building a noise activated sensor to record the noise and duration the noise is made

Sounds like problem with the neighbours..??
WE used to use an off the shelf tape recorder.
These days equivalent would be some sort of dvd recorder with a mike I'd imagine.
Another approach is record or download a wav file of a barking dog and place on an SD card.
Loop playback the wav with an Arduino and a large amp.
Plenty of places will tell you how on the net.
Check the neighbour doesn't own a shot gun first though.........

 

Yay, shot gun check first!.
I think you are over complicating this.
Plenty of VOX and sound activated mini recorders available like personal dictation machines.
You can’t autonamously record a barking dog without also recording the passing loud cars or thunder clap.
Human intervention will be required to edit what sound is to be amplified through speakers.
Or who knows what you’ll be sending out at great volume!!.

Martin

 

@tblane2omconnolly: Did you even READ response #3? A "noise sensor" won't just trigger your computer to record a barking dog. It will trigger the recording on ANY arbitrary noise that meets the triggering requirements.

In Ohio, at one time feral cats were considered "fair game" and could be disposed of my anyone at anytime with any device that didn't violate local ordinance. In other words you could kill them at will and dispose of the carcasses. My wife used to raise rabbits (for food) in an isolated part of eastern Ohio. She would slaughter the little beasties by tying a string around their necks and letting them flop around until the rabbit died. Then she cut the head off and displayed it on the fence surrounding the rental property, which was located in a densely forested area often visited by game poachers. The poachers gave her property a wide berth after seeing the rabbit heads posted on the fence. Worked sooo much better than NO TRESPASSING signs.

Not saying you should behead any dogs in your neighborhood, and you should certainly leave the neighbors alone, but a feral dog running loose could be picked up and taken to a local animal shelter for proper confinement and disposal if not claimed and licensed by its owner.

You didn't say where you live when you joined yesterday, so this advice may not be applicable to you. Just realize that sometimes a "big stick" is a better solution than sophisticated electronics... especially if wielded in the wee hours of the morning when the harborers of the feral animal may be absent or asleep.

 

Usually run into this problem when I'm in Thailand.
Barking dogs and LOUD LOUD music that thumps away from perhaps 9pm to 4am, depending on the celebration.
Many there suggested a mattress against the window, failing that, as the vibrations rattle the windows and any loose roofing iron, the following.
Can get some monster amps in Thailand so before fitting the mattress, install speakers ( usually mounted on the back of a truck) facing back in noise direction and a mic, then the mattress. Start the purpose made generator and sit back. Power goes off there quite often, hence the need for the genny.
Might not work quite as expected but at least they get some of their own back.
Last suggestion was to record it and , with the same setup, start it thumping just as 4am ticks over when they want to sleep.

 

No need for a noise detector, vox, tape recorder... just a loud stereo with the speakers on the window aiming to the intended direction and playing endlessly
---->
While you go to the beach for the weekend.