If you're like most of us, you find yourself walking down the street in the neighborhood, trying to enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Out of the blue, you hear one if not several dogs barking simultaneously! In fact, it often seems as though the dogs bark for no reason - and continuously.
Does your dog fit into that category? Yes, it can be very, very frustrating when dealing with our dogs. However, we often find it so frustrating that we feel as though we must figure out a way to make that incessant barking stop!
Is it true that barking is something that "every dog does"? Certainly, we all know that it occurs so frequently as to make it appear that all dogs bark and we suspect that, if not all, most dogs do. In fact, all healthy dogs will bark at one time or another. Perhaps, much to your chagrin, the barking, at least in the healthy dog, will never go away completely. Nevertheless, in those situations when it gets out of hand, there are specific things that can be done to reduce these occurrences.
What is the basis of dog barking?
One of the most important thing you can do if you want to control the dog barking is to gain some understanding as to why it is that your dog is barking in the first place. There are many different types of barking and many different causes for which solutions may be found. The vast majority of times, that frustrating sound emanating from your dog is attributable to one or more of the following:
1. It may simply be that your dog is bored. In fact, this is the most frequent cause of dog barking. When engaging in some dog training techniques, it is important to realize that if boredom is the cause, exercise is often the remedy. If you're currently exercising your dog, perhaps you should simply increase the amount of exercise that your dog is able to obtain.
2. Another very common cause is anxiety. It is important that you teach your dog how to deal with those times when you and your dog have to be separated. It is also important that your dog realize that this time may be actually calming for it. Yes, this may be a very tedious process, but it is certainly well worth your efforts.
3. Another frequent reason for this behavior is that the dog is attempting to warn you of some impending danger or threat. Remember, this is from the dog's perception, not necessarily yours. In fact, many of these threats and fears that your dog perceives might be nothing more than thunder, wind blowing, etc.
4. Your dog may engage in this behavior simply because the dog is seeking attention. If it is obvious that your dog is barking simply to gain your attention, you should never respond to that behavior. If you do so, this will merely reinforce it.
5. Your dog may engage in this behavior simply because it is frightened or startled. In some instances, a dog will bark simply because it is confused at what is happening in its environment. Many dogs, like people, seek security. When your dog is confused, it feels insecure and frightened. If this occurs, the dog is very likely to begin barking.
6. It may simply be a display of playfulness. It is not uncommon for dogs that want to play to begin barking to express their excitement. If so, this is a completely natural behavior. This is certainly not a behavior that should be punished or discouraged. (This naturally assumes that the dog is not becoming overly aggressive when at play.)
7. Dog barking may be a means of the dog simply attempting to communicate something. Dogs certainly bark to communicate with each other. In many instances, the dog is merely attempting to establish its presence around other dogs. Once again, this is a normal behavior, but should not be allowed to continue for protracted intervals.
Hopefully, it is clear that many of these behaviors should not be modified. This is simply part of the "warp-and-woof" of the dog itself. It would never be a good idea for you to confuse your dog into believing that it would be inappropriate for it to bark if a threat were eminent! Contrariwise, you would not want the dog to bark simply because your spouse arrives, etc.
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