Barking Dogs

BARKING DOGS – CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS:

By Louise Thompson (Accredited Animal Behaviour Consultant & professional dog trainer)

 

Noise pollution is one of the most common behaviour problems experienced with certain breeds of dogs today, especially with owners and pets living in cluster homes or complexes.

 

Dog noise pollution is a major factor of modern living and can lead to costly legal bills and major disagreements with frustrated neighbours who have endured sleepless nights and have a desperate need for some peace and quiet!

 

There is nothing more frustrating that trying to have a quiet Sunday nap or beingwakened up in the middle of the night, by yapping mutts!  Caring pet owners have been known to have to relocate in order to protect their dogs and themselves from prosecution and to achieve harmonious living with neighbours!

 

In many municipalities there are laws governing the amount of “acceptable” noise that is produced by dogs. Several legal warnings are usually given and if not treated or if the barking does not improve, owners may be required by law to get rid of their beloved pet!  In some complexes there are clauses in the lease in this regard and governing bodies have legal recourse to enforce dog owner’s compliance.

 

The most common breeds that exhibit this unwanted behaviour are toy or miniature breeds like the German Dachshund, Miniature Schnauzer, the Yorkshire Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier, SA Maltese “Poodle” (which is in fact part terrier) Miniature Pincher, Toy Pomeranians etc. In fact, most terriers are prone toyapping if there behaviour is not moulded or shaped/redirected from an early age

 

 

            APPROACHING THE BARKING ISSUE!

• Is the dog is barking in the garden – either at the moon or as a long or short range communication with neighbourhood dogs or is he barking to demand attention (to be let inside or to get his own way), or because it is excitement when playing or due to the dog suffering from stress and anxiety?

 

• The above needs to be considered as they have a direct bearing on the cause of the barking.  If you are in doubt contact an accredited animal behaviour consultant who will be able to advise and assist you.

 

• You also need to take into account the frustration level of the dog. Does he receive enough of your time? Does he have enough exercise off the property (walks runs)? Does he receive enough mental stimulation?

 

• Does he have anything to do when you are absent from the home or asleep at night (chews, bones, cow hooves etc)? All of the above can also have a bearing on the dogs noise pollution levels!

 

            WHY DOES MY DOG BARK?

• Barking is a normal behaviour and is a natural way for dogs to communicate (especially over distance!) It is normal for a dog to bark when someone passes your house, or when the postman comes!

 

• When this “normal “barking becomes excessive that is when it presents a problem, as the resulting noise pollution can be a nuisance to family and neighbours alike.

 

• Barking  can also be an expression of frustration and confinement stress (un-socialised yard dogs kept in permanent solitary confinement) It can be a way for your dog to let you know that he is stressed, unhappy, anxious, bored, or just plain fed up! It is also a way for them to inform you of any danger

 

• If the dog is barking in the garden – during the day or at night YOU MUST GO AND CHECK TO SEE IF YOU CAN FIND THE CAUSE OF THE BARKING.                                             

 

THIS MUST APPLY EACH AND EVERY TIME! After all, the dog could be warning you of a prowler orburglar, Or a young child having fallen in the swimming pool (there have been many cases of the above examples!) Never leave a barking dog just to bark without checking up on him. He couldjust save you, or a member of your family’s life!

 

• If the dog is barking outside a door as a demand to be let in, he must only be let in the second he is quiet. Reward the positive and ignore/distract the negative.

 

• Often dogs bark as an expression of excitement or hyperactivity – if this is the case the game should stop immediately. It can continue after a couple of minutes or when the dog is quiet, but then the second it gets too excited and the barking commences it must again stop.  This will have to be constantly repeated to have a lasting effect.

 

 

                  The most common causes of excessive barking are:-

• Confinement:
• Yard dogs kept in solitary confinement with little or no interaction with their owners.

• Lack of mental and physical stimulation.
• Boredom and mental inactivity
• Inappropriate stimulation: Getting a calm dog “wound up” for fun and family entertainment.
• Learnt behaviour – unintentionally encouraged when the dog was a pup - It was cute for a while but soon becomes a pain in the ……
• Neglect and cruel treatment.
• Stress and anxiety (Including separation anxiety)
• Lack of confidence and fear related behaviours
• Over-indulgence. The dog that barks to get his own way! This can also be described as a learnt behaviour!
•  Attention seeking behaviours and the spoilt dog brat – syndrome!

 

Often the easiest way to teach a dog not to perform an inappropriate behaviour is to teach him to perform the behaviour on command. Barking is a good example ofthis premise.

 

Dogs often perform inappropriate behaviour to receive attention from their owners!  From a dogs point of view the owner’s attention is often one of the most valuable things in his life! 

 

It must be remembered that even negative attention (punishment – shouting/smacking/cross face, strong disapproving eye contact) can be rewarding to a dog, as he is getting what he wants the most – YOUR ATTENTION!

