Bark Bark Bark

Characteristics of a Barker

Studies have been done to try to determine which dogs are more likely to be barkers. Although there was no difference in the percentage of excessive barkers between males and females, there was a breed difference. Hounds, Terriers, and some herding breeds tend to bark more. That is not surprising, since this is one of the characteristics for which they were bred. Excessive barking can occur in purebred dogs as well as mixed breeds.

Reasons for Barking

Many excessively barking dogs do so out of boredom, loneliness, and frustration.  Other dogs bark out of fear or defense of their property. Being located near a busy sidewalk or other stimulus will cause many dogs to bark a lot. And, as discusses previously, some breeds have been bred to be vocal, so it can be difficult to eliminate an inherited trait.
Barking is a perfectly natural canine behavior and is one of the most difficult to modify, as it is a self-reinforcing activity for many dogs.
How to Reduce or Eliminate Barking

Walk and train daily! A physically and mentally exercised dog simply does not bark as much.

“But my dogs have a big back yard to run in all day.”

This does not take the place of putting a leash on your dog and going for a walk. Typically, any activity your dog does in the yard is unfocused, often destructive and a nuisance (barking) which they are rehearsing daily and being self-rewarded for.  They tend to become hyper-vigilant to every sight and sound when unsupervised, which can lead to excessive barking in other scenarios.

Walking at your side challenges and fulfills many of the natural canine instincts. It is mentally challenging as they learn to defer to you and exhibit attention, focus and self-control. They’re exposed to new sights, smells and stimuli, which is great for continued socialization and confidence building (two of the biggest reasons for excessive barking).

The walk is structured, and gives a sense of calm to your dog if done consistently. If you only manage 1-2 walks a week of course your pal will be overly stimulated, hyper-motivated and act as if he’s a maniac, on walks and at home. If you’re avoiding walks with your dog because of his leash manners or reactivity to other people or animals, then those are the behaviors that need addressed.

Mental activity such as daily short training sessions for foundation manners uses 25% of the body’s energy. Think how tired you are after a busy day at work. Even if you’ve been sitting all day, brain work is draining. Remember, a tired dog is a quiet dog.

Give them back a job other than barking at every sound and leaf that blows across the yard.   Put the food bowl away, and let them work for their calories.  (See Get Rid of the Food Bowl for a Better Behaved dog).

Other helpful techniques:

• Train a “quiet” command. Say “quiet” or “enough” wait for 1 second of silence and reward. Lengthen the duration of silence slowly and always praise your dog’s efforts.
• It’s easier to modify the environment than the dog. If he’s yapping at passerby’s or delivery people, then it becomes a cycle of bark/reward. Here comes the mailman…”Woof, woof, woof!”, And there he goes. HA! Showed him. The dog is reinforced time and time again as people walk by the house. This can set the stage for hyper-vigilance as we discussed earlier. Close the curtains or confine him to another part of the house.  Problem solved.

“He starts barking as soon as I get on the phone!”

* “Woof woof”, you look at them, maybe say something to them. The very nature of barking gets your attention, even if it’s just a look, you’ve reinforced that behavior. The dog has learned to bark in variety of situations, many of them inappropriate, to get something it desires. Remember to acknowledge and praise them when they’re quiet and ignore them when they are barking for attention. If they’ve been successful with the bark/reward game for any length of time than it will take longer. Actually it will get worse before it gets better. They will go through something called an extinction burst. Because barking has been successful in the past, but suddenly doesn’t work anymore…they will bark louder and longer to achieve their goal. Knowing this should give you the wherewithal to endure and ignore! If a behavior isn’t reinforced it will extinguish.
* Yelling may reinforce your dogs barking as well. It tends to add to the excitement or anxiety of the already intense situation, and make it worse. If you need to interrupt the noise try dropping a can of pennies on the floor or smacking a counter top, then immediately redirect him to another activity.
* Train an incompatible behavior. My Cavalier King Charles Spaniel barks when people drive into the driveway. I’m teaching him to go to the porch, sit and wait until I’ve given a release cue. It gives him something to think about and tends to diffuse the vocalizations. Inside he is to go to a certain spot in the entry and sit. It’s a process, so be patient and consistent.
* I always recommend training first but the citronella spray collar has worked effectively in conjunction with a training program for many clients. There are also many high frequency collars and devices that may work for your dog as well.

These are just a few techniques to get you started. I understand that every dog and situation is different, and that there are few behaviors as frustrating as excessive, incessant barking.

Please call or email if you feel like you need help.

Flea season is upon us, and the best control for these adaptable, blood sucking annoyances is prevention.

