Dog barking is both natural and handy and yet it is likely to be the reason for so many problems in the home and out. From falling out with the neighbours, to driving you crazy at home, non stop barking gives dogs a bad name!
On the up-side, most of us are quite glad to have a dog that barks as it makes us feel safe at night and lets us know when a person is approaching the house.
But on the disadvantage, too many dogs just don't know when to stop. They're a bit like a defective car alarm, just about anything can set them off and it can take a long while to get them to stop. Add into that a little bit of dog anxiety and you have some significant dog barking problems.
Nuisance Dog Barking
In nature barking works and you do not find dogs barking without cause. Their barking has three primary functions; The first is to let the rest of the pack know where you are, the second's a to warn the rest of the pack to possible hazard and the 3rd is an agressive note to keep away.
Nuisance dog barking arises when dogs try and apply a system that works very well in nature, to a human world they do not understand.
Thats when almost anything might be a threat to a dog (think postman, telephone, film, supermarket carrier blowing down the road...) and the more anxious the dog, the more threats it'd consider it wise to bark at. And very naturally they'll keep barking until they're positive that the threat has gone away.
Dog Barking when Left Alone
Dogs will bark from time to time when left alone "again that's only natural as they may respond to whatever noises they can hear outside of the home.
Nonetheless if a dog barks incessantly, particularly shortly after you leave the house, it's more likely to be triggered by dog anxiety. Sadly, some anxious dogs will literally bark on and off for ages.
Naturally, this is precisely the type of barking that has your neighbors up in arms and threatening you with dog barking laws, complaint letters and council action.
In this situation the assumption is usually that dog owners are neglecting their dogs or leaving them for too long. But that isn't generally the case. When you're coping with separation anxiety in dogs, more attention and less time away won't change their anxiety as they'll feel it whether you leave for 30 minutes or five hours.
How Do I To Stop My Dog From Barking
Unnecessary dog barking when you are in the house can be stopped with only two little words. We already know that roaring 'Shut Up ' doesn't work, but what about the words 'Thank You ' or 'Good Boy ' or 'Good Girl '?
It's may look counter intuitive, but shockingly thanking your dog can work! Here's why.
In nature one of the roles of a dog pack member will be to tell the pack leader to any potential threat. Once warned the pack leader would make the choice whether any action was necessary so that would mean joining in the barking if they decided there was a potential threat, or doing nothing if they thought there wasn't any threat to the pack, so the barking would stop.
Translate that into the home and if your dog barks and you scream at them, you raise your anxiety levels, so the dog will sense that something is actually wrong, and you sound like you're joining in, which is why your dog will bark even more frantically when you do raise your voice.
By positively thanking them, you can't sound annoyed, and you don't raise your anxiety levels and your dog should naturally stop. If they carry on, you can go and take a look at what they are barking at and thank them again. If continue, put them in another room alone till they stop.
The aim is to set up a system that your dog understands. They will be the one to advise you of something first as their hearing is miles better, and by staying calm yourself and thanking them, you make them aware there is nothing to fret about.
Dog Anxiety Can Cause Dog Barking Problems
Unfortunately, its not a system that you can use when your dog is at home alone. Instead you want to cope with the source of your dogs anxiety, which is most certain to be a leadership issue.
If your dog has placed themselves as head of the pack, they've also made themselves accountable for making decisions and keeping the pack safe and they can not do that if you lock them in at home and go out.
The frantic barking is a noise beacon to tell you where they are and where to come back home to. In natural settings that noise would carry a good distance, and dogs do not know that our hearing is not as good as theirs.
Unfortunately, as long as they have anxiety, they're going to have barking problems. It's their nature and the only way you can change their mind and stop the dog barking is to show your dog that you are leader of the pack, not them. That way they do not have to worry.
On the up-side, most of us are quite glad to have a dog that barks as it makes us feel safe at night and lets us know when a person is approaching the house.
But on the disadvantage, too many dogs just don't know when to stop. They're a bit like a defective car alarm, just about anything can set them off and it can take a long while to get them to stop. Add into that a little bit of dog anxiety and you have some significant dog barking problems.
Nuisance Dog Barking
In nature barking works and you do not find dogs barking without cause. Their barking has three primary functions; The first is to let the rest of the pack know where you are, the second's a to warn the rest of the pack to possible hazard and the 3rd is an agressive note to keep away.
Nuisance dog barking arises when dogs try and apply a system that works very well in nature, to a human world they do not understand.
Thats when almost anything might be a threat to a dog (think postman, telephone, film, supermarket carrier blowing down the road...) and the more anxious the dog, the more threats it'd consider it wise to bark at. And very naturally they'll keep barking until they're positive that the threat has gone away.
Dog Barking when Left Alone
Dogs will bark from time to time when left alone "again that's only natural as they may respond to whatever noises they can hear outside of the home.
Nonetheless if a dog barks incessantly, particularly shortly after you leave the house, it's more likely to be triggered by dog anxiety. Sadly, some anxious dogs will literally bark on and off for ages.
Naturally, this is precisely the type of barking that has your neighbors up in arms and threatening you with dog barking laws, complaint letters and council action.
In this situation the assumption is usually that dog owners are neglecting their dogs or leaving them for too long. But that isn't generally the case. When you're coping with separation anxiety in dogs, more attention and less time away won't change their anxiety as they'll feel it whether you leave for 30 minutes or five hours.
How Do I To Stop My Dog From Barking
Unnecessary dog barking when you are in the house can be stopped with only two little words. We already know that roaring 'Shut Up ' doesn't work, but what about the words 'Thank You ' or 'Good Boy ' or 'Good Girl '?
It's may look counter intuitive, but shockingly thanking your dog can work! Here's why.
In nature one of the roles of a dog pack member will be to tell the pack leader to any potential threat. Once warned the pack leader would make the choice whether any action was necessary so that would mean joining in the barking if they decided there was a potential threat, or doing nothing if they thought there wasn't any threat to the pack, so the barking would stop.
Translate that into the home and if your dog barks and you scream at them, you raise your anxiety levels, so the dog will sense that something is actually wrong, and you sound like you're joining in, which is why your dog will bark even more frantically when you do raise your voice.
By positively thanking them, you can't sound annoyed, and you don't raise your anxiety levels and your dog should naturally stop. If they carry on, you can go and take a look at what they are barking at and thank them again. If continue, put them in another room alone till they stop.
The aim is to set up a system that your dog understands. They will be the one to advise you of something first as their hearing is miles better, and by staying calm yourself and thanking them, you make them aware there is nothing to fret about.
Dog Anxiety Can Cause Dog Barking Problems
Unfortunately, its not a system that you can use when your dog is at home alone. Instead you want to cope with the source of your dogs anxiety, which is most certain to be a leadership issue.
If your dog has placed themselves as head of the pack, they've also made themselves accountable for making decisions and keeping the pack safe and they can not do that if you lock them in at home and go out.
The frantic barking is a noise beacon to tell you where they are and where to come back home to. In natural settings that noise would carry a good distance, and dogs do not know that our hearing is not as good as theirs.
Unfortunately, as long as they have anxiety, they're going to have barking problems. It's their nature and the only way you can change their mind and stop the dog barking is to show your dog that you are leader of the pack, not them. That way they do not have to worry.
About the Author:
The writer has experienced dog anxiety and dog barking problems with her own rescue dog and used these techniques to stop hisdog barking when left alone.
