Barking Dogs
This information was obtained from
papers presented at the Urban
Animal Conference held in Adelaide
from 18 to 20 August 2004, and
as published in Proceedings of
the National Conference, Adelaide
2004, by the Australian Veterinary
Association.
Due acknowledgment is herby given to:
>
Dr. Paul McGreevy, Senior Lecturer in
Animal Behaviour, University of Sydney
Why do Dogs Bark?
Drs. McGreevy, Seksel and Righetti agree
that dogs bark for a variety of reasons
including:
Communication
> Calling out to other dogs
> Responding to other barking dogs
(dogs are pack animals by nature)
> Communicating with its human pack
members
Excitement
> Whilst playing with the human or doggie > Dr. Kersti Seksel, Registered Specialist in
members of the pack
Animal Behaviour, Sydney Animal Behaviour
> Anticipating an outing or walk
Service
> Dr. Joanne Righetti, Animal Behaviourist,
Sydney
> Neighbourhood Noise
> Dr. Dick Murray, Veterinary Surgeon &
Animal Behaviourist, Queensland
> Anxiety resulting from being left alone
> Mr. Paul Kelly, Barrister and Solicitor,
Associate, Norman Waterhouse
> Mr. Paul Leadbeter, Barrister & Solicitor,
Partner, Norman Waterhouse
Distress
> Fear of intruders
> Fear of the noise, particularly at night, which may stimulate anxieties
> Fear of fireworks, thunder storms and lawn mowers
> Pain and/or discomfort
> May be neurotic
Attention Seeking
> Calling out to its human pack members
> Boredom through being left alone for long periods
> Nothing to do while its humans are at work
Defending property
> Dogs naturally protective of their own habitat/environment
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Any noise, no matter how slight can stimulate
a barking response.
Barking Dogs
What do dogs bark at?
When is Barking a Nuisance?
A dog may bark at:
Barking can be become a nuisance when it
interferes with the comfort, peace and quiet
of neighbours as it can disturb sleep, cause
headaches, aggravate illness and generate
anger. People are entitled to enjoy the quiet
and safety of their own homes.
> Rustling leaves
> A banging window
> A knock at the front door, or doorbell ring
> People walking past the home or approaching the front door
Why is Barking a Nuisance?
It should be acknowledged that dogs do bark,
and that some people may feel safe when
their dog warns of the approach of a stranger.
Neighbours should exercise a degree of
tolerance with each other, and accept the
rights of others, however nuisance barking
can generate ill will between neighbours.
The sound of a barking or howling dog can
be a source of great distress to people,
particularly if it is continuous, or excessive
particularly during the night or early hours
of the morning, as is the case with any other
noise affecting the local environment.
There is no definition of nuisance in South
Australian legislation, however, in Queensland
barking is a nuisance if:
Noise is an unwanted sound, however
sound only becomes noise when it has an
undesirable physiological or psychological
effect on people.
> The dog barks for longer than 3 minutes
per half hour between 10pm and 7am.
> The dog barks for longer than 6 minutes
per hour between 7am and 10pm
What are the legal implications?
Offending owners can be issued with
Infringement Notices pursuant to the Dog and
Cat Management Act and continual offending
may lead to Nuisance Dog Orders being
sought by Council. Aggrieved neighbours can
also seek damages / remedies through the
civil courts.
Barking Dogs |
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Barking Dogs
What can I do to stop my dog’s barking
being a nuisance?
> Discuss with your vet, as your dog may
need medication (doggie Valium)
> Training, teach dog to bark (and reward),
do not reward bad behaviour like barking
without command
> Consult animal behaviourist (Vets can
refer/recommend)
> Provide food/toys that will stimulate
interest while dog at home
> Include dog in family activities,
remembers that you are their human pack
How can I train my dog not to bark?
Drs. McGreevy and Righetti contend that
reasons for barking may vary between
animals, and that barking collars and similar
anti barking devices, “should not be used
without an attempt to address the reasons
for the noise.”
(McGreevy, Ethology of Barking – Why Do
Dogs Bark?)
Dr. McGreevy suggests that owners refrain
from rewarding barking, other than on
command, and not to provide any positive
reinforcement for the dog, by ignoring it,
and not to react to it. A response of “shut
up”, can actually encourage it to bark more,
through negative reinforcement. “Where an
owner is not willing to work with their dogs
problem, there is little that can be done to
cure the problem.” (Righetti, Anything for a
quiet life – Problem solving the noisy canine
neighbourhood)
Barking Dogs |
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The following suggestions may assist
owners of barking dogs:
Dr. McGreevy’s 8-point plan for training
dogs to stop barking:
1. Teach your dog to bark, through
excitement, games or offering food
2. Give praise when your dog barks, and
introduce the word, “speak”
3. Repeat until the dog associates speak
with barking, and give rewards
4. Only reward when the dog barks upon
the command “speak”
5. Encourage the dog stop barking with
“quiet” or “stop”, and provide a treat when it
stops
6. Only reward when the dog stops barking
upon command (“quiet” or “stop”)
7. Repeat step 6, when it barks without
command, reward when barking stops on
command
8. Tell neighbours what you are doing, and
encourage them to try step 6 (with rewards)
(Ethology of Barking – Why Do Dogs
Bark?)
Boredom
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Cause of problem
Possible solutions
Exercise
Training
Play toys
Hunting food
Change of routine
Dr. Righetti’s suggestions to solve barking problems:
Barking Dogs
Causes and solutions
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Separation Anxiety
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Disturbances
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Discomfort
Yes
Excitement