Blaine, MN Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Blaine, MN, also called nuisance dog, dog noise, or excessive barking ordinances, define when a barking dog becomes a code violation and how complaints are handled.
Key Facts
- Continuous barking threshold
- 10 minutes straight
- Intermittent barking threshold
- 30 minutes or more
- Applies
- Any time, day or night
- Defenses
- Trespass response, teasing, or provocation
- Violation class
- Misdemeanor, per-day offense
Summary
It is unlawful in the City of Blaine to own, keep, or harbor a 'barking dog' under City Code § 14-109, defined in § 14-1 as one that barks, bays, cries, or howls continuously for ten minutes, or intermittently for 30 minutes or more, at any time day or night. Provoked or trespass-response barking is excluded.
Barking dog means any dog that barks, bays, cries, howls, or makes any other noise continuously or incessantly for a period of ten minutes or barks intermittently for 30 minutes or more at any time either day or night. ... It is unlawful for any person to own, keep, or harbor any dog which is considered a barking dog. A dog shall not be deemed a barking dog if, at the time the dog is barking or making any other noise, a person is trespassing or threatening to trespass upon the private property upon which the dog is situated or when the dog is teased or provoked.
Full Breakdown
Section 14-1 of the Blaine Code defines a 'barking dog' precisely: any dog that barks, bays, cries, howls, or makes any other noise continuously or incessantly for a period of ten minutes, or barks intermittently for 30 minutes or more, at any time of day or night. Section 14-109 then makes it unlawful for any person to own, keep, or harbor a dog that meets that definition, but it builds in two defenses: a dog is not deemed a barking dog if, at the time it is barking, a person is trespassing or threatening to trespass on the property where the dog is situated, or if the dog is being teased or provoked.
Because the ordinance is triggered by duration rather than by decibel level or a fixed number of complaints, a single sustained barking episode of ten straight minutes, or repeated barking that adds up to 30 minutes intermittently, is enough to violate the section regardless of the time of day. Enforcement of this provision runs through Blaine's animal control authority and city police officers under § 14-27, the same officers who enforce the rest of the animal chapter, and any person may file a citizen complaint to start the process.
The barking-dog provision sits in Article IV, Division 1 of the animal chapter alongside the dog-restraint rule in § 14-106 and the dog-enclosure standards in § 14-108, both of which are aimed at similar residential nuisance concerns.
Violations & Fines
A violation of § 14-109 is a misdemeanor under the animal chapter's general violation clause, § 14-30, and each day the barking dog situation continues constitutes a separate offense. The exemptions for trespass-triggered or provoked barking are the owner's defense, not an exception that must be proven by the complainant.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does my dog have to bark before it violates Blaine's ordinance?
Is there a defense if my dog barks at a trespasser in Blaine?
Who enforces the barking dog rule in Blaine?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Blaine
Compare Blaine to another location·View the Minnesota noise ordinances overview
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