| Barking is a common issue that many dog owners come to me for help with. Excessive barking can cause a lot of stress and frustration for you, but the first step is always looking at the root of why your dog is barking. Also whether it is excessive, or just normal dog behaviour … dogs bark, it’s normal for them to use their voice sometimes, but your circumstances and tolerance will sometimes dictate if it is excessive or not for you. I’ve had clients in the past who lived in places where they weren’t actually allowed to have a dog so any kind of barking was deemed to be unacceptable. But that isn’t fair on the dog because dogs communicate vocally and it is part of being a dog. Like talking is part of being human. Dogs bark for many reasons but there are a few things to look at to start with: WHY is your dog is barking; your dog’s emotional state (excited, playful, frustrated, scared or protective). WHAT is your dog barking at? What triggers the barking? BREED yes, the breed of your dog also plays a part, what was your dog bred to do as a job? Guarding breeds for example are more likely to be territorial barkers.WHAT is reinforcing the behaviour (a biggie we will cover another time). |
| The reasons dogs bark |
| Alert Barking – is normal, your dog is telling you that something is happening – that could be a potential threat, something that startles them or something new they have never experienced before. Territorial Barking – Dogs may bark to protect your home or garden to incoming ‘threats’. The postman, a delivery driver or absolutely everything that goes past your living room window. Attention Seeking Barking – Your dog may bark to get your attention, this could simply be your dog asking you to let them out for a wee up to relentless “play with me’ barking when you are sat on the sofa trying to watch TV. Fearful Barking – Fearful dogs may bark when they come across a situation or stimulus that they perceive as frightening or threatening, such as other dogs, strangers, traffic, wheelie bins, a carrier bag blowing towards them… Playful Barking – Many dogs bark during play sessions, either with other dogs or when playing with you. It is just communication and excitement and normal. Separation Anxiety Barking – Dogs that suffer from separation anxiety may bark when they are left alone, it is a way of expressing their distress and trying to get you to come home. Medical Issues – If there is no other obvious reason for a dog suddenly barking more than usual then remember dogs may bark more if they are in pain or discomfort. |
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| One thing that will help all barking problems (but especially 1, 2 & 3) is mental stimulation. Imagine this for a moment: you spend every single day in a room with no mobile phone, no tv, no social media to trawl through, no newspapers, no hobbies, no friends to talk to, no kids to nag about cleaning their rooms, no job, or purpose …. you would go out of your mind. Your meals are put in front of you twice a day and you get an hour out of those four walls to run around. There is nothing else. By day you would turn into a curtain twitcher, checking out anything going on outside and what the neighbours are up to because that window to the outside world and all it’s activity is the most exciting thing in your day. When your ‘significant other’ (gotta love fools and horses!) comes home you don’t stop chattering to them all night because you have been alone and bored all day. All they want to do is relax and wind down and your relentless attention seeking and chattering drives them crazy and makes them irritable. Being a dog is like that. Yes, I do harp on about mental enrichment, but a bored, under-stimulated dog will bark more. A dog that has nothing to do all day apart from a morning walk and a cuddle on the sofa with you on an evening will be bored. High drive working breeds like Collies, working cockers, Shepherds to name a few obvious ones will need so much more more mental stimulation than some other breeds but they all need something to do with their brain. A dog with nothing to do will go self-employed and find a job to occupy their mind – which could be barking out of the window at everything that moves or getting sooooo over excited when a new person arrives at the door who may play with them. |
Is if fair to punish fear?
I went away with a big group of friends and our children on an activity weekend a few years ago and it was fabulous...
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