By: Kelly Marshall
Submitted: 2011-11-08 18:04:17 | Word Count: 501
Is there anything more frustrating than living next door to a barking dog? You bet, living with a barking dog in your own house! Barking may seem like a natural act for a dog, which leaves many owners at a loss for what to do about the problem. The truth is barking can be an indication of other problems. If you want to quiet your pet, the first thing you must do is figure out why your dog is barking incessantly. There are many reasons why a dog may bark or make a lot of noise and this article will talk about them.
Timing
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When your dog does the majority of their barking can be a big clue as to why they are so noisy. For example if your dog is fairly quiet while you are home but goes insane when you leave for the day it is clear that your dog is suffering from separation anxiety. This is not an uncommon occurrence and it can be quite difficult to put a stop to this behavior. Success will require patience, time and some creative ideas. The first thing you can do is leave the house but return before your dog becomes anxious, this rewards quiet behavior. You can slowly increase the time you are gone until your pet is more comfortable and relaxed. It can also be helpful to keep a good supply of toys available, play the radio or television while you are gone and provide a doghouse for outside pets. Anything that makes them feel more comfortable and secure.
Aggressive or Alerts
Does your dog bark incessantly when the mail carrier comes to the door? This is what is known as an alert or aggressive barker. This behavior is further reinforced when the mail carrier immediately leaves your home; this rewards the barking and tells your dog they have done a good job. One way to combat this problem is by preventing your dog from seeing people like the mail carrier. However, this is only a temporary fix. Teaching your dog a command such as Stop or Enough is a good way to communicate to them that the barking is unacceptable. Give them one or two barks and then use your command word to end the noise!
Rewards
Many times barking excessively is a learned behavior, your dog learns that when they bark there is a pay off. If you pay attention to their barking by feeding them, running to see what is up or giving them attention, you are inadvertently reinforcing the behavior. Make every effort to minimize contact with your dog when they are barking.
Conclusion
Your ears and your neighbors will thank you when you get your dogs barking under control. Barking may be an effective communication tool for dogs and it does have its place, however when it is out of control no one benefits. There are training collars and obedience schools that can further assist you with putting a stop to this irritating behavior.
