Table of Contents
Overview | Boredom | Meeting New People | Anxiety | Health Problems
Summary:
"There is no denying that dogs make great pets; they are lovable, playful, and extremely loyal. If you have one then you know the amount of love that this furry creature can give you. As you know, pups bark, it is normal behavior and is also how they communicate with each other and with their human owners. Moreover, any noise they hear, whether it is a doorbell or rustling leaves, stimulates a barking response from them. Although this is normal behavior for dogs, excessive barking isn’t. If your dog is barking more than usual you have to figure out the reasons behind this behavior so you can reduce it.."
Boredom
Dogs are social creatures and they don’t like to be left alone or separated from their owners. However, this is something that is inevitable as they will have to spend hours alone every day when you go to work or school which will make them feel bored and resort to barking. Bored dogs will bark non-stop and may even turn to some aggressive behavior.
In order to remedy the situation, you should make sure that they get regular exercise, for instance, you can take them for long walks in the morning so they will spend the day resting till you come home. In addition to that, you should make sure that they are entertained when you aren’t home by leaving fun toys around the house so they can play with them. You can also hire a dog walker to take them for walks in the middle of the day.
Meeting New People
Normally, dogs warn their owners about potential intruders. However, they aren’t always able to differentiate between intruders, visitors, or people passing by. There are so many things that you can do to change this behavior like when the postman arrives, prepare your puppy’s favorite toy or a delicious treat and only give it to them as a reward when they calm down. With time, they will associate people passing by with something positive rather than a danger they want to protect you from. Some owners also opt for bark collars as a training device to reduce their pooch’s barking. A barking collar is a device in the form of a collar that you put on your pet’s neck that will send them stimulation like a vibration or a static shock when they bark and is used to automatically correct the behavior of their excessive barking. You can use this collar when you take them for a walk so they won’t bark at the neighbors.
On the other hand, yelling at them when they bark is not recommended as this can aggravate their behavior, so the best solutions here are treats for positive reinforcements or a training device like a barking collar.
Separation Anxiety
As mentioned before, dogs don’t like to be left alone and boredom isn’t the only problem. Many puppies feel separation anxiety when their owners are away, especially for the first time. For this reason, you should teach them how to cope when left alone at a young age. You can do this by spending a little time apart like leaving them in the backyard while you are still at home but make sure that they have water, toys to play with, and safe things to chew on so you can create a positive experience. You should gradually extend the period of time that they spend apart from you so they are prepared when you leave the house for work. You should also create a safe place for them to retreat to, like a kennel if they feel anxious.
Health Problems
Behavior problems aren’t the only reason for your pet’s excessive barking, sometimes it is a health issue. Dogs usually bark when they are in pain so if you notice your pet continuously barking for no apparent reason, be sure to check for injuries or tender spots, your pup will probably bark when you touch the area that is hurting them. Even if they don’t make a sound, you should still take them to the vet because some dogs are good at hiding their pain or the injury could be in areas that you can’t easily assess like their mouths or ears.
Your dog is your best friend and they live their life to love you and make you happy. For this reason, you should put their care on your list of priorities as well. It is a fact that dogs bark but excessive barking can be a sign of many things, whether physical or psychological. However, there are different ways to remedy the situation but if your dog is barking for no apparent reason then you must take them to the vet immediately.
