Barking\u2026..it is communication, pure and simple. It can be cute, scary, helpful and obnoxious. It can also be difficult to control if it becomes a habit. The first trick to barking (if it becomes problematic) is to find out WHY your dog is barking. A good trainer tries to find out the reason for the barking before they try to fix it. As the dog\u2019s owner, you can help find answers. Think about the following:<\/p>\n
What does your dog gain from the barking? Is it your attention? Or does your dog require distance from something it fears? What does the barking sound like? How long does it go on? What makes it start and what makes it stop? Are your dog\u2019s mental and physical needs being met?<\/p>\n
Trainer Turid Rugrass breaks down the \u201csound\u201d of barking into the following:<\/p>\n
Excitement: high frequency, hysterical, pretty consistent and the dog can\u2019t physically stay still.<\/p>\n
Guarding: shorter, deeper, growling<\/p>\n
Fear: high pitched, long series of barks<\/p>\n
Frustration: endless rows of \u201cstatic\u201d barking<\/p>\n
Learned: the dog barks, takes a break and looks around.<\/p>\n
Alert: one \u201cwoof\u201d, listens<\/p>\n
This breakdown seems pretty accurate. She also specifies how to deal with each type of barking problem.<\/p>\n
First and foremost, always make sure that your dog\u2019s needs are being met. She suggests using redirection, basic obedience commands, teaching the dog to do something else instead of barking, and management. Fear and Guarding require a bit of desensitizing and counter conditioning. Frustration barking usually requires \u201cimpulse control\u201d building exercises. Each type of problem barking has its own protocol, and needs to be addressed appropriately. Once the reason for the barking is understood, then a plan of action can be made and progress to get it under control can begin!<\/p>\n
Barking is a behavior that can take time to fix. Changing a habit is seldom done overnight\u2026.so be patient. The use of short cuts and quick fixes (however great they sound) seldom end well. The idea of using shock collars is one such \u201cshort cut\u201d that may inadvertently create severe problems down the road, so don\u2019t use pain to fix this problem. Prevention is best, but if barking is already a problem, there IS help available!<\/p>\n
For more information,Turid Rugrass\u2019s book \u201cBarking\u201d is a great resource! You can find it and more on her website:<\/p>\n