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Barking And What You Can Do About It

Nowadays, pet owners, just like other consumers, are short on time, and they are looking for a quick fix. That's easy to understand when everyone in the family, including the teenagers, works. No one has time to play with the dog, or walk the dog, or train the dog. The quick fix which is effective with most dogs is a bark collar, which detects vibration as well as sound (to make sure it's really detecting a bark from the wearer instead of barking from a neighbor dog.) There are two types of bark collars: a shock collar which administers a very light shock when a bark is detected, or a spray collar, which sprays a citrolella mist (which to a dog really stinks) at his nose.

That said, simply stopping the barking to give you and your neighbors some relief isn't enough. The fact is that your dog is barking because he has some need that is being ignored. As a dog owner you have to understand that all dogs bark sometimes, just like birds sing and frogs croak. It is unfair to think you can train your dog to stop barking completely. Unfortunately, if you live in an apartment, your landlord may have a zero tolerance for barking, in which case, you may be facing getting rid of your dog or moving to a more tolerant location.

So, what if your dog barks "all the time"? There are several reasons, all of which are within your control, and therefore your responsibility. Dogs who are socially isolated, with no doggie or even human friends, for long periods without supervision, need some outlet for their energy. A dog who is left alone all day is likely to take up barking as a hobby because no one is there to control him. Judging from the number of dogs who do it, it must be a lot of fun. A great solution for a lonely dog is a doggie day care.

You may unwittingly be encouraging your dog to bark. Here's how it works...Doggie "woofs" and you open the door to let him out. He "speaks" again, and you let him in. It may even be that when he barks you yell at him (which from his perspective is better than no interaction at all) The fact is that a lot of dog owners today treat their dogs a lot like stuffed animals. They are expected to sit on a shelf, silently, until the owner "takes them off of their shelf", and that may not happen for days.

The first step in establishing peace and quiet in your house is to understand that a lot of barking is because your dog is lonely, bored, frightened, or frustrated. The next step is to spend time exercising your dog. Play with him, take him on walks, take him to obedience training. Realize that having a large yard is not the same thing as having a well exercised dog. Your dog may be running around the yard, barking madly, but he is just doing the doggy equivaent of pacing and fidgeting. Make sure he has chew toys and a digging pit, and spend some time playing fetch with him. Take your dog to the dog park regularly and let him make doggy friends. Dogs playing together tire rapidly and will sleep happily when they get home, and you will have some peace and quiet.

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Read the next Dog Training article on Modern Humane Bark Collars