Common Causes And Tips To Deal With Excessive Barking Of Dogs

Barking of dogs is just a normal behavior and a means of communication; however excessive barking of dogs is undesirable and calls for method of control. Excessive barking by dogs could be due to various reasons; the training technique depends on the cause for barking.

Common causes and tips to deal with excessive barking of dogs:

• Boredom is the first reason for a dog barking excessively and exorcising their frustration on flower beds. Make sure your dog has a lot of exercise and plenty of toys to be engaged and entertained; make sure to rotate the toys.  It would help to put the dog’s food in a Kong toy or treat ball for him to work and retrieve his smacks. It would also help to hide toys in the garden for him to retrieve; provide a sandpit if he likes digging. It would help to arrange for a dog walker to walk the dog while you are at work and a dog minder if you have to leave him for longer periods of time.

• Separation anxiety, another reason for excessive barking requires making sure that your pet learns to be alone at a young age. Send your dog outside for some time with a toy to play with or raw bone to chew on; this would make being alone a positive experience. Gradually increase the length of time you leave him alone; do not make a fuss as you leave or return. Make sure to keep him engaged with toys and treats. In extreme cases you may need the help of a veterinary behaviorist.   

• Your pet dog could bark excessively to seek attention; this could be when the owner leaves them all alone for a long period, with nothing interesting to do. The tip to solve this behavioral problem is to ignore unwanted behavior and reward good behavior; reward and praise the dog and also give him a food treat when he behaves well and is calm and quiet; this would help reinforce good behavior.

• Your pet dog could also bark excessively due to fear of people coming near their territory and fearful noises that stimulate anxiety especially at night. It is also significant to understand that dogs are very afraid of lawnmowers, thunderstorm and fireworks; it is best to avoid playing with fireworks in their vicinity.

• Lastly your pet dog could bark excessively due to territorial behavior; most young dogs are unable to distinguish between a welcome visitor, a passer-by and an intruder. Do not ignore or scold your dog for territorial barking as this may confuse and have a negative impact on your dog to protect you. Try and indicate welcome guests and passer-by’s by offering him a treat or one of his favorite toys.

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