Is your dog’s big mouth driving you and everyone else in the neighborhood barking mad? Dogs will bark because barking is a part of normal canine behavior. Some breeds have tendencies to bark more than your average dog, too. The key to a successful solution is finding out the cause (or causes) for the behavior.
Case A
- If your dog usually barks when someone is home…
- If you are limited in the social time you spend with your dog (such as petting, playing, brushing, training, etc)…
- If your dog barks when you are doing something like talking on the phone, watching television, or on the computer…
- If you finally give in and give your dog what he wants (such as your attention, a toy, a snack, etc., as a way to make your dog stop barking…
Your dog may have ”attention-seeking behavior.” Here are some tips:
- Gently praise your dog when he is being quiet (a quiet dog is a good dog and should be rewarded).
- Teach your dog a few commands such as sit and stay (enrolling in an obedience class should be very helpful).
- Ignore your dog when he barks (this is a tough one, because sometimes the barking will get worse before it gets better).
- Take your dog for a walk about the same time each day. Dogs do better with routines.
Case B
- If your dog spends most of her day by herself either in the yard of in the house…
- If there are few toys in the yard or house to keep her busy…
- If your dog is limited in social interactions with people or other dogs…
- If your dog is limited in doing activities with your such as playing or going for a walk…
Your dog may have “lonely heart behavior.”Here are some tips”
- Provide routine interactions with your dog such as walks on a leash, play time, obedience training, brushing and petting. Interact with your dog several times on a daily basis and about the same time each day. Dogs do better with routines.
- Give your dog a couple of interactive toys and rotate them weekly.
Want more information? Download the informative PDF.