Posts tagged "DogBarking"

It's 3 a.m., and the neighbor's dog starts barking. There's no end in sight.

You have to get up early, and this is the third time this has happened this week. You want to approach your neighbor, but you aren't sure how.

Animal behavior experts say that barking is like speaking for humans. Although their barking may be annoying, there's (usually) a reason for it. Bonnie Beaver, professor of animal behavior at Texas A&M University, tells Paw Nation that dogs can bark as a warning to alert other pack members. But dogs also bark out of boredom. In other words, sometimes they bark just to bark. "Dogs are a lot more vocal than their wolf relatives," Beaver says.

Carmen Buitrago, an associate certified applied animal behaviorist and certified professional dog trainer at Cascade Pet Camp in Hood River, Ore., says some common forms of barking are classified as alarm barking, socially facilitated barking (starting to bark when other dogs are barking), frustration-induced barking (when the dog is left alone) and territorial barking.

The key to getting dogs to stop barking begins with identifying the reason they're doing it in the first place.

According to Mary Burch, Director of the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Program and certified applied animal behaviorist (and Paw Nation's advice columnist), nuisance barking is one of the main complaints animal-control agencies receive.

"When dogs are left outside at night and they bark at every squirrel or noise, the suffering neighbors are left with a sleepless night. When left alone in the house or a hotel room, some dogs disturb the peace by barking for long periods of time," says Burch.

Knowing why your neighbor's dog is barking is helpful in understanding the situation, but getting your neighbors to find a solution for the problem starts with tactfully approaching them. A gentle, friendly conversation is the best way to get things rolling with the offending dog's owner.

Meet Mary Burch, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Director and Paw Nation's new expert columnist addressing your questions on animal behavior. Dr. Burch has over 25 years of experience working with dogs and she is one of less than 50 Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists based in the United States. She is the author of ten books including the new official book on the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program, "Citizen Canine: 10 Essential Skills Every Well-Mannered Dog Should Know."

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I hate to walk my dog because he always barks at the other dogs that pass by. Charlie's a very sweet, 6-year old, neutered corgi, but when other dogs come near, he starts pulling at his leash, snarling and barking. I yell "No!" and pull back on the leash, but that only mildly reins him in. He's never attacked another dog, but he does scare them and their owners. I don't know why he does this; he's nice to my friends' dogs when they come by. Do you have any advice to help make walk time less stressful?

There are a number of reasons a dog will lunge and bark at other dogs while on a leash. It sometimes happens if a dog is particularly aggressive, but this doesn't sound like your corgi, as you say that your dog is nice to your friends' dogs, suggesting that his problem is specifically with unfamiliar dogs. Other reasons a dog might behave this way could be fear, acting protective of its owner, wanting to play, or a lack of adequate socialization with other dogs.

You mention that you've tried an approach that involves corrections -- yelling "No!" and pulling on the leash -- and this hasn't worked for you. Don't worry, there really are ways to make walk time more fun. Below I've given several approaches to try to make life easier for you and Charlie.

1. Consider enrolling Charlie in a Canine Good Citizen class. Teaching your dog to react appropriately to other dogs is one of the core parts of this program and a class would give you and your corgi opportunities to practice and learn this skill with other dogs.

2. Another thing to try is to only move toward another dog if your dog is behaving acceptably. If he lunges and barks, turn around and go back in the opposite direction away from the other dog. When he settles down, you can turn him around and try again. I've had good success with this procedure.

Meet Mary Burch, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Director and Paw Nation's new expert columnist addressing your questions on animal behavior. Dr. Burch has over 25 years of experience working with dogs and she is one of less than 50 Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists based in the United States. She is the author of ten books including the new official book on the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program, "Citizen Canine: 10 Essential Skills Every Well-Mannered Dog Should Know."

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Dear Dr. Burch,
Our dog Quigley is a very yappy Shetland sheepdog who barks at everything -- air, cars, leaves, vacuum cleaners, brooms, snow, people, other dogs, etc. He is the sweetest, most lovable dog ever, but the noise is driving us crazy. What do you recommend to tame his incessant barking?

Dr. Burch Says: As a Shetland sheepdog, Quigley's actually got a long heritage of barking. Shelties originally were used by farmers to herd livestock. Because Shelties are smaller dogs, they often use their voices to get the livestock moving, so your problem isn't unusual.

There are a number of reasons dogs bark. The most common include:

• Alerting behavior, such as when a stranger is at the front door.
• To show excitement, like you would see during an active play session.
• To communicate with you when he wants something, as in, "Let's go outside!"
• To communicate with other dogs when he wants to say hello or something else.
• Separation behavior, such as when dogs bark, bark, bark when their owners are gone.

Some herding breeds, like the Shetland sheepdog, will also bark when something is moving. This can be caused by excitement or a desire to herd the object. You've mentioned several situations that sound like moving objects are an issue, including cars, falling leaves, vacuum cleaners, brooms, snow, and other dogs.

By Mary R. Burch, PhD, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Director

A: While there are a number of reasons that dogs bark, five of the most common reasons are:

• Alerts -- as in when a stranger is coming down the driveway. Warning the owner that a stranger (e.g., a delivery person) is coming into the yard may be a good thing. However, loud agitated non-stop barking accompanied by snapping at the living room window and knocking over the floor lamp can be nerve-wracking for the dog owner who was experiencing a peaceful evening.

• Excitement -- as seen during an active play session.

• They want something -- "Look at me, come and play," "I want to go outside," etc.

• Communication with another dog.

• Separation behavior -- dogs who bark, bark, bark when the owner is gone. Some dogs bark non-stop when the owners leave. This can be a serious problem when the owner and dog live in an apartment or condo or the dogs are in a hotel room. Leaving dogs with an activity such as something safe to chew or a toy with a treat inside can help with separation related barking. Leaving the television or a radio on will help some dogs relax.

Your dog will learn to make the distinction before you know it. When a stranger comes on to your property, you can say, "Good boy, bark!" letting him bark a few times, and then say, "Quiet!" Whatever you do, don't punish the dog for barking or feed into the frenzy by yelling at the dog.