Dog Barking & Dog Training Solutions

 

BARKING: Why do dogs bark?
All dogs bark. Barking is an extremely common behaviour problem and the most common community problem reported to council.  Dogs bark to communicate. They also bark for attention. Sometimes its boredom. Some owners try to quieten the dog with attention or food, thereby reinforcing the barking behaviour. Therefore, the first step is not to give attention to your barking dog.  If the barking is caused by passing pedestrians or other stimuli, you will need to keep him away from the stimuli or block him from seeing the stimuli.

So what is your dog trying to tell you? If you wish to reduce your dogs barking, you need to understand why they’re barking.

BOREDOM: Barking can also reduce a dog’s stress levels & boredom.
A big backyard is not the answer to reducing a dogs boredom.  Being alone with very little to do for extended periods of time can lead to boredom, frustration & loneliness. Dogs have a great deal of energy and most breeds were bred for a specific purpose, such as HUNTING, GUARDING, & WORKING. Bored dogs also show anti-social behaviours, like trying to escape, being destructive, chewing and digging. Hound Dog’s Dog Daycare & Petsitting is a great option
for boredom. Your dog will play with a regular “pack” group of social friendly dog buddies and will be exercised non-stop. He will be able to use all of his natural behaviours such as exploring, hunting, smelling, digging,swimming and most
importantly utilise his social skills.

ANXIETY:
dogs are ‘pack’ animals, which means they enjoy living in groups. The dog regards its owners & family as its pack, and will bark in an attempt to communicate with the missing members of its pack.  When dogs are left alone they may fret and become anxious.

DISTURBANCES:
Barking can also be set off when people come to the door or walk past your house including the postman. The dog’s behaviour is then reinforced as he perceives the ‘intruder’ leaving is doing so because his barking has sent the unwanted guest away.

PAIN
Pain, discomfort, illness or even being restricted to a small area may also cause barking.

EXCITEMENT
Anticipating a walk, playing games, your arrival home, etc etc often excite a dog.

What to do:
If you’re unsure why your dog is barking, take the time to determine the following.
Investigate & Record when your dog barks. Is he barking in your presence or absence?

Time of day:
               Does your dog bark at certain times of the day?
Is it inside barking or outside barking?
What is happening in your neighbourhood at that time?
Is the postman delivering mail?
Is your rubbish being collected?
Are children passing after school?
Are stray cats/possums in your yard at night?

What are you doing?
                Are you leaving to go to work when it starts?
Are you away for long periods, resulting in boredom? Why not send him with Hound Dog Daycare for regular days out at the Beach & Park. He’ll be so worn out that
he’ll be too exhausted to do any Barking!
Are you rewarding the unwanted behaviour by reacting to it?
What is your dog doing?
               Is he stressed or excited?
Is he trying to get to you – is ‘pack’?
Is he bored or lonely?

Once you have assessed the problem you can look at:
Methods Of Control:
*Avoid conditioning: do not reward your dog if he barks.
*Restrict the dogs vision through a fence or gate: (ie anyone/anything that can provoke barking.
*Fencing: A correctly designed fence can restrict your dog’s vision & will reduce barking. (ie Double
slatted fencing or Black shade cloth).
*Keep your dog inside at night (or in a garage).
*Environmental Enrichment: give your dog a toy, bone or something to do. Remember, INTERACTIVE
toys (such as the Kong) are best as they’re designed to hide the food or require manipulation/work to
obtain the food reward. Treasure hunts & Sandpits etc are great too as it keeps them working & hunting
& is a mental challenge for them.  A dog that is working for treats is not barking…
*Remember: to alternate your dogs toys as they’re like kids: they will get bored with the same toys and
ignore them. However, if you take them away for a while, then bring them back, your dog will once again
show interest. Always keep it fresh & exciting. Be unpredictable!
*You may also consider leaving a radio/tv on so they can hear it & it blocks out some noise.
*Never leave your dog unattended when you’re on holidays. Always seek Holiday Care options or a Pet
Sitter/Visitor.
*Never call your dog after he has stopped barking and then punish him.
*Regular exercise: walk your dog every day. Dogs are less likely to bark if they’ve worked off that excess
energy during the day/night.
*Spend plenty of time with your dog, build up the bond and give him challenges and things to do,  so he
doesn’t need to fight for your attention with barking.
*Visit your vet for a thorough health check to rule out a possible health problem. Also, some dogs have
behavioural problems such as separation anxiety, which requires specific treatment and behavioural
modification.
*Give your dog a balanced & varied diet, as well as plenty of fresh water.
*Access to the house: (The Denning Principal) If you can the dog access to your
house (via a doggy door) or leave him in a single room that smells like you may
help relax him.
*Leave an article of clothing with your scent on it works well, esp for puppies.
*Obedience Training: can help stimulate the dog & you can also train the dog to
only bark on command.
*Avoid Stimulus: distract your dog with another form of reward at the time he normally barks.
*Discipline: become the pack leader & your dog (should) start listening to you.   Remember dogs are pack
animals and need to be shown where they stand in the family unit.
*Distractions or loud noises that startle the dog (loud whistles, pepples in a can) that result in silence that
is then rewarded,   can be useful.
*You could try using a Citronella Collar that emits a spray of citronella each time the dog barks and is
sufficiently unpleasant to deter most dogs. Some dogs only require the collar for a couple of weeks to stop
barking, although others will require training as well since they learn when the collar is off or on.
*Barking collars etc should only be used after you’ve exhausted all avenues & are still having
problems/complaints from neighbours etc.
*De-barking is a last resort and not legal in some states.

What NOT to do:
*Don’t shout at the dog in an attempt to stop him barking, as this may have the opposite affect and in fact, encourage him to bark more. Shouting may stop them temporarily but in the long-run, a lot of dogs bark to get your attention, and they know that barking will get it.

 

Training your dog to ‘speak’ and ‘hush’:

When a dog barks, many owners try to quieten them by bribing the dog with attention or food, thereby reinforcing the barking behaviour with a reward. However,  If used correctly & with precise timing, you can actually train your dog to ‘speak’ & ‘hush’ on command.
The aim is to train your dog to bark on command, then saying ‘hush‘ just before the barking subsides, and rewarding the silence. Use stimuli that will cause the dog to bark and say ‘speak‘, and reward him. Remove the stimulus, and say ‘hush‘, and again reward him. As with most obedience commands, numerous repetitions are necessary for learning that will last.

 

Prevention:

Early socialisation is important in accustoming your puppy to different people, animals, and situations, so that they do not become over-excited or anxious. Control of your dog through obedience training, and establishing leadership over your dog will stop bad habits developing, or, if they do, will help to overcome them.

Leah & Angela O’Meara
(Hound Dog – Specialists in Dog Daycare & Pet Sitting Brisbane)
www.houndogdaycare.com.au