Pet Care
Barking and Growling
You should expect your dog to become noisy when exposed to anything new or unusual. What triggers this response can vary from household to household. You could expect to hear barking, whining, growling, or howling.
There are many things that could cause a dog to being barking. These including strangers or other animals entering the dog’s property, sight of prey running through the yard, separation from the rest of their pack (family members), novel sounds such as a smoke detector alarm, need for attention, food, or affections, and other anxieties or high states of arousal.
Growling occurs when a dog is fearful or assertive. If growling or barking achieves the goals he was trying to make, the dog is rewarded. The behavior will then become more frequent.
Medical problems can contribute to vocalization and senile changes may lead to barking problems in older pets. If your pet is experiencing intense, repetitive, and difficult to interrupt vocalization, seek veterinary advice.
Socializing puppies early in life can help reduce anxieties as he grows up. Owner control, training, and leadership are essential. When it is young, allowing him to rest by himself, relax outside, or spend time in its crate will enable him to become more used to having to be left alone.
If your dog barks, and you give in, he is rewarded. Allowing a dog to come indoors, eat, or play while he is barking is a reward. Going to him to quiet him is also a reward.
To correct a barking problem means you must first understand the stimulation. Effective training methods are helpful if control and leadership is established. Training dogs to stop barking on command can be accomplished with lure-reward techniques, disruption techniques, or head halter and leash training.
Begin with sessions that are easily controlled (a family member knocking on the door). Training allows the dog to bark at stimuli but stop when you ask it too. Rewards are given for quiet behavior. The time spent for him to be quiet before getting his reward should lengthen as training continues. To be successful, barking must be interrupted immediately as it begins and repeated until he no longer barks at the stimulus.
Punishment is ineffective. Excessive punishment can increase anxiety and make the problem even worse.
As soon as barking stops, take the opportunity to direct him into appropriate behavior, such as play so the problem diminishes over time.
If you are experiencing difficult behavior with your puppy or adult dog, please contact us. Most problem behaviors can be corrected. We want to help and encourage a happy and healthy relationship for you and your dog for many years to come.
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