Dogs bark, thats normal, of course. But excessive barking can be considered a problem especially if it becomes uncontrollable. Your pets bark, whine and howl to a certain degree. If men talk, dogs bark to communicate to their masters. See why your canine pet is vocalizing. The common reasons for barking are the following:
1. Your Dog Wants to Alert or Warn You, Your pet dogs bark to alert us of any intruders or strangers near our property. Dogs are very loyal guards to its owners. When it senses danger, it warns the owner and tries to scare the intruder by barking. But excessive barking, even without any sign of danger, could sometimes prove to be inconvenient and unpleasant.
2. Your Dog Wants to PlayDogs naturally show their excitement and playfulness by barking. When your pooch wants to have quality playtime with you, you would hear him barking incessantly until you give him the time of the day.
3. Your Dog Wants to Call Your AttentionYour beloved pets bark to call our attention on the littlest things. It may be a stranger outside or a noise that threatened them. When your dog is not feeling well or comfortable or is feeling pain, he would call your attention by barking. If he wants to eat, is feeling too hot, he wants you to do something, he barks.
4. Your Dog Is AnxiousWhen our dogs feel unsafe and threatened, they make sounds and bark until they are assured that their masters address their needs. Our pooch would sometimes be anxious about noises or movements. They bark when they are left alone or from separation anxiety from their masters. Aversion to certain people and other animals may cause them to excessively bark as well.
5. Your Dog May Be BoredAre your dogs in the lawn all day, tied to its leash in its small dog house? Do not wonder why theyre barking incessantly then. Your dog may be bored out of its wits and is asking you to take him out for a walk or play. Dogs need stimulation. They have a natural instinct or drive to be active such as dig, chase or tear things. It is important to remember that dogs are social animals.
6. Your Dog Is Responding or Reacting to Other DogsDogs bark at other dogs to communicate or to warn them of their territory. As alpha male in a pack, it wants to make its superiority known by barking. This is normal for dogs especially those who are not used to socializing with other canine pets.
And now lets get to how or what we owners should do with our dogs barking problem.
Give the dog what it needs. Our dogs sometimes bark to call our attention. When they bark, we yell back at them. Them, getting yelled at, is for them better than nothing. Because boredom can be one reason why your dog is excessively barking, be sure that you take him out regularly to walk or play. Make sure that your pet has enough food and water and some toys to play with when you are not in the house and when the dog is alone at home. Moreover, be certain that the dog has a comfortable place to stay in and relax.
Get your dog used to being alone. This may sound strange but if you really think about it, it makes sense. Try to stop petting or rewarding your dog for doing nothing. This is because they become dependent on these reenforcements and they find it hard to be happy and comfortable when theyre alone without you to give these rewards. The only time you should give your dogs treat is when he is able to respond correctly to a command such as quiet! or stay!.
Try to minimize saying goodbye. Dogs remember things well. When you get him used to seeing you go, he feels that he will be alone and starts to feel anxious about being alone. Do not make a big deal about leaving home.
When your canine pets bark, try to distract them to make them forget about their feelings of anxiety or fears and keep them from remembering whatever caused them to bark repeatedly.This will be the end of the first part of some of the dog behavior training, in which barking problems is the initial problem to begin with.