Pet Article

As a pet owner you'll know only too well that most dogs will get noisy if exposed to anything new or unusual. The stimuli that triggers noise can vary for dogs and may include, barking, whining, growling and howling. There are many situation that can lead to barking:

1) Sight of prey

2) Novel sounds

3) Strangers or other animals entering the dogs property

4) Separation from either their pack, family member, or mother

5) Needs for attention, food or affection

6) Other anxieties or high states of arousal and stress

Growling tends to be associated with fearful or assertive displays. Whenever growling or barking is successful at achieving your pets goal, the dog will feel rewarded. This in turn will make the growling or barking more frequent or intense.

Some medical probems can contribute to vocalization and senile changes may lead to barking problems in older pets. In some cases where barking becomes intense, repetitive or difficult to interrupt, it may be deemed compulsive. Pets with medical, geriatric and compulsive disorders may benefit from drug therapy along with behavioral retraining techniques.

As the old saying goes "prevention is better than cure", and prevention should always start early: Socializing puppies to a variety of new people, animals, environments and noises will reduce anxieties as your dog grows. Owner control, training and leadership are all essential. Whilst your dog is still young it should learn to spend time playing or relaxing by itself so that it is not too distressed when the time comes when it must be left alone.

To correct a barking problem requires an understanding of the situations and stimuli that initiate barking. Until effective control and leadership is established, training programs are unlikely to be successful. Once you have effective control over your dog, you can begin to train it to quiet down when barking begins. Training your dog to stop barking on command can be accomplished with lure reward techniques, disruption techniques or head halter and leash training.

Always begin your training sessions with situations that are easily controlled. Try a family member knocking at the door before proceeding to more difficult situations like, a stranger being at the door. Training your dog to be quiet on command allows it to continue to bark at stimuli, but stop at your request. Rewards are then given for their quiet behavior. At each subsequent training session, the dog should remain quiet a little longer before the reward is given. Teaching your dog to stop all it's barking in the presence of the stimulus is a much more difficult task. To be successful, barking must be interrupted immediately as it begins, the process should be repeated until your dog does not bark at the stimulus, only then can it be rewarded.

Punishment tens to be ineffective during the control and correction of barking problems. Excessive punishment may increase your dogs anxiety and further aggravate the problem, whilst insufficient punishment merely rewards the behavior by providing your dog with attention. For punishment to be effective, barking must be disrupted as soon as it begins, using a technique or devise that effectively interrupts the barking. When you are not present as barking begins, the only solution might be to use bark activated products, but unless your dog is also trained to be quiet in the presence of the stimulus, devices will only disrupt, not eliminate barking habits.

There are several products that may successfully interrupt barking. Owner activated devices are often effective at disrupting barking and achieving a quiet response. Device include ultrasonic trainers, audible alarms, water sprayers and shake cans like, empty soda cans with coins or pebbles sealed inside.

Bark activated products are often the most practical means of deterring inappropriate barking and may be a better choice than owner activated devices, since they ensure immediate and accurate timing. They are also effective in training your dog to stop barking in selected areas. Off collar, bark activated alarms or water sprayers are useful for training your dog to cease barking in specific locations. Bark activated collars are practical when barking does not occur in a single specific location. Audible and ultrasonic collars are occasionally effective but seldom a reliable deterrent. Citronella spraying collars tend to be effective with most dogs. Electronic shock collars are a final option. Since they have the potential for injury or abuse, discuss this option with your veterinarian.

As soon as the barking ceases, take the opportunity to direct the dog into appropriate behavior, such as play, so the problem diminishes over time.

Mark Woodcock
1 Flea Control