It is normal for dogs to bark but barking that’s too often and too much is an issue that very common with dog owners. In order to overcome nuisance barking you first need to understand the reason for the barking in the first place.
Why your dog is barking
There are many reasons why your dog barks such as:
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- – When he is left on his own
- – When somebody is at the door
- – When he has spotted other dogs
- – When he’s trying to get your attention.
As mentioned above, it is crucial to understand why your dog barks in the first place and we will now take a look at how you can deal with the above reasons:
1. When he is on his own
Dogs are sociable and don’t like to be left alone and can start to feel upset if they are left alone. If a dog is suffering from separation anxiety you may need to speak to a dog behaviorist to get some specific dog training to help you overcome this.
2. When somebody is at the door
It is known as alarm barking when your dog barks if they’ve seen something that they want to tell you about such as somebody is at the door. In these circumstances, you need to teach your dog a behavior which takes their mind off barking. If your dog enjoys playing fetch then when somebody is at your door, play fetch with him to take his mind off it. Reward any good behavior with a treat so that your dog does it next time too.
3. When he’s spotted other dogs
There are two reasons why dogs do this. Firstly, it could be that they want to get to a dog but they can’t. The second reason is that they are scared. You will need to get professional advice to overcome this and group dog training is a good option as the longer you leave it, the worse it is likely to get and it will make taking your dog for a walk frustrating and unpleasant.
4. When he’s trying to get your attention.
For a second, think about how you react when your dog barks to get your attention. Do you raise your voice, tell him off or shout? If you do then you need to stop this as you are giving him the attention that he is looking for. It is best to ignore the barking and respond to him once he stops. Once he does stop barking, praise them.
Still not worked it out
If you still can’t work out why your dog is barking and the advice above is not helping, you don’t need to worry. It is worth contacting a qualified pet behaviorist for some private dog training should help you. It can be frustrating when your dog is constantly barking and you can’t seem to solve the issue. However, it is important to remember to never take this out on your dog. Although punishing may temporarily stop your dog from barking, it doesn’t get to the root of the problem which is key in order to overcome the issue.
