Excessive Dog Barking

Barking is normal behavior and just one way dogs communicate.  But what if your dog holds routine bark fests in the backyard or in your home?  The first step in obtaining peace and quiet is to realize that most dogs bark for specific reasons.  Some reasons include:

Solitary Confinement.  A dog left alone or confined for long periods without supervision is likely to bark because he feels anxious or sad and is afraid the owner may not return.  Will your dog be left alone for much of the day?  Some dogs adapt to this better than others.

Here’s a list of dogs who hate being left alone:
•Affenpinscher
•American Pit Bull Terrier
•Bichon Frise
•Border Collie
•Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
•Chihuahua
•Chinese Crested
•Coton de Tulear
•English Toy Spaniel
•French Bulldog
•Havanese
•Italian Greyhound
•Japanese Chin
•Lowchen
•Maltese
•Papillon
•Pomeranian
•Poodle
•Pug
•Toy Fox Terrier
•Yorkshire Terrier

Excessive dog Barking!  Your dog may bark excessively for your attention because you unintentionally trained him to do so.  One “woof” and you open the door to let him out.  Another and you let him in.  A polite bark is rewarded with a treat.  A loud one brings praise for alerting you to stranger danger.  Too much barking brings censure.  To a dog, humans are consistently inconsistent. You may want to consider a stop barking device.

Inactivity.  Lack of exercise can easily result in a dog that has pent-up energy and barks out of frustration.  After all, you need some relief from excessive dog barking as well.  A well-exercised, happy dog is more likely to sleep when you’re not there.

So, what can you do about your dog barking and dog barking problems..

Let’s get physical.  Dogs that spend most of their time in the backyard or in the house probably need an exercise outlet.  Even if your yard is large, dashing around it in circles is not the equivalent of exercise and interaction.  Take your dog for a long walk, or head to the park for a change of scenery and a game of fetch.

Love the one your with.  Bring your dog into the house when you’re home.  It’s important that he feels he’s part of the family and is loved.  Develop a relationship with him through play and fun.

You’ve got a friend in me.  Dogs are social creatures.  Take your dog to the same park daily or weekly and let him make doggy friends.  Dogs romp around together, tire easily and sleep soundly.

Once you’ve tried some of these doggie deterrents, if your dog still insists on barking his heart out, then you may need to employ an anti bark collar.  .