Ph/Fax 503.266.4133 • P O Box 994, Canby OR 97013 • 503.312.2636 Cell
“Quiet the barking dog!”
MAN’S BEST FRIEND IS NOT A
BARKING DOG.
Nothing negatively affects a friendly
neighbor relationship faster than a barking dog. In fact, excessive barking is
the most frequently reported complaint
about dogs. Everyone stresses out the neighbors, the owners, and even
the barking dog. Fortunately, owners
need not live with this very trainable
behavioral problem.
When modifying behavioral problems, training is a two-step process.
First and foremost, it is necessary to establish control of the dog with a good,
basic obedience program. Obedience
training is a key aspect in establishing
rapport with the dog and putting it into
a learning mode. Then, a behavioral
problem like excessive barking can be
addressed.
A FEW OPTIONS
There are a number of different
options for obedience training to accommodate every owner’s schedule
and budget. Most neighborhoods have
local obedience classes; most libraries
have do-it-yourself books. Holly’s Bed
And Biscuit offers obedience programs
in three basic forms. Private individual lessons, group class lessons, and
boarding with training have proven time
and time again to be effective. Our fun,
informative test can help you access
your dog’s needs and our recommended reading list can help further your
understanding of training your dog.
WHY DO DOGS BARK?
Regardless of your chosen path for
obedience training of your companion,
it helps to understand some of the
reasons dogs bark. Many protective
breeds such as Germans Shepherds
and Dobermans bark to alert their
owners (present or not) to strangers or
unusual outside activities. Some dogs
bark out of boredom or out of anxiety.
Neighbors will claim that your dog barks
for no apparent reason at all. Regardless of the reason, some basic solutions
for the barking dog are universal.
Dogs commonly bark due to territorial situations. An excellent example of
territorial display can be seen in “fence
fighting.” In a fence fight, dogs on opposing sides of the fence run up and
down the fence line barking at their
counterparts on the other side. Besides
being loud and obnoxious, this behavior
creates dog aggression that can lead
to fights and bad social behavior. It
also results in doggy racetracks worn
into the yards, ruining grass and other
landscaping. Another example of territorial barking is barking at the front door
during which escalating excitement
often leads to jumping up on the door
or guests as they enter.
Barking is also stimulated by what a
dog can see. Veterinary clinics, grooming businesses and certainly boarding
kennels have found that simple design
modifications which prevent dogs from
seeing other dogs or owners coming or
going with pets can quiet down the facility. Homeowners can quiet dogs with
solid fencing that limit the dogs’ views
or limiting a dog’s access to windows
with street views or active wildlife such
as squirrels. Sometimes just keeping the dog inside and contained may
eliminate the outdoor barking that is so
bothersome.
Barking has also been proven to be
very physically demanding on a dog. It
actually increases water consumption
and, in time, wears down a dog’s physical condition.
a metal can such as a coffee can, nut
can, or even a pop can. The most difficult part of constructing a throw can is
securing the lid to keep the contents in
the can when you deploy it. Duct tape
works well. A throw can is meant to be
shaken and/or thrown toward the dog
while in the act of excessive barking.
At the same time the throw can is set
into motion with a shake or a throw,
the word “NO” should be should be
shouted. Most dogs will be startled or
even frightened. The barking behavior
has to be interrupted with a timely correction or, in other words, when the dog
is barking. When your dog stops barking, you should praise it. You should
also go to your dog periodically through
the day when they are not barking,
praising them for being quiet. When the
dog barks any time it is not appropriate,
you should grab your throw can, move
quickly to the barking dog, and either
pitch the can towards the dog or shake
it while shouting “NO”. We try to sneak
up on the barking dog letting the can fly
as we shout “NO” surprising the badly
behaving dog and catching it right in
mid bark. Dogs learn rather quickly to
respect the throw can and once they
have, merely picking it up and giving
it a gentle shake reminds to dog to
be quiet. Most families need multiple
throw cans stationed in spots around
their home.
Throw cans work well with almost all
dogs but if you have the “I will retrieve
anything you throw” kind of dog, you
will know this method has failed when
your companion brings you the throw
can back and barks to get you to throw
it again!
SIMPLE TRAINING AID
We use a number of “tools” at Holly’s Bed And Biscuit to maintain peace
and quiet. Imagine the ruckus if all of
our guests were barking constantly!
The “throw can” is my all time favorite
tool because it is both low tech and low
cost. A throw can is, simply, a noisemaker that can be shaken or thrown at
the dog. It is easily created by putting
rocks, pennies, or nuts and bolts into
FOR THE “ABSENT OWNER”
Obviously, you must be home to
throw the can and many dogs are a
serious problem when their owners are
not at home. Barking dogs can be a
real neighborhood problem and end in
reports involving animal control or even
police. When faced with a very serious
issue, sometimes you have to break out
the big guns. The electronic dog collar
uses a small, battery powered shock
issued at the time the dog is barking.
These collars should only be used with
professional assistance and supervision and only after obedience and the
throw can have failed. These collars are
available at most pet stores and come
pre-programmed with a variety of training programs to stop a dog from barking. The electronic collars offer perfectly
timed corrections ranging from mild to
stronger, as needed, and allow a dog to
get the point very rapidly. These collars
are waterproof and cannot be triggered
by other noises; they are activated only
from the vibration of the bark. Perhaps
most noteworthy is that these collars
work without human participation and
really solve the problem of a dog that
barks when the owners are away.
TRY TO DETERMINE “WHY”
Every owner should attempt to
discover the reason their dog is barking.
I am constantly surprised at what our
animals are trying to tell us. But, sometimes in a close knit neighborhood with
sensitive neighbors who are not fond of
our dogs’ voices, it is simply necessary
to quiet the constant, repetitively barking dog, no matter why it’s barking.
It is important, however, to remember there are times when barking
should be praised and rewarded. When
barking alerts you to something out of
the ordinary, you should lavish praise
on your dog. Many working breeds can
be trained to distinguish between those
things which deserve a good barking
and those which do not.
-Holly Reynolds