Neighbors Outraged at Barking Dog in Yakima. Is Barking Illegal? We've all heard the idiom let sleeping dogs lie, which of course means, rather than stir up trouble, just ignore the problem since dealing with it could render an even more problematic response. I'm not so sure I agree with this concept as it seems like a little bit of creative avoidance. How would you feel about the phrase if slightly adjusted to be, let barking dogs bark? That is to say, if the neighbor's dog is barking incessantly and it's driving you and your neighborhood crazy, just shrug your shoulders and bear with it. Or, is this where you'd draw the line and make your displeasure known?