How to Stop a Dog From Barking
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For dogs, barking is a common activity. Dogs will bark to express a variety of emotions, and depending on the circumstance, a bark can imply many things. However, persistent dog barking can be a behavior issue and is annoying.
Why Do Dogs Bark Excessively?
Your dog may be barking excessively for a number of reasons. Even though persistent barking is frequently a behavioral issue, it's always crucial to rule out any health issues first.
Health Problems
Some dogs will bark if they are in discomfort or experiencing another medical problem. Check to discover if your dog has a delicate spot because it can bark if you touch it. Even when you touch them, some dogs are good at hiding signs of pain, so you should have your dog examined by your veterinarian. Additionally, sometimes the pain can be in hard-to-see places like the dog's mouth or ears.
Aging Dogs
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As dogs age, it's quite common for them to begin to bark more (and make more noise in general). Some aging dogs can begin to excessively bark; some may bark for hours on end, completely unaware of what they are doing. Besides canine cognitive dysfunction, which is similar to Alzheimer's disease, aging dogs can have vision impairments, deafness, or body aches and pains that can lead to barking.
Fear
Your dog may bark to express their anxiety if they are afraid. Anything that terrifies your dog falls under this category, whether it occurs at home or away. It might be a person, a loud sound—like fireworks—or an unusual or novel circumstance.
Territorialism
If another dog or person enters what they perceive as their domain, dogs may become territorial. They feel protective of their territory and possessive of it. The boundaries of a dog's territory can include their house, their yard, or even their bed. This is probably the reason if a dog only barks in this circumstance.
Loneliness
Dogs love the company of others since they are pack animals by nature. They may bark in protest if left alone for an extended period of time. A dog could want for human interaction as well as only that of other dogs. Another cause of excessive barking in dogs is boredom or a lack of sufficient mental and physical stimulation.
Greeting or Bid for Attention
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Typically, a greeting bark is friendly. If the dog extends the greeting to everyone they encounter, it could become excessive. A dog that barks excessively may be hungry, need to go outside, or simply want some attention.
Separation Anxiety
Dogs who dislike being left alone may be experiencing separation anxiety. Dogs with this illness typically engage in additional obsessive activities such biting on walls, doors, furniture, or barking repeatedly.
How to Stop Excessive Barking
Attempting to eliminate any probable causes of barking is the best approach to stop it before it starts. Additionally, keep from unintentionally encouraging the barking and provide your dog with more engaging activities.
Your dog needs to understand when to bark and when to stay silent in order to be a decent canine citizen. Teaching your dog this is a necessary part of your role as a dog owner. As soon as you can, start addressing the problem of excessive barking. The harder it is to stop the behavior, the longer you wait.
Though it can be more straightforward to say than do, it's a good idea to teach your dog the speak and quiet commands. These commands are intended to educate your dog to bark and be quiet on demand. Some dogs may need weeks, so keep up the training or seek additional assistance from a professional. You must comprehend the reason behind the excessive barking if your taught dog nonetheless does it occasionally.
Visit the Vet
Consult your dog's veterinarian if the excessive barking is new to them in order to treat any medical issues. They will help you create a strategy based on your dog's needs after ruling out any ailments or injuries that might be the cause of the barking. An older dog who is barking excessively will require different medical care and a different course of action than a young dog. Try to identify the cause of the barking in older dogs.
Behavior Modification
Try to identify the precise trigger in order to reduce excessive barking that may be brought on by fear, territorialism, loneliness, or attention-seeking. Remove the trigger if at all feasible, then start on behavior modification training with your dog. Start with simple instructions like sit and down to divert attention away from barking and to reinforce your dog's excellent behavior. Exercise your dog frequently so that it has less stored up energy to release through barking. Additionally useful are chew toys or puzzles that stimulate the mind.
Separation Anxiety
If at all possible, try to keep a lonely dog from being left alone for extended periods of time if your dog has separation anxiety. After that, seek out a program or a professional that can recondition the dog to live apart from its owner. It may take a while to complete this kind of training or retraining.
What Not to Do
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Several things should be avoided if your dog barks excessively:
_Don't yell at your dog ever. Not only won't it do anything to stop the behavior, but it can possibly encourage the dog to bark more.
_Avoid hitting your dog and putting shock collars on it. Not only is this unpleasant and cruel, but some dogs pick up on it and eventually find out how to get around it.
_Whatever the cause, don't let your dog to bark nonstop when it's outside. By yelling at the dog from across the yard, you can barely teach it to stop barking. Additionally, it is among the quickest ways to incite the local police and make enemies out of your neighbors.
About De-Barking Surgery
Debarking, sometimes known as a cordectomy, is an elective surgical treatment that involves part of the voice cords of the dog being removed. The dog can still bark; debarking merely makes the barking seem raspier and quieter (which is actually considered annoying by some).
Debarking surgery is usually unnecessary and unfair to the dog. Any procedure that is solely for human convenience and does not medically benefit the patient or the animal population should be avoided because surgery and anesthesia include inherent hazards.
Additionally, excessive barking is a sign of a behavioral problem that usually exists underneath. Surgery eliminates the noise, but it doesn't address the underlying worry, fear, or other issue.
The Role of a Professional
Spend your time and money on training and/or seeing a veterinary behaviorist to learn how to encourage your dog to stop barking rather than debarking your dog. This professional will collaborate with you and your dog to determine the reason of the barking, develop a strategy to lessen it, and assist you in putting it into practice. Consult your pet's veterinarian for advice.