To bark at a stranger is a lovely service to a dog’s owner. To bark at a falling leaf or the setting of the sun is a nuisance. Usually this incessant, barking is because the dog is bored plus is being ignored. It is not trained plus has been allowed to become a problem.
Most cities have ordinances against barking dogs. It is unlawful to allow any animal to disturb the peace and quiet of the neighborhood. If you are the owner of a barking dog or the neighbor of a barking dog, there are steps you can take to keep your neighborhood peaceful.
If you are the dogs owner, it’s easier to train in a good habit than it is to train out a bad habit. So training your dog early on. If the dog barks, while playing or to protest being confined, command him very firm to be quiet. Tell him “no” and lightly but firmly hold his muzzle shut to show him what you want.
If this doesn’t work for you and the dog is going to continue his bad habits, get close enough to him while he is barking and squirt him in the face with your lawn hose. Don’t use too strong a stream because this could injure the dog. Hopefully he is startled enough, and will give up the barking.
The longer a dog gets away with exercising a bad habit, the harder it is to correct him. So try to give your dog some training time each day. Never leave your dog tied all the time.
Your dog may not like being tied up, and will bark as soon as you leave home. If this happens, tie him up where you want to keep him. You may have to leave your home and drive around the block or park up the street and walk home. If you find the dog barking, startle him with a big noise and command no!
A dog barking in the house can also be a nuisance. If your dog barks in the house, make him think you have left. When the dog barks go back and tell him “no.” Sometimes you might need to bang on something to startle him.
After you have tried this approach, take the dog outside or untie him and play with him for a while. Then bring him back and repeat the procedure. If you keep your dog in a kennel, and he barks, you may startle him by hitting the top of the doghouse. Remember to give the command no immediately after scaring him.
It doesn’t really matter what kind of dog you have. They all can bark if they get bored. Your dog’s bad habits can be changed, however, for a dog will not keep doing something if he has made uncomfortable.
The most vital thing to keep in mind is to try to keep your pet from starting bad habits in the first place. Try and pay attention to him. Your dog is your responsibility to care for, and you must avert him from being a problem to your neighbors.
Tags: pets, cats, catcare, ragdollcats
