Dog Barking Problems

Recognising a Dog Barking ProblemRecognising
a barking problem isnt usually difficult. It either annoys you, your
neighbours or both. Dogs bark for many different reasons. Figuring out
why your dog is barking is the first and most important step to
treating the problem. Dogs bark for the following reasons: Over Excitement Boredom Anxiety Breed Territorial Attention SeekingBreed:
Though it is natural for all dogs to bark, certain breeds were bred
specifically for the job of barking to keep intruders away from what
they are meant to protect such as a flock of sheep. However, some dogs
use this natural behaviour at inappropriate times or too much, and
continue to bark when the threat is long gone. With some training and
patience, even dogs bred to bark but use barking inappropriately, can
learn when barking is OK and for how long.Dogs that bark when left alone may be bored, suffer from separation anxiety, or be over stimulated by sounds.Boredom: Keeping
your dog occupied by providing toys that make him engage in playful
"work" such as a frozen stuffed Kong, or a treat dispensing toy, will
prevent barking for a long period time. Always make sure your dog gets
enough exercise before he is left alone so that he will sleep for at
least part of the time you will not be around.Anxiety:
Some dogs bark because they are distressed being left alone. They have
separation anxiety. Separation anxiety is an emotional disorder and
must be treated or the barking will not stop even with toys and lots of
activity before being left alone. We recommend you search on the
internet for more information on this topic.Over Excitement: Some
dogs bark because noises stimulate them. They get themselves wound up
and do not stop barking. These dogs must be desensitized to sounds.How to Desensitize Your Dog to Sounds:Step 1:
The key to controlling undesirable barking is to teach the dog a more
appropriate behavior to replace the barking. Barking often becomes a
problem because the guardian has likely inadvertently reinforced the
behavior by giving some form of attention to the dog once the dog
started barking. Do not pick up the dog and cuddle him, restrain him by
pulling back on their collar, tell them its OK or give him a treat
to distract him.Instead, use a taped can filled with pebbles,
keys or in some cases a special citronella collar controlled by a
remote activator in your hand. Throw the can, keys next to your dog
(not at him) or push on the remote to deliver a citronella spray as
soon as the barking starts (between 30 and 60 seconds max). This will
distract your dog long enough to let you reward the quiet behavior. Say
good quiet and reward with a treat.Step 2:
Good obedience is essential. You can increase your dogs ability to
remain quiet during training sessions of about 2 minutes. Ask your dog
for a "sit quiet" behaviour. Give a treat and a good sit quiet. For
the next part ask a helper to be outside ready to knock on the door.
On cue, your helper knocks as you ask your dog for the third sit
quiet. If your dog remains focused on you and quiet, give him an
enthusiastic good sit quiet" and a treat. If your dog barks, turn away
and ignore him. After a few seconds turn around and ask for the "sit
quiet" again, then reward if appropriate.With some dogs you may
need to have a third person that will throw the can or keys next to
your dog during the training session to distract the dog and make the
barking stop. If you succeed, the next reward is going to the door with
you to welcome the visitor. Increase your dogs ability to stay
focused on you while you expose him to different sounds. You can
purchase CDs or make a tape of the sounds that make your dog bark and
play the sounds during training sessions to practice sit quiet with
these different sounds.Attention Seeking:
Many dogs bark to get attention or to make their guardian do
something" such as take them out or play with them. Many dogs learn
that this works because many guardians pay more attention to their dog
when he is being demanding. Teach your dog to ask for things (food,
treats, pats, going out, coming up on the couch, etc.) politely.How to teach your dog to sit and be quiet in order to get what he wants:Step 1: Teach him the sit quiet command as outlined above.Step 2:
Teach him that barking, whining, pawing, pushing or any other demanding
behaviour gets him nothing. When your dog demands love, food, play or
anything, ignore him until he sits. To reinforce the
previously learned sit, quiet your dog has to figure out for himself
(even if not asked) that this is what gets your attention. Ignore the
demanding behaviour, say nothing and do not look at him directly.
Remember, your dog may try a few things such as barking louder or
leaning harder. When these behaviours do not work, he will try sitting
quietly. Once he sits quietly, turn to him and give him a very
enthusiastic good sit quiet and then get up and give him what he was
after such as a play session, a walk or a treat. Once you use this
technique you must ensure that do the same technique consistently
(including all other family members) or your dog will become confused
and you will not get the learned behaviour change.Territorial: Most
dogs are territorial to some extent. Most dogs also bark when a person
enters the property or knocks at the door. The problem is when the dog
refuses to stop barking on command or becomes aggressive. Never leave
your dog unsupervised or chained in the yard. If he is teased by
children or threatened by a dog walking by, this will increase his need
to bark and threaten people or animals walking by. The best way to
prevent territorial barking is to introduce your dog to the people who
enter your property (with permission), and to have him associate their
presence with a positive outcome.Veterinary HelpThere
may be health reasons why your dog is barking. Excessive barking can be
a sign of separation anxiety. Ask your veterinarian about treatments
such as Dog Appeasing Pheromones or for extreme cases anti-anxiety
drugs. Deaf dogs may become excessive barkers. Liver disease may be a
cause of intermittent deafness. Geriatric dogs may start barking for no
apparent reason because they are confused. Check with your veterinarian
to ensure there are no health problems causing the excessive barking.Cautions/RememberElectric
shock collars are marketed as a device for controlling unwanted
behaviour such as barking. These devices cause distress. They are
inhumane and should never be used.Barking is natural behaviour
for dogs. It is their form of communication. If your dog barks
excessively it is important to determine why he is barking so that you
can treat the problem correctly and be sure to never reinforce barking
with positive or negative attention.