It is unreasonable to expect a dog to never bark, however excessive barking is a habit that needs to be broken. It not only can cause tension between neighbours, but it can also disrupt your household and often, if not correctly addressed, worsen the issue. If your dog barks excessively, here are a few tips to help you break your dog’s bad habit.
Firstly, what makes a dog bark?
Now you know what the possible causes are, it will make it easier to treat. But remember it will take time, techniques and patience to stop excessive dog barking.
These can often be treated in the same way because they are both triggered by a perceived threat. Try to limit what your dog sees. For example, ensure your fence is solid and limit your dog’s access to windows or glass doors.
A dog that barks excessively when you’re not home is either bored or lonely. It is important to ensure that your dog is walked daily but if the barking still continues the following can help;
To avoid your dog barking when you return home or someone is at the door, you’ll need to teach them an alternative to this behaviour. Instructing your dog to sit in the same spot whenever they hear someone at the door can help curb this problem. However, this training may take time and practice.
If your dog barks when it wants something, you should never reward it by doing the thing they want. This reinforces the behaviour. Find ways for your dog to communicate without barking. For example, teach them to push a dish with their nose if they want food. The key is to ignore what they want until they stop barking so they know that the barking is an ineffective method.
Separation anxiety is a difficult case as it often requires treatment by a specialist. It involves a lot of training and therapy for your dog to learn new and more acceptable behaviours. But once successful it can greatly improve the situation.
Medical problems can cause excessive barking. They range from skin irritations to ongoing pain. It’s always a good idea to have your dog checked by a veterinarian to be sure there’s no medical reason for the excessive barking.
Remember the first step is to consider why your dog is barking and then you can tackle the problem effectively. For further guidance on how to stop your dog from excessively barking, contact Karingal Veterinary Hospital or book online today for a consultation.