Barking is one of the few verbal communication tools a dog has at its disposal. With this in mind, it is quite reasonable to expect dogs to bark once in a while. When barking become excessive, however, it can be a real problem for the owner, the neighbors and consequently the dog itself.
Tackling a barking problem will require the owner to become a bit of a sleuth. It is necessary to first figure out the cause for the excessive behavior before a solid course of action to solve it can be laid out.
The potential reasons for a dog barking excessively include such things as loneliness, boredom or a need for socialization. Other root causes can be such things as territorial or protective behavior, fears and even separation issues.
How to proceed in tackling a dog that likes to prove its bark is worse than its bite will depend on the cause. Once it's isolated or at least reasonably determined, there are options.
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If a dog is barking because it is lonely, bored or just really wants attention, patience and schedule setting can fix the problem. Make sure your dog gets attention every day. Go for real walks rather than just letting them out, try to leave them indoors rather than out when people are not at home and spend time working on commands and tricks. The more time your dog has with you, the less likely periods apart are to create issues.
When barking issues are related to protective and territorial behavior, undoing this is a double-edge sword. Most people want their dogs to act as the line of first defense in their homes, but they might not want them to bark at every cat that wanders by. To nip this in the bud, consider teaching the dog the quiet command using positive reinforcement. Another possibility is to make sure dogs become comfortable with the people they see - and bark at - on a daily or frequent basis. Lastly, consider not over encouraging the barking habit at every creak, moan and groan in a house or neighborhood.
Separation and phobia-related barking can often be handled by ensuring the dog feels safe and comfortable inside a home and even by using some desensitization techniques.
Barking is a dog's way of talking, but when they talk too much, they can drive a house and even a neighborhood to distraction. There are things that can be done to lessen the problem.
