Dog Care Tips

Cut Out The Noise: Getting Your Dog To Stop Barking

Too much barking is one of the biggest problems we have with our beloved canines. Of course, it’s normal for dogs to bark sometimes, but if they go on and on when it’s not necessary, this can be really frustrating. It’s a very common problem. The first step is to figure out why your dog is barking, then you can figure out how to deal with it. It may require the assistance of a vet or animal behaviorist.

Some dogs bark in order to get attention. You may not realize it, but you might have accidentally caused this problem by always coming and petting your dog whenever he barks. In the case of an adult dog, he may be barking needlessly because he is restless. If he has an active personality, he may need something to do or some kind of stimulation. It also may be a reaction to being left along for a long time.

If you think this could be the cause of his unwanted barking, you should make sure he has enough exercise. Be sure that you are walking him everyday. This not only provides exercise, but stimulation for his natural curiosity. A dog park makes a wonderful place to take a dog that needs some kind of stimulation such as this. You can also take obedience classes. This will teach you and your dog to communicated with each other better.

Find some ways to keep your dog doing something when you are away. Keep him busy. Also, make sure that you have some quality time with him every day. This way, he won’t feel like he needs to yell for attention all the time.

Some dogs bark because they are afraid of something. For example, there is often a lot of barking during thunderstorms. Many dogs get excited or nervous around new people. If your dog is barking excessively because of his nerves, find a safe, comfortable place for him to go and hide when he feels threatened. Make it a fun place for him, with some of his favorite toys. You can also turn on the TV or radio at a low volume, and this will help calm his nerves.

If your dog is afraid of other people, there are a few good ways to get him used to unfamiliar people. Have friends and neighbors visit often and meet your dog. Have them give him a simple command and reward him with a treat when he does it. This will help him to trust others.

Another simple way to keep him from barking excessively is to keep him away from windows. Some dogs bark at everyone who walks by on the street, and you can avoid this by limiting how much time he spends around windows.

Dogs often bark when their owners are gone because of separation anxiety. Your dog may be very attached to you. In cases where there has been a big change in the dog’s life, he may experience this anxiety as well.

The best way to break this habit is to desensitize your dog to it. You can do this by taking small trips outside of the house. Leave him with some treats and his favorite toys. Gradually, take longer and longer trips, as your dog gets used to it and becomes more comfortable. You can leave a tape recorder running or ask your neighbors to listen to see if it is working.

There are also medical ways to keep your dog from suffering separation anxiety. Your vet can prescribe medication, so consult your veterinarian if you are interested in going this route.

There are also bark collars you can buy which will help control the barking. The citronella collar is regarded as the best and most humane available today. This collar sprays citronella at his face when he barks. Research has shown this method to be very effective in stopping unwanted barking.

If your dog has an excessive barking problem, there are a variety of ways to deal with it. Listen to your dog, and try to find out what is wrong. Then, you can pursue the best method for your particular situation.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 5th, 2006 at 6:26 am and is filed under Dog Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.