Editor #3:
As an owner of five dogs, I understand how obnoxious barking can get, especially when it occurs for no observable reason at all and never seems to end. However, barking is a natural behavior. Although you can try to stop it, the only known breed of dog
that does not bark is the Basenji.
When it comes to handling barking, there are really only two types of dog owners. Some owners hate their dog’s vocalizations and wish they would stop as much — if not more — as you do. Other owners act as though the behavior does not exist, and that their “precious little angels” can do no wrong. You often see this in parents of human babies as well.
Asking your neighbor about her canine’s barking problem or writing her a kind letter could help the situation. If the dog is outdoors at night (which it should not be, but that’s a whole other problem) see if maybe she can keep it inside with her. Training classes are offered at pet stores, and can be very useful. If she is an elderly woman, she might not even hear the barking of her dog. As you get older, you naturally lose the ability to hear higher-pitched sounds. Therefore, she may not know that her precious pooch is a nuisance to you and, more likely than not, to other neighbors as well.