Dog barking is both natural and useful and yet it can be the cause of so many issues in the home and out. From falling out with the neighbors, to driving you mad at home, to much barking gives dogs a poor 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 down-side, too many dogs do not know when to stop. They're kind of like a faulty vehicle alarm, virtually anything can set them off and it can take a long time to make them stop. Add into that a bit of dog anxiety and you have got some heavy 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 virtually anything could be a threat to a dog (think postman, fone, Television, plastic bag blowing down the road...) and the more delicate the dog, the more threats it might feel the urge to bark at. And naturally they will keep barking till they are sure that the threat has gone away.
Dog Barking when Left Alone
Dogs will bark from time to time when left alone "again it is only natural as they'll react to whatever noises they can hear outside your home.
Nevertheless if a dog barks ceaselessly, especially just after you leave the house, it's likelier to be caused by dog anxiety. Unfortunately, some anxious dogs will literally bark off and on for hours.
Of course, this is exactly the sort of barking which has your neighbours in a state and threatening you with dog barking laws, complaint letters and council action.
In that situation the presumption is often that dog lovers are neglecting their dogs or leaving them for too much time. But that's not often the case. When you are handling separation anxiety in dogs, more attention and less time away will not get rid of their anxiety as they will feel it whether you leave for a half hour or 5 hours.
How Do I To Stop My Dog From Barking
Excessive dog barking when you're in the house can be stopped with just two small words. We already realise that shouting 'Shut Up ' will not work, but what about the words 'Thank You ' or 'Good Boy ' or 'Good Girl '?
It's may appear counter intuitive, but surprisingly 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 just thanking them, you cannot sound irritated, and you do not raise your anxiousness levels and your dog should naturally stop. If they carry on, you can go and look at what they are barking at and thank them again. If they still continue, put them in another room all alone until they relax.
The objective is to set up a system that your dog understands. They will still be the one to warn you of something first as their hearing is much better, and by staying calm yourself and thanking them, you let them know there is little to stress about.
Dog Anxiety Can Cause Dog Barking Problems
However, it is not a system which you can use when your dog is at home alone. Instead you have to to deal with the source of your dogs separation anxiety which is most likely to be a leadership issue.
If your dog has placed themselves as head of the pack, they have also made themselves responsible for decision-making and keeping the pack safe and they can't do that if you lock them in at home and go out.
The frenzied barking is a noise beacon to alert you to where they happen to be and where to come home to. In natural habitats that noise would carry a long way, and dogs don't know that our hearing isn't 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 down-side, too many dogs do not know when to stop. They're kind of like a faulty vehicle alarm, virtually anything can set them off and it can take a long time to make them stop. Add into that a bit of dog anxiety and you have got some heavy 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 virtually anything could be a threat to a dog (think postman, fone, Television, plastic bag blowing down the road...) and the more delicate the dog, the more threats it might feel the urge to bark at. And naturally they will keep barking till they are sure that the threat has gone away.
Dog Barking when Left Alone
Dogs will bark from time to time when left alone "again it is only natural as they'll react to whatever noises they can hear outside your home.
Nevertheless if a dog barks ceaselessly, especially just after you leave the house, it's likelier to be caused by dog anxiety. Unfortunately, some anxious dogs will literally bark off and on for hours.
Of course, this is exactly the sort of barking which has your neighbours in a state and threatening you with dog barking laws, complaint letters and council action.
In that situation the presumption is often that dog lovers are neglecting their dogs or leaving them for too much time. But that's not often the case. When you are handling separation anxiety in dogs, more attention and less time away will not get rid of their anxiety as they will feel it whether you leave for a half hour or 5 hours.
How Do I To Stop My Dog From Barking
Excessive dog barking when you're in the house can be stopped with just two small words. We already realise that shouting 'Shut Up ' will not work, but what about the words 'Thank You ' or 'Good Boy ' or 'Good Girl '?
It's may appear counter intuitive, but surprisingly 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 just thanking them, you cannot sound irritated, and you do not raise your anxiousness levels and your dog should naturally stop. If they carry on, you can go and look at what they are barking at and thank them again. If they still continue, put them in another room all alone until they relax.
The objective is to set up a system that your dog understands. They will still be the one to warn you of something first as their hearing is much better, and by staying calm yourself and thanking them, you let them know there is little to stress about.
Dog Anxiety Can Cause Dog Barking Problems
However, it is not a system which you can use when your dog is at home alone. Instead you have to to deal with the source of your dogs separation anxiety which is most likely to be a leadership issue.
If your dog has placed themselves as head of the pack, they have also made themselves responsible for decision-making and keeping the pack safe and they can't do that if you lock them in at home and go out.
The frenzied barking is a noise beacon to alert you to where they happen to be and where to come home to. In natural habitats that noise would carry a long way, and dogs don't know that our hearing isn't 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 author has experienced dog anxiety and dog barking problems with her recent rescue dog and used these systems to successfully stop hisdog barking when left alone.
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