Posted by Jeanne on May 13, 2009
There is an old proverb that says barking dogs never bite. Maybe they don’t, but they sure can make a lot of noise. Did you ever wonder why a dog barks or what the different barks mean?
Dogs bark for many reasons. They bark when they want to go out, and they bark when they want to come in. They bark when they want to eat, when they hear somebody coming, and just because they feel like barking.
A dog will bark at a cat, at a delivery man, and at passing cars. All these barks will sound almost the same. In the middle of the still night, he’ll break the quietness to bark at the man in the moon. Or, if there is no moon, he’ll bark just to keep in practice.
If you pay attention to your dog when he barks, you’ll find that he has a hundred different kinds, and each one means a different thing. They range all the way from the soft, gentle whine that means he wants to go out with you when you’re about to leave without him; to the sharp snarling bark when he is defending you from another dog, and then to the deep growl that rumbles out of his throat when he feels danger without seeing or hearing it.
But, the nicest bark of all is the one that he reserves especially for you to greet you after you have been away for a long time.
Posted by Jeanne on May 11, 2009
But what can you do in other situations where bullying isn’t an issue and you just want her to stop the racket? If you want to get the message across that you’d like her to cease fire and be quiet, the most effective thing you can do is to use your hands.
No, I’m not talking about hitting her: this is a perfectly humane, impact- and pain-free method of conveying that what you require right now is peace and quiet.
Here’s what you do: when she’s barking, give her a second to ‘get it out of her system’ (it’s a lot kinder, and a lot more effective, to give her a chance – however brief – to express herself before asking her to be quiet). If she doesn’t calm down under her own steam, reach out and clasp her muzzle gently, but firmly, in your hand. She’ll try to shake you off, or back away, so you can place your other hand on her collar
to give you greater control.
This method is useful for two reasons: firstly, it effectively silences the barking (since no dog, no matter how loud, can bark with her mouth shut!). Secondly, it reinforces your authority: you’re showing her through direct physical action that you’re a benevolent but firm leader who will brook no nonsense, and who won’t balk when it comes to enforcing your guidance.
Hold onto her muzzle and collar until she’s stopped trying to break free: only when she calms down and stops wriggling does it mean that she’s accepted your authority. When she’s still, hold on for one or two more seconds, then let her go and praise her.
In addition to this short-term fix, there are also a few things you can to do to reduce your dog’s need to bark in the first place.
The number-one cause for unwanted barking (as in, the kind of barking that’s repetitive and is directed at nothing) is nervous, agitated energy – the kind she gets from not getting enough exercise. Most dogs function best with one and a half hours’ exercise every day, which is a considerable time commitment for you. Of course, this varies from dog to dog, depending on factors like breed, age, and general level of health. You may think that your dog is getting as much exercise as she needs, or at least as much as you can possibly afford to give her – but if her barking is coupled with an agitated demeanor (fidgeting, perhaps acting more aggressively than you’d expect or want, restlessness, destructive behavior) then she almost definitely needs more.
Fortunately, the fix for this problem is pretty simple: you’ll just have to exercise her more. Try getting up a half-hour earlier in the morning – it’ll make a big difference. If this is absolutely impossible, consider hiring someone to walk her in the mornings and/or evenings. And if this is impossible too, then you’ll just have to resign yourself to having a loud, frustrated, and agitated dog (although whether you can resign her to this state remains to be seen).
The second most common cause of excessive vocalization in dogs is too much ‘alone time’. Dogs are social animals: they need lots of attention, lots of interaction, and lots of communication. Without these things, they become anxious and on edge. If you’re at home with your dog, you’re not paying attention to her, and she’s spending a lot of time barking at what appears to be nothing, she’s probably bored and lonely and would benefit from a healthy dose of affection and attention.