (and, if necessary, keeping it off your property).

If, as in gnu's case, the owners are in conflict with one another about training their dog, I'm afraid it's their problem more than yours. If they won't or can't respond reasonably to complaints about the dog's noise, complain to the local authorities and ask what the town's laws have to say about it.