There are many flea remedies on the market that may be safer than even just a few years ago; however, anything that says “avoid contact with skin” is something I may think twice about putting on my dog.

These are some alternative suggestions: 

Flea Facts:

• Fleas are highly adaptable and can reproduce at an alarming rate. The lifespan of a flea is about 90 days and a single flea can lay as many as 60 eggs per day.
• Eggs take from 2 days to 2 weeks to hatch depending on temperature and humidity.
• Most fleas are living in your dog’s environment, rather than in its fur. Every flea found on your dog may mean approximately 30 more in your house.
• Most flea eggs are laid when humidity is high and temperatures are between 65°-85° F, and they prefer dark, moist environments.
• Fleas can be carriers of tapeworm.

Controlling the tiny beast:

First off, inspect your dog. Typically fleas will congregate around the base of the tail and belly. If you find small black particles in your dog’s coat, it is probably flea feces. If you’re unsure place a few on a damp paper towel. If they turn red, you have fleas to hunt down.

Diet- Good nutrition will reduce your dog’s susceptibility to fleas by increasing his immune system and encouraging a healthy skin and coat. Dry unhealthy skin causes itching and reactions to fleabites are more severe. The fleas didn’t cause the skin ailments; they only worsened a previously existing problem. By feeding a high-quality, natural diet, free of additives and preservatives, you improve your dogs health and increase protection from fleas.

Fatty acids that are rich in omega-3, like fish oil and flax seed oil, also promote a healthy coat and may help to combat inflammatory reactions caused by flea bites.

(Check my Resources & Tools page for Natural Health food stores).

Grooming- Bathe your dog weekly with a natural, mild shampoo (no chemical laden flea control shampoos please). Start at the neck and liberally lather the entire body. Leave on for at least five minute as the suds drown the fleas.

For most dogs five minutes in a tub is an eternity, so I always arm myself with small, tasty treats or better yet, a thin thin layer of peanut butter covering a plate? As I hold the plate for my dog to lick, the minutes tick away. Sneaky! And you’ve added a positive association to bath time.

Finish with a lemon rinse and allow to air dry. (Lemon rinse recipe: slice a whole lemon and drop into a pitcher of very hot water, allow to steep overnight…easy, huh?). The residual citrus odor is a flea repellant, and also helps tone unhealthy skin.

There are many great natural sprays containing other safe repellants such as: pennyroyal, neem & tea tree oil, eucalyptus, cedar wood, or lavender that I use daily as well. (Found at the natural health stores on Resources & Tools page.)

Flea combs are also effective. They remove fleas and help monitor the extent of your bug problem. Have a dish of soapy water near to drown any found fleas.

The Yard- Keep the flea population down in your yard by using beneficial Nematodes. These are microscopic worms that eat flea larvae and many other lawn infesting pests. They can be applied using a watering can or a sprayer attached to your hose. Place them in moist, shady spots around your house as nematodes nor fleas survive in hot sun. Many garden stores carry them (Watsons & the Windmill), as well as online sources.

The House- Vacuum often & thoroughly! I sprinkle a teaspoon or so of Diatomaceous earth (a desiccant which dehydrates fleas) on the floor and vacuum it up so any flea larvae are killed in the bag. Vacuum carpets, under furniture, beds and throw rugs, sofa cushions, corners and floorboards. This is where the majority of your problem lives. By breaking the flea’s lifecycle every few days they won’t be able to proliferate.

Once you’ve cleaned well apply Diatomaceous earth. It cuts through the flea’s exterior causing it to dehydrate and die. It’s safe to use around pets and children. Follow the package directions. I get mine from The Mud Bay Granary.

Wash any bedding the dog sleeps on 1-2 times per week in a hot soapy washing machine and dry in a hot dryer. I recommend choosing bedding that’s easy to wash often during flea season.

Daily I quickly sprits my dogs with a natural repellant that’s good for their skin and coat, and once a week I do flea prevention around the house, wash all the bedding, vacuum then re-apply the diatomaceous earth in the house and my vehicle. It really doesn’t take long and prevention is much easier than trying to eradicate a full on flea infestation!

Help from your veterinarian

Dogs can have an allergy to the saliva of a flea bite, so it may only take one bite to send your dog into an “itching, scratching” nightmare. For these dogs natural methods may not be sufficient to relieve the problem and you may need to speak to your vet about alternative treatment.

Good Luck and enjoy a healthy dog & flea free season.

The verdict is still out on the exact structure of dog pack hierarchy. The idea that dogs follow a linear unyielding pack order was conceived from the inaccurate study of wolves in captivity done over a half century ago.  
Most scientists agree however, that canine hierarchy is much more "fluid" than the wolf pack model that has been the accepted ideology for decades.  

