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 Attention and Training are Key!
For dogs, barking is a natural form of communication. Since they can't tell you when they need something or are worried about a strange noise outside, they bark, growl, or howl to let you know what's going on. And while it's unfair to expect your dog to stop communicating altogether, you can curtail the barking to keep your dog from waking your family or the neighbors.
There are several reasons a dog is a barker, and once you address the "why," you can curtail your dog's barking habits.
Some dogs bark for attention.
If they're lonely or want to play, they
bark. When you react to their barking, you give them the attention,
which reinforces their barking behavior. Even if they receive negative
attention from you because of the barking, they're happy because
they're getting attention. This barking habit can be broken by giving
your dog lots of positive attention when it's quiet. When your dog
quiets down, praise it and give it lots of attention then. Conversely,
when your dog barks for attention, don't respond. Your dog will soon
get the picture that barking isn't the way to get attention.
Some dogs bark because they know that if they do, they'll get what they
want.
They bark at the door to be let outside, the bark at their dishes
to get food, and they bark at the counter to get a treat. Because you
give them what they want when they bark, they continue the behavior.
After all, if you could get whatever you wanted by saying, "Hey!" you
probably wouldn't quit, either, right? To retrain this behavior, work
on only giving your dog what it wants when it's quiet.
Some dogs bark when they're left alone.
These dogs have separation
anxiety. They're the dogs that bark all day while you're at work. These
kinds of barkers have two parts. First, they're lonely, and second,
they aren't used to your daily routine, so it's jarring to them to be
left alone without knowing when you'll be back. Retraining this kind of
barker is more involved, but is worth the patience it takes to show
your dog that it's okay if you're gone during the day.
Along with retraining your dog using positive reinforcement, there is
something simple you can do to help curtail your dog's barking. Make
sure your home is stocked with a variety of dog toys. Believe it or
not, if your dog has a selection of toys, you may not have to worry
about barking as much.
When dogs play with dog toys, they usually use their mouths. On a basic
level, that means there's something in their mouths and they can't
bark. But having dog toys also means your dog has something to do when
you're not available for tummy rubs and ear scratches. Many toys are
designed to engage and entertain your dog, and can help keep your dog
from being lonely and bored.
Remember: dogs bark to communicate. And though you may want to teach
your dog that it's not okay to bark all the time, you don't want your
dog to feel it can't tell you how it feels. There's a balance between
communication and behavior problems, and you can find the perfect
balance with patience, positive reinforcement, and some great dog toys.
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About the Author
Article by Mary Stevenson of Oh My Dog Supplies, your top spot to purchase plush dog toys online. Published At: www.Isnare.com Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=349234&ca=Pets
Read these other great articles about dogs and barking:
1. Dogs going Stir Crazy
2. Care for Home-alone Dogs
3. Never Punish a Growling Dog
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