Does your dog ‘talk’ too much? Understanding what’s going on is key to finding solutions that makes everyone happy–including your furry friend.
Barking is a natural occurance for our canine friends. They communicate with several types of barks such as: protecting their family, getting our attention, boredom, fear, protecting their territories, pain, seperation anxiety, old age and compulsive OCD type barking. They communicate with other dogs and with their owners in various barks. But when they bark constantly for no good reason, disrupting neighbors and exhausting themselves it’s time for some pawsitive training. A trip to the vet is an important first step to eliminate anything that could be wrong. If you’re certain nothing is wrong, here are a few tips you can try:
Boredom
A bored pup is a recipe for barking, chewing and destructive behavior. Pawsitive solutions include long walks first and last thing during the day. Toys that aren’t easy to destroy can keep them busy while you’re gone. They need brain stimulation…the smarter the dog, the more stimulation they need. Specific breeds are built for unique jobs. Heelers need to herd. German Sheppard’s need to protect. Hunting dogs need hunting type activities. A fenced in yard with a ball to retrieve may provide the exercise they need to remain calm during the day.
Fear
Often dogs who bark out of fear may need more socialization. A calm dog is confident in their surroundings but many need to be taught how to be poised. Identifying their fear gives you someplace to start to desensitize their anxieties. Learning triggers means you can change the environment, play music to mask the sounds, close the curtains and door if it’s outside triggers. I had a dog afraid of cars, to desensitize her, we walked on the sidewalks near traffic until she was tongue hanging tired. I improved my health as well! Eventually, while I met someone on the sidewalk and struck up a conversation, she laid down on the sidewalk and went to sleep with traffic still buzzing by. That’s the day I knew I’d won!
Training
There is great value in canine training with someone who has no emotional trigger with poor behaviors. A Pawsitive trainer can first guide your pet to better behaviors and then train you how to handle triggers and redirect actions. A few sessions can save you and your pet a lot of frustration. No one enjoys a pet that is ill behaved or is fearful. Generally, once you teach them acceptable manners, they will be eager to please.
