Dogs Bark
Barking in dogs is something natural as it is their way to express themselves. This means that when dogs need to express how they feel, they bark. But sometimes, dogs bark very loud, which is noisy for their owners! Anyway, if you face such a problem, you should know why your dogs bark, so, you’ll be able to treat this problem.
Why Dogs Bark
Dogs use barking to express many things they feel as they do not have any other way to express. So, dog owners should understand what their dogs want from their barks. In this article, you will find out why dogs bark:
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Compulsive Barking/Separation Anxiety
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Attention Seeking
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Play/Greeting
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Loneliness/Boredom
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Fear/Alarm
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Protective/Territorial
How to Treat Loud Barking
If you want your dog to bark less, you’ll need consistency, practice, work, and time. It will not happen directly, but you can see progress with time and proper techniques.
To start controlling your dog’s barks, you have to know some tips including:
You have to train your dogs to know what “Quiet!” means as most of them do not understand when you are yelling “shut up”. Furthermore, when you shout, your dog thinks that you are joining in, which means that you have to speak firmly and calmly without yelling.
Here are two methods:
Say “Quiet” firmly and calmly to your dog when it is barking. You have then to give it a treat and praise it when it stops. Rewarding it while barking makes it understand that you love its barks, so, do not ever reward it until it stops. However, dogs will understand that they will get rewards only when they are quiet.
You can also teach them how to speak instead of barking by body signals as they can understand them. This way should be taught when they are quiet at first, and when they start barking, you should continue the same way, so, they can get it faster.
Furthermore, one of the most effective ways to make your dog quiet is tiredness. So, this is your mission, and you can do it in many ways such as taking them to dog parks to run or play with the ball. However, if you let your dog bark more and more, the mission to let it be quiet will be more difficult.
The next step is to decrease this annoying habit after knowing why your dog is barking:
Loneliness/Boredom: You have to provide companionship or activities to your dog if it barks loudly when you leave it. This way keeps it from being bored and lonely.
Fear/Alarm/Protective/Territorial: If you limit what your dog sees to less its barks as a perceived threat or fear to its people or territory motivates this type of barking. You can also less its barks limiting its access to doors and windows.
You can also provide additional security for your home and lessen the noise impact on neighbors by bringing your dog inside. Furthermore, your dog will also be safer in this way as it can face many dangers if it is left inside including harassment, poisoning, escapes, and theft.
However, you should also tire your dog by playing with it or taking it for walks one hour every day as it can also bark if you leave your home every day when it gets boring.
Leaving some food-dispensing toys, that come in several sizes and shapes can also help lessen your dog barks. This way can somehow keep it busy for hours till it is tired.
Another way is to take your dog up obedience and agility or drop it off at doggie daycare 2 to 3 days per week.
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