We express our thoughts and feelings using our voice, and dogs express their emotions using barking. Experienced owners who know their pets well can determine in what mood their pet friend is in just by the volume and frequency of barking. It would seem that there is nothing surprising or reprehensible in the barking of an animal. But when a dog makes noise almost incessantly, it can irritate even the most patient person. Let's consider just a few situations when a dog's "woof-woof" can drive you crazy:
- The owner tries unsuccessfully to watch a movie or talk on the phone, but the dog won’t stop talking;
- There is a small child in the house who cannot sleep for an hour due to loud barking;
- The walls in the apartment building are thin, so all the neighbors listen to the dog “concert” day and night;
- The person is feeling unwell (migraine, high blood pressure, etc.), and the animal only worsens the owner’s condition with noise.
Actually, there are a great many situations when a dog’s barking can infuriate you. In this article we will try to find out why the animal barks, how to wean a dog from barking, and whether it is always worth prohibiting your pet from making a voice.
Why do dogs bark?
Because barking serves many functions, you must determine the cause and your dog's motivation for barking before you can solve the problem. Dogs bark for a reason. Animals usually voice in the following situations [1]:
- Fear
of something (for example, sirens, thunder, screams, etc.); - Boredom
(animals are often left alone, and it’s so painful to wait for the owner to arrive); - Fun
(dogs love to vocalize, for example, when the owner plays with them); - Anxiety
(animals react by barking, for example, to the sound of a bell, a knock on the door, the arrival of strangers in the house, etc.); - A signal to the owner or manipulation
(with its barking, the dog can call the owner to play, ask him to eat or invite him for a walk); - Rage
(sometimes dogs “quarrel” with other individuals, especially males); - Illness or injury
[2] (Dogs sometimes bark in response to pain or a painful condition. So, before trying to solve your dog's barking problem, have your veterinarian examine him to rule out medical causes).
Each type of bark serves a specific function for a dog [1], and if he is repeatedly rewarded for his barking - in other words, if barking gives the dog what he wants - then he can learn to use barking to his advantage. For example, dogs that bark to get their owner's attention and successfully achieve their goal, they often continue to bark about other things such as food, games and walks.
Causes
- The feeling of fear experienced by an animal. More often, a dog begins to bark when it is in a cramped, enclosed space or completely alone.
- Boredom. The dog has little entertainment: chew furniture or burst into barking. He will be punished for spoiling things, but he can bark as much as he likes, especially alone, without consequences.
- Anxiety. This feeling is caused by unfamiliar, extraneous sounds coming from the entrance or from the street.
- Often the dog barks during play, expressing joyful emotions.
Reasonable reasons for barking are a demand to be taken out for a walk or to be fed, or a warning to the owner about danger.
What not to do when trying to stop a dog from barking
A consistent and fairly firm owner will be able to stop a dog from barking at everyone. Often people, trying to rid an animal of the habit of barking, behave incorrectly, making the following mistakes:
- Swearing and screaming in response to a dog barking
. It happens that the owner himself behaves no better than his unruly dog. It’s not so rare that in response to a dog’s barking, the owner shouts (“Shut up!”, “Tut!”, “You’ll get it from me!”, etc.). Such behavior on the part of a person will not only not calm the dog, but will even more excite it; - Raising a dog occurs from case to case
. You can stop a dog from barking at home only through daily hard training; - Beating as a means to silence a dog
. Cuffs are a prohibited technique that should never be used; - Inattention to the cause of the dog's barking
. Yes, there are situations when an animal barks incessantly and for no particular reason (for example, he wants the owner to unplannedly treat him to a cutlet from the table). But sometimes our pets try to warn us about something important by barking (for example, about a stranger entering the house or about the smell of burning). So first, it is important to recognize why a dog barks; - Following the dog's whims
. As we have found out, animals sometimes manipulate people. For example, many “watchdogs” like to burst into loud barks when they want to be treated to something from the table. So, you shouldn’t follow the lead of animals by giving them pieces of food from your plate. Dogs are cunning, and therefore they will bark every time to get what they want.
Explanation
It is important to teach the animal the command “Quiet!”
There are three ways to explain the need for silence when people pass by the door:
- With the help of a muzzle. As soon as the dog begins to bark, give the command “Quiet!” If she does not shut up, put on a muzzle, and when the command is executed, give a treat.
- Using a water spray. If the command is not followed, sprinkle water in the face, trying not to get it in the eyes; if the pet is silent, praise and give a treat.
- Cause barking, command “Quiet!” and, not giving the opportunity to bark, put a toy in the mouth, having secured the dog with a leash in advance. When the animal is silent, praise it and treat it with cookies. Gradually, the time from the beginning of silence to encouragement should be increased.
Silence may not always be useful. Barking is necessary to protect the home. To let your animal know when it should vocalize, ask your assistant to simulate breaking doors. The dog's reaction to these actions of the stranger should be encouraged with a tasty treat.
Ways to stop a dog from barking
The following tips will help you stop your dog barking indoors and outdoors:
- Learning the command "Quiet!"
