Some owners want their dogs to stop barking, period. A quiet dog is a good dog, and the only time that barking ispermitted is when there is an intruder. Dogs don't see their barking in the same way. Your dog has a voice, just like you do, and uses it in the same way you do, to communicate with you. I don't think that barking is necessarily a bad thing, in fact, I think it's encouraging that my dog wants to talk to me. So why do dogs bark? Dogs bark for many different reasons. A lot depends on the breed. Some dogs were bred to bark only when there is a threat, this is particularly true of guarding breeds. Some were bred to use their voices as a tool to assist their owners in pursuit of a common goal, such as the sporting breeds trained to bay when they get a scent. And some dogs just like to hear themselves talk, such as the toy breeds. However, there are some circumstances where just about any dog will give voice. She's bored, lonely, hungry, or knows it's time for a meal,something is wrong, someone is near the house, she's inviting you to play, sees another animal, or needs to go out. If your dog is barking for any of these reasons, it's not really realistic for you to try to stop her. She's a dog, and it's the nature of all dogs to bark at certain times and in certain situations. Of course, there are times when barking is unwarranted and downright undesirable. Some dogs use their voice as a means of manipulation. Take this situation as an example. You're lying on the couch reading a book. Your dog wakes up from a nap and decides it's time to play. She picks up her ball and drops it in your lap. You ignore her and keep reading. After a moment of silence, she nudges your hand with her nose and barks once, loudly. You continue reading your book. She barks again and, when she gets no response, barks again. And this time, she keeps it up. After a minute or so of this, sighing, you put down your book and pick up the ball, and take her outside for a game of fetch. She stops barking immediately. I'm sure you are aware that respect is an innate part of your relationship with your dog. You respect her, which you demonstrate by taking good care of her. For her to be worthy of your respect, she has to respect you, too. It's about you being the boss, and her being the pet. In the situation above, there was no respect being shown by the dog. She wasn't inviting her owner to play. She was bull dozing her owner to play. And worse, the behavior was being reinforced by the owner's giving in to this behavior. It taught her that to get what she wants, she has to make noise and to keep it up until she gets her way. Affection and play times are obviously necessary aspects of life with a dog, but they have to be doled out on your terms. To prevent this behavior you have to prove to her that not so easily influenced. It's is quite easy to do this. All you have to do is ignore her. This means conveying to her through your body language that she is not worthy of your attention when she acts in such an undesirable manner. The best thing to do in this case is to give her the cold shoulder. When she starts trying to bully you into doing something for her, turn your back on her straight away. Don't look at her and don't talk to her, not even a no. She'll probably be confused by this, and will more than likely bark harder. This will beparticularly true if you've given in to her bully-barking in the past. The more you have strengthened the behavior, the more she will persist. The barking will most certainly get worse before it gets better. After all, it's worked for her the past, so she will expect it to work again. As in all aspects of dog training, consistency is very important. You must ensure that you don't change your mind halfway through and give in to what she wants. As this will teach her to be really, really persistent. But what can you do in other situations where bullying isn't an issue and you just want her to stop barking? If you want to get the message across that you'd like her to stop barking there is a perfectly humane method of conveying that what you want right now is peace and quiet. This is what you do, when she's barking, give her a second to get it out of her system. It is a lot kinder, and a lot more effective, to give her a chance to express herself before asking her to be quiet. If she doesn't calm down under her own steam reach out and clasp her muzzle gently, but firmly, in your hand. She'll try to shake you off, or back away, so you can place your other hand on her collar to give you better control. This method is useful for two reasons. First, it effectively silences the barking. Second, it reinforces your authority, you're showing her through direct physical action that you're a firm leader who will brook no nonsense. Hold onto her muzzle and collar until she's stopped trying to break free. Only when she calms down and stops wriggling does it mean that she's accepted your authority. When she's still, hold on for one or two more seconds, then let her go and praise her. In addition to this short term fix, there are also a few things you can to do to reduce your dog's desire to bark in the first place. The number one cause for unwanted barking, the kind of barking that is repetitive and is directed at nothing, is nervous energy, the kind she gets from not getting enough exercise. Most dogs function best with one and a half hours of exercise every day, which is a considerable time commitment for you. Of course, this varies from dog to dog, depending on factors like breed, age, and general level of health. You may think that your dog is getting as much exercise as she needs, or at least as much as you can possibly afford to give her, but if her barking is coupled with an agitated demeanor then she almost definitely needs more. Fortunately, the fix for this problem is pretty simple, you'll just have to exercise her more. The second most common cause of barking in dogs is too much alone time. Dogs are social animals they need a lot of attention, interaction, and communication. Without these things, they become anxious. If you're at home with your dog and you're not paying attention to her, and she's spending a lot of time barking at what appears to be nothing, she's likely bored and lonely and would benefit from a healthy dose of attention. I would recommended reading Secrets to Dog Training if you'd like more information on dog problem behaviors that your dog may be exhibiting. It's a complete, A-Z manual for the responsible dog owner, and deals with recognizing, preventing, and dealing with just about every problem dog behavior under the sun. You can check out Secrets to Dog Training by clicking on the link below: Secrets to Dog Training - Dog Training To Stop Your Dog Behavioral Problems!
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Understanding and dealing with your dogs problem barking
Secrets to Dog Training - Dog Training To Stop Your Dog Behavioral Problems!
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