Barking is a normal behavior for dogs, and dogs will bark for several
reasons. If barking is inappropriate or excessive you must determine why your
dog is barking. When does the barking occur?
What context or circumstances does the
barking occur?
Reactive Barking
Breed
Predisposition
Watchdog barking
Territorial
Protective
Alert Barking
Excitement
Response
to noises
Fear
Response to loud noises
Response to people
Boredom / Isolation / Frustration
Isolation anxiety
Attention seeking
Separation anxiety
Active dog without outlets for his energy
Social Barking
Response to other
dogs barking
To invite play
Attention seeking
Learned Barking
Is barking worst when owners are home?
Owners will often shape the barking
to be more intense and frequent. Dogs
often learn that they only get attention or let into the house with frequent
and intense barking.
If you have a breed that is genetically predisposed with
behavioral characteristics such as excitability or watchdog barking, you will
not be completely successful in changing the dog's behavior. If you started
with this type of dog at 7-weeks of age you would have influence in the form of
control on its behavior as an adult.
If excessive barking is the result of boredom, fear,
attention seeking or a learned behavior, you can affect change in the dog's
behavior.
You may need to:
Provide your dog with more exercise
Give your dog more attention
Make your dogs life more interesting and stimulating
Keep your dog inside when you are not able to supervise his outdoor
time
Limit your dogs view of the things that cause him to bark; close
curtains/blinds, screen off areas, and limit access to areas
Teach your dog a quiet command
Get your dog used to events that trigger the barking
Mask noises with the use of a radio or television
Teach your dog to spend time alone, or away from you
We do not recommend any type of bark collars. These collars
to not distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate barking, therefore we
do not recommend their use. In our view it is never appropriate to punish a dog
for appropriate behavior. Dogs have enough challenges learning to live with us
without us adding confusion.
De-barking should never be considered.
