Sounding Off

One thing that is very hard for prospective homeowners to get a handle on when shopping for a new home is what the sound level is going to be like after they move in. Especially in semis and attached housing. No pun intended, but it can be very disturbing to move in and find out you can hear quite a bit of what is happening next door. What I've found can be even worse though, is what your pets can hear and react to. So the next time you're out there looking at houses, think of more than just your tolerance to noise. I've got a dog that is much less tolerant than I am to bumps and stuff next door, and he's got a big bark. What to do though at an open house? Any ideas besides the "ask the agent" one?