I Have A Dog Barking Problem - What Can I Do?

Excessive dog barking can be very serious - I recently helped a Northampton publican to avoid a £20k fine for noise nuisance – but it can usually be remedied quite easily

Too much barking is more of a dog behaviour problem than a dog training problem. Let me explain: You may have a very obedient dog that does every trick in the book, but if your dog barks the house down at other times, it’s no fun! I call it the difference between dog obedience and good everyday dog behaviour. Most people don’t want to compete at Crufts but they do want a happy, well behaved dog. Whilst traditional dog classes concentrate on obedience, Dogfather dog training classes and puppy classes aim to improve overall dog behaviour. It’s what people want.

How to stop dog barking is one of the top three dog behaviour problems that clients ask me to help them with. (The other big two are lead walking and dog aggression). The first thing that I establish when I meet clients for a one to one appointment is the root cause of the dog bark - and when or where it happens. Although I’m not averse to the use of an anti bark device such as a dog bark collar if it fits my own criteria, it’s never the first place I start because I like to tackle root causes, rather than symptoms, wherever possible.

Let's look at the top two reasons for dogs barking too much in and around the home:

• Dogs Barking To Guard Territory

“How DARE the postman come with letters every morning!!? Who does he think he is?” As endearing as it may seem that your Chihuahua thinks she’s a Rottweiler in her quest to rid the territory of uninvited (and invited?) guests, it’s not really her job, is it? That task falls to the pack leader. That’s you, by the way. A hint for you here: As much as you may want to think you’re the boss, if that’s your Chihuahua barking her head off in the background, then the fact is that she has other ideas. If your dog doesn’t think you’re the pack leader… She’s right!

Bear in mind that excessive dog barking to make intruders go away is a self rewarding behaviour for the dog and as such it’s hard to remedy. Here’s how it works from the dog’s point of view: “I bark to make the postman run away. Every day I bark. Every day he quickly stuffs the letters through the box and runs away. Tomorrow I’ll do the same again because it always works. What a clever dog I am!”

If you’re not sure that your dog sees you as the pack leader, or if you have a self rewarding dog problem, it may be time to seek a little help with your dog training. You could start by reading my free Pack Leader article.

• Dog Barking Due To Separation Anxiety

Sometimes wolves howl to bring the pack together. Domestic dogs share over 99% of their DNA with wolves and so it’s little wonder that sometimes when we leave them, our dogs bark in an attempt to bring us back to the ‘den’. Dog separation anxiety is a very complex subject which is really beyond the scope of this short article but here are a couple of tips for you:

Dog separation anxiety is an excited state of mind that isn’t normal, even though we may find it perfectly understandable. And herein lies the problem. If we project human emotions onto our dogs and try to help by treating them with kid gloves when we leave the house, perhaps stroking them and promising to be home later – even though we know they don’t understand our language – we inadvertently make things worse by rewarding the anxiousness. Wouldn’t you worry about someone who looked anxious about leaving home, incidentally? That’s how it must seem to your barking dog. As hard hearted as it may feel to us, the best way to leave the house is without fuss. Just go!

A contented dog, getting enough mental and physical exercise, who’s healthy and knows his place in the pack order will sleep all night and happily sleep the rest of the day when he’s not eating, exercising or playing. Is your dog getting enough mental and physical exercise? However big your back garden, for example, it’s just a big kennel to your dog. At least two varied half hour walks should be your aim. Bored dogs bark!

If you have a dog barking problem, think about getting some advice from a good professional dog trainer or dog behaviourist. If you’re thinking about a dog anti bark collar, whether you're in and around Northamptonshire, why not contact me first because you may not need one at all – and if you do, I can advise on the best type for you and your dog.

It’s a great feeling to have a well behaved happy dog and it doesn't have to cost the earth. Perhaps you'd like to see What Dogfather Clients Say..?