Dogs bark – it’s a natural activity for a dog, their way of communicating. But excessive barking can be a great irritant to the owner – and other people. It can lead to friction between neighbors and curtail the freedom of the dog. So how do you handle this all too common problem?
Why dogs bark
It’s natural for a dog to bark at unfamiliar people, other dogs, and animals. It serves as a deterrent to unwanted visitors and a warning to the owner that something is out of the ordinary. Some breeds are inclined to bark more than others – which is something to bear in mind when you get a dog and live in close proximity to other people. However, a dog that barks for hours on end can try the patience of even the most ardent dog lover.
What can you do to stop your dog barking?
The first thing the owner should do is to try and understand why the dog barks. One reason is when a dog is left on its own for hours on end. In many such cases, the dog is bored – it has nothing to do or focus its attention on. One solution is to leave the dog with something to chew, like a rawhide; or yu can take it for a walk and let it have some exercise before you leave. If a dog is left inside a house, leaving a radio or television on with the sound turned low can also help to ease the loneliness.
If your dog barks for no apparent reason, it may be a way of trying to get your attention. You should teach the dog that it’s unacceptable behavior, and firmly command it to stop. Try redirecting the dog’s attention and give it a treat or cuddle. Use a command like ‘Be quiet’ and praise it when it stops barking.
However, be careful not to re-enforce the dog’s behavior – a smart dog will soon realize that barking is a way to get your attention and a treat! A way to solve this problem is to be pro-active; give the dog attention before it has an opportunity to start barking. Play with it or do some light obedience training. Then give it a treat and tell it to calm down. When the dog barks when you don’t have time to give attention, firmly tell it to ‘Wait’, and then give attention when you are ready.
Some dogs bark, often quite aggressively, at other dogs when their owners take them for a walk. This behavior can be so bad that the owner either has to avoid other dogs at all cost and end up taking the dog out at times when there are no other dogs around, or by stop walking the dog altogether. A lack of socialization or some earlier trauma is often the reason for this type of behavior. The problem can sometimes be solved by training and slowly making the dog used to interacting with other dogs.
There are dogs that bark for no apparent reason or keep barking long after the reason why the barking has started is gone. In such cases, the only remedy may be to remove the dog from the situation – for instance, bring it inside the house if it barks outside, or distract the dog’s attention. Again there’s a fine line between teaching the dog that its behavior is unacceptable and the dog barking to get something from you.
A final tip – if you have a young dog that starts barking excessively, try nipping the problem in the bud. Let your dog know from the start that barking without a reason is not acceptable.
Barking is natural for a dog – but it should know that unreasonable barking will only curtail its freedom and its life will be easier by only barking when there’s a good reason to.