(or “Be silent!”) [1]. To stop the animal barking at the owner’s command, you can take the following measures: while walking, wait until the dog starts barking. In this case, you need to pronounce the command “Voice!” After a couple of minutes of barking, you should carefully cover your pet’s mouth with your palms, saying the word “Quiet!” As soon as the animal becomes silent, it will need to be treated and praised. This exercise should be done daily until the dog becomes silent at the owner’s command without manual manipulation or treats; - Touching the ears of a barking dog
. Surprisingly, some animals stop barking if the owner suddenly and lightly grabs their ears. Such an action confuses the dog, and the owner has a few saving moments to switch the attention of the angry dog to something (for example, to a toy); - To prevent your dog from wanting to bark at everyone around him, it is wise to direct your pet’s energy to something useful
[1]. For example, many animals love dog sports (Frisbee - catching a flying disc, agility - overcoming obstacles, etc.), which not only give the animal a lot of pleasant moments, but also thoroughly exhaust it. If it is not possible to teach your dog any discipline, you can simply walk your pet longer; - You can stop a dog from barking at home if you do not pay attention to the noise
[1] (but only in cases where the animal, by barking, is trying to manipulate the owner). For example, a pet starts a “song” if it does not want the owner to lock himself in the shower (toilet, another room, on the balcony, etc.). It’s wiser not to follow the brawler’s lead, but to calmly go about your business, not paying attention to the barking. This way the dog will understand that it will not be possible to starve out the owner; - Avoiding factors that cause barking
. If, for example, a dog goes berserk at the sound of a washing machine running, it is reasonable to take the animal for a walk while the laundry is being done. Another option is to take the dog to the room that is located farthest from the washing machine; - If a dog barks at guests, you can calm the animal by asking him to demonstrate the ability
to give a paw first to the owner, and then to each of the guests. It is important that each guest praises the dog, loudly and sincerely saying the word “Well done!”; - Spraying water as a way to silence a dog
. It happens that the animal barks at passers-by or at other dogs. If the command “Quiet!” does not work, you can resort to the method of spraying ordinary water from a small bottle with a spray bottle. Just don’t need to aim at the animal’s eyes, just spray water on the head or neck from a distance of about half a meter; - Distracting a dog from barking
. To make an animal stop barking, you can come up with something special, for example, bark in unison with the animal or start clapping your hands loudly. The only disadvantage of this method is that it would be embarrassing to repeat it in public. - All of the above methods can help stop a dog from barking if the owner is nearby. But what if the pet starts a “concert” in the absence of the owner? It’s good if there is a family member at home who can calm the animal. If the dog is completely alone, special devices for weaning from barking or medications are used:
- Anti-lay collars with citronella or lavender
. As soon as the animal begins to bark, a fragrant aroma oil begins to evaporate from a special capsule built into the collar, the smell of which is unpleasant for animals; - Ultrasonic collars
- react to barking by emitting an unpleasant sound that seems frightening to dogs; - Electric shock collars
are triggered by increased movements of the dog's larynx. The electric shock is not strong, but quite unpleasant; - Plant-based sedatives
(like Fitex, Kot Bayun, Dbd Relax Plus, etc.) - such drugs are quite good at pacifying barkers, but should be used after consultation with a veterinarian.
Education
A dog left at home alone may experience feelings of fear that it has been abandoned.
She needs to show that there is no reason to worry. There is an effective exercise: the owner gets dressed, showing with all appearances that he is leaving, but after 5 minutes he returns, praising the animal for silently waiting for him. When leaving home, you should not console the dog, this will have the opposite effect. If the dog starts barking immediately after closing the door, then you need to go back and command “Ugh!” Wait a little. If the barking repeats, return and apply mild physical punishment. If there is no effect, increase the force of punishment. The training worked if the pet remained silent for 30 minutes.
Medicines for barking
If, after trying all of the above methods, you were unable to stop your pet from barking for the wrong reasons, then you can resort to more stringent methods of behavior correction:
- Sedatives. If the dog does not calm down either at home or on the street, looks constantly agitated, and often rushes at other animals or people, then it needs to be shown to a veterinarian. Behind this behavior there may be the development of pathologies, most often nervous disorders. The veterinarian will examine the pet and select suitable medications for it. Do not buy such medications without consulting a specialist - all medications have side effects.
- Nutritional supplements. This is another way to feed your dog sedatives. But unlike drugs, supplements contain small concentrations of active ingredients, so they can be used over long periods. Most often the composition includes herbs. Despite the apparent harmlessness of supplements, do not introduce them into your pet’s diet until you have consulted with your veterinarian.
- Grass collar. Works on the principle of aromatherapy. The device is impregnated with soothing scents, due to which it restrains the dog’s violent impulses. During a walk, move away from irritants, remove the collar and let the dog run around for fun.
- Treats, tablets and drops containing sedative herbs - valerian, mint, lemon balm - will help relieve anxiety. The medications are given to the pet according to the instructions, without exceeding the dosage. Before use, especially if the animal has allergies, you should consult a veterinarian.
Control over emotions
A pet can be taught to control emotions. Constant training will help, the purpose of which is to learn the uselessness of barking day and night for any reason.
For small breeds (such as the toy terrier), it is advisable to consult a veterinarian about increased nervousness before using corrective measures to eliminate causeless barking. Soothing decoctions, infusions and remedies recommended by a specialist will help.
The emotional state of the owner and family members is transmitted to the animal in full. The fact calls for special control over one’s own behavior. Screaming and swearing will only intensify the dog's barking, which may result in growling and aggression.
The sequence of actions must be maintained with a clear attitude to stop causeless barking. Encouraging a reaction to a stranger walking past the door will not help stop barking at the doorbell.
Irritating factors
The method involves precise determination of the patient's sound stimuli. If these are loud calls, sharp noises from the TV, voices on the staircase, you will have to fight by muffling the triggers of calm.
Everything is clear with the telephone and TV, but what about the neighboring companies? It is worth asking to be quieter.
If it doesn’t work, you’ll have to do the soundproofing yourself, sealing the door with material. The most difficult thing is provoking sounds that are impossible to cope with. For example, the sound of rain or the rustling of leaves.
To wean a Yorkie, Chihuahua, or another breed from barking at home, other methods are used. You can try distraction with a squeaking ball in another room.