 

 

      WAYS TO SOLVE OR MANAGE THE PROBLEM: TEACHING “SPEAK”:

• If you have been punishing the dog for barking – this must STOP IMMEDIATELY!

      This includes both verbal, physical punishment, cross disapproving eye contact, angry     body language response, thewagging finger, angry body language – all must cease            immediately.

• Use the basic rule – ignore and distract negative behaviour and only respond and or reward positive behaviour!
• Each and every time the dog barks, smile and give him the command “speak” or “talk” and pop him a tasty treat or titbit.
• Make sure that you always use the same command, in the same tone of voice with identical body language and happy facial expression.
• Initially this should be constantly reinforced and repeated each and every time the dog barks until the dog is actually barking on command.
• Remember the second the dog responds the treat is to be popped into his mouth with a big smile and lots of happy fuss and verbal praise!

 

            TEACHING NO SPEAK – HUSH (SILENCE IS GOLDEN!)

• Once the dog is reliably barking on command and being instantly rewarded for the bark - the next step is to make being quiet rewarding.
• Give the command “Speak” and allow the dog one or two barks.
• Do not treat yet!
• Gently enclose the dogs muzzle in your hands lovingly and softly give the command “Shh – Quiet” The second the dog is silent (and it only has to be for a second in the beginning) pop a treat in his mouth with lots of happy voice praise and a big smile!
• Again as described in the section on “Speak” this has to be continually repeated and reinforced to have a lasting effect.

 

Most dogs learn this “game” (and it has to be taught in a non-stressful manner as a game) in a matter of a week or two, and although the barking is not eliminated the barking is controllable! It must be remembered that barking is a natural behaviour - abet an undesirable one.

 

 

 

 

 

14 ADDED TIPS TO HELP KEEP THE PEACE:

1.         Exercise him often. A couple of good walks or play sessions a day can help your dog be calm, Instead of barking all day, he may sleep all day." A tired dog is a good dog!

 

2.         Let him chew it over. Your dog will have a hard time barking if he's busy chewing on bones or doggie toys. Chewing is a real stress-reducer and occupier of time If you're going to be gone, give your dog his very favourite chew treat just before you leave.

 

3.         Give him something to think about! If your dog often gets lonely - and vocal - when you are away, try rubbing your hands all over hischew treat before leaving. The scent will remind him of your, and he may not miss you as much.

 

4.         Mask outside or competing noises. If your dog is supersensitive to noises in the environment, try blocking some of that noise so he's not as inspired to bark.  White noise machines can do the trick. So can playing your stereo at a normal level.

 

5.         Catch up on your cleaning. Turning on the vacuum cleaner can also block unwanted noises - the approaching steps of the postman, for example - and prevent your pet from going into a barking frenzy.

 

6.         It does not hurt to occasionally give your pet a treat after the noise stops. What you are doing is taking his mind off the barking and making him realise that it is so good when he stops,

 

7.         Leave the party. Some dogs, like people, hate talking without an audience. So if all your praise and commands fail to keep him quiet, leave. Chances are your dog wants you to hang around, so turning your back and leaving the room can make him see he's doing something wrong.

 

8.         To reinforce the lesson, ring a bell (or sound a tuning fork) before leaving .Let it ring for a couple of seconds, and when you think the dog hears it, leave, Over time, your dog will learn to associate the ringing with your leaving, and he will be more likely to keep his thoughts to himself. It also helps to praise your pooch once he stops barking.

 

9.         Seek deliverance from the postman. If your dog goes ballistic whenever people come to the door, you may need an accomplice. One possible solution is to have your postman slip a tasty treat through the door slot. Your dog may stop seeing these people as threats and might not feel the need to bark.

 

10.       Bring him inside. If your dog sleeps outside and likes to exercise his vocal cords at night, you may want to bring him indoors. "He will have less to bark at.

 

11.       Know when to switch strategies.  If you have not seen improvement within three to five days of using one anti-bark technique, try another one.

 

 

 

 

 

GADGETS, COLLARS AND QUICK FIXES!

 

There are also various gadgets and gizmos available to treat inappropriate barking issues.

I must emphasise that THERE ARE NO “QUICK FIX SOLUTIONS” TO THIS PROBLEM. It takes time, patience and effort to modify this behaviour!

 

·       Electric shock collar where the dog is shocked on the throat.

      The electric shock is trigger by the dogs bark:

 

I believe that this is a cruel and inappropriate device that can produce untold negative and even dangerous behaviours in dogs. For example if a dog happens to bark and receive a “jolt” at the precise second a young blond little girl walked past him, he could associate that pain and trauma with the little girl.

 

This could develop into a permanent dislike of blond girl children – which could have disastrous catastrophic results. PAIN OFTEN IS A TRIGGER FOR AGGRESSION and in some individuals could be enough to trigger an attack!

 

 NOTE:

Under the law in SA it is considered a criminal offence “To attach any device or contraption to an animal that could cause pain or discomfort”

 

The use of these cruel devices could leave you open for prosecution under the animal protection act!