Your dogs' may have one order when they're inside and a different order outside. One dog may be dominant around toys, and another is dominant when the coveted resource is food. Even this can change depending on the dogs' needs and motivations at the time! 

Dominance = Priority Access to Valued Resources

Dominance is not a personality trait, rather it's the state of a relationship with another dog or human. If a dog is dominant with respect to another dog, then he has more access to valued resources. If a dog is displaying dominant overtures, then he wants more access to the resource. 
This is one of those misconceptions made by owners. They usually feel like the dog making the big ugly display of aggression is the "top" dog, but a true leader is calm quiet and confident...no need for all that bluster & bluff! 
It's the "wannabe" who makes the most noise. 
(Sound like any bosses you've had in the past??)

Priority resources according to a dog is anything they need (survival) or want (pleasure):
Safety, food, high value treats (bones/chewies), toys, space (personal and territorial), people (owner), sleeping & comfort areas (the couch or bed), attention/petting, and other motivators such as tug or fetch, etc.

Your role, as the human in the household should be to dole out these resources. You are the keeper of the resources, which therefore makes you 'Top' dog. 

I have the 'stuff' - Me boss!
You want the 'stuff' - You follower!  

I know...that's probably a bit simplistic but it really does not need to be difficult. 
The canines in the household should be informed that ALL of the  highest rankings have been taken by you and the rest of the family including your children (and cats). This should make it easier on you and them. By simply taking the "lead" role from your dogs you will almost immediately start seeing a calmer, better behaved dog or group of dogs. 

How do you do that? For starters, you don't follow the old advice of giving food and attention to the "Alpha" dog first. That only reinforces your dogs' to be bullies. And really, do you think because your dog exitedly runs through a door first he sees himself as king of the castle...or could it be something much less sinister as- he's JUST excited to experience 'what's next!'.  

That certainly doesn't mean it's fine for your dog to blast through you at will, to the contrary, 
let's teach them some:  
Foundation Manners and  Attention, Focus & Self-Control 
I don't care if my buddies go through the door first, eat first or get on the bed...as long as I've given them the "OK" to do so.

Teach your dogs that speedy compliance to your cues (commands) gets them good "stuff" (remember the resources).  
Great things happen by being polite and nothing good happens by being pushy with your family, guests or each other. 

Welcome to effective, calm & enjoyable 'dog' leadership.

I most often see this in small breeds and rescues, but it can certainly afflict any dog. It's heart breaking, pathetic and extremely frustrating for all.  There are many layers of treatment to address this behavior, and owner dedication and patience is a must, but often the problem can be remedied.

Here are a few tips:

1) More exercise. There's a reason I put this first on the list. Pent up energy comes out one way or another, usually in a negative form. Get up early and walk your dog for 20-30 minutes. Exercise raises seratonin levels (the neurochemical in the brain that promotes a sense of calm) and can help reduce anxiety.

2) No excessive attention prior to departure or upon return. Keep "hellos and goodbyes" low -key. 
Most behaviorists recommend ignoring the dog completely for 10-20 minutes when you leave and come home. I know  this is difficult, but essential to get your stressed out buddy over this thing.  The key here is that you don't acknowledge them until they are calm...If that's 3-4 minutes, than that's when you can say 'hello'---calmly!

3) Change your departure routine. Grab your coat and keys and then just go sit down. Walk out the door, then come back 10 seconds later, like nothing happened. Modify the sequence of events so your dog doesn't get a chance to even start the anxiety symptoms let alone get into a full-blown panic attack. This starts to change the mental habituation that accompanies the physical manifestations. Practice on the weekends as well when you have more time to dedicate to  desensitizing your dog to your leaving.

4) Be careful not to reward insecurity or timidity. Act as though everything is fine. Does this sound familiar? "Mama loves you --Be  a good boy-- it's OK!"      Yep, we've all been there, but QUIT IT. It can actually become a cue or a switch to intensify the anxiety.

5) Weaken her dependency on family members when you are home. This doesn't mean you can't interact with her, just don't be so excessive and accessible with attention and affection. The key here is to get your pal calm and confident on their own, wether you're home or not. This again is difficult on family members. Think of it as 'tough'' love.

6) Natural remedies such as Rescue Remedy  or a Dog Appeasing Pheromone Collar can calm anxious behavior and gently take the edge off.

7) For severe cases, Anti anxiety medications are often used, (talk to your vet about appropriate options) and in conjunction with the other behavior modification techniques, your dog could be more mentally and physically healthy and happy.