Excessive Barking: Why why why?
By Daniel Stevens
You return home after being out for several hours and there on your front doorstep is a very angry neighbor."Your dog," she smiles, through clenched teeth, "your darling dog has been barking all afternoon!" You apologize profusely and hurry inside to see what’s up. Curled up blissfully on its cushion, fast asleep and looking angelic is your beloved pooch.There is certainly no sign of anxiety to be seen.
What is going on?
Dogs bark for a variety of different reasons but the common reason is a need to communicate. When that communication becomes a problem, you first need to look for the reason.
Boredom: Being left alone for a long time is hard for most dogs. Barking is something they can do to relieve their boredom. The ‘boredom/loneliness’ bark repeats and repeats and repeats with little change in frequency, tone or volume.
Yippee: Happy barking is higher-pitched and joyful. He's telling the world he's excited - and showing it too with tail waving, mouth wide, panting, rear end up in the air, front elbows down.
Watch out: The warning bark is husky and aims to make your dog sound BIG and mean. This much lower tone will come with raised hackles and a tense 'I-dare-you' posture . . . leaning forward, stiff tail twitching, ears pointing forward or back.
Attention-seeking:
Toilet Call - When a dog needs to go outside they'll pace, circle, sniff the ground and whine. Many will sit by the door or pace back and forth and finally bark. The 'I need out right now' bark is short and sharp - repeated if you don't get the message.
Dinner-time - Like the Toilet Call, this is a sharp bark to alert you to his needs. This time he'll also be racing around energetically, adding little pleading whines and jumps.
How to fix problem barking
- if you’re home
Companionship and plenty of exercise take care of about 95% of irritating-barking cases. If your dog's still barking after you've ruled out the obvious, add these steps...
- If your dog barks “at you” immediately after you’ve given him a command, then you have some dominance training to do. Read up on canine communication and the concept of the Alpha dog.
- Never reward barking. If your dog is barking give him no attention until he stops. Don't touch him, talk to him, feed him or even look at him.
- Allow him to vent a little: you can't expect a dog to stop barking altogether. Let him get a few good barks out before you quiet him.
- Teach the “Quiet” command. When your dog starts to bark, break his attention quickly: say firmly “Quiet”. The moment he stops barking, give him a treat.
- Redirect his energy. Tell him “Quiet” and then get him to Sit or Lie Down. You must give him something else to do, then treat him when he obeys.
Two ways to get him to cease and desist
- Use the shake-can. This is a really valuable piece of training equipment. Put a couple of pennies into a can and seal the end with tape. The heavier the can, the louder and more startling the noise - soup cans are great. Give it a quick shake when your dog starts barking. The loud rattle is enough to shock most dogs into stopping. As soon as he stops barking, praise him and give him a treat (your dog WILL understand you're praising him for stopping his barking - trust us)
- Spray him with water. Use a water pistol around the house; if he's outside, use the hose. You don't need to SOAK him - just break his attention. As soon as he stops barking, praise him a lot.
How to fix problem barking
- if you’re out
It’s a fair bet he’s barking because he's tired of being left by himself. You need to address the root cause of the problem (bored and lonely) rather than the symptoms (barking).
- Make sure your dog is as tired as possible before leaving him alone. Take him out for a good long walk – at least 45-60 minutes - before going out for more than three or four hours.
- Make his environment as comfortable and relaxing as possible. Put on some quiet, soothing music before going out (no heavy metal). Make sure he's got a warm, dry, "safe place" to go to where he can retreat from the world if necessary (a kennel or crate) - and water to drink.
- Visit him during the day or invest in a dog-sitter, doggie day-care, or have a trusted neighbor drop round to play fetch and spend some time together.
- Make sure your dog has plenty to do. Provide a delicious array of chews and toys, and keep changing them around for variety.
- Do you have a friend in a similar situation? Arrange a play date with the other dog so that they can keep each other company.
- When you get home, spend time with your dog, playing, training and just hanging out together. Your dog is at his most content as your companion.
Back to your neighbor's problem
Hopefully your dog has just been bored and lonely. (If your neighbor yelled at him, that probably encouraged even more barking). Try the techniques above to address the problem. You can also try staging a false exit. Convince your dog you've gone out and when he barks, correct the behavior with the "Quiet" command process.
If the barking really did go on for a long time your dog may be suffering from separation anxiety and could need special attention. It will help too if you talk to your neighbors. Ask for their understanding and tell them you're working on the problem. They may even be willing to help out in order to get some peace. But if not, at least it might stop THEM barking at you.
All the best,
Daniel Stevens and the Secrets to Dog Training Team
"Secrets to Dog Training - STOP Dog Behavior Problems!"
http://www.kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/
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