How To Stop The Barking!

A dog that won't stop barking is annoying to anyone

. The dog is obviously not happy, you aren't happy, your neighbors surely aren't happy. A barking dog is not the sign of a well trained dog, but it is a sign of an embarrassed owner.

Before you treat the barking itself, be sure to find out why your dog is barking. Many things could be the problem.

Is your dog in a fenced area or on a lead near something loud or disruptive? Loud children, construction, heavy traffic or a train could be upsetting your dog to the point where he deems it necessary to bark. Is he being antagonized by a neighbor or their children? If any of these outside sources seem to be the problem, try removing your animal from the area and keeping him in a different part of the yard or keep him inside during times where outside variables are causing a problem.

Dogs are like children. They may bark if they are hungry, thirsty or uncomfortable. Is it high noon in July and your dog has no shade? Has his water bowl gone dry? Make sure to provide enough food, water and shelter for your animal to be comfortable and it may solve the barking problem.

If none of the above mentioned things are the problem, you may have to turn to a bark collar.

While there are many different variations and brand names, there are three main kinds of bark collars:

Spray collars are a popular treatment for a loud dog. Spray collars have a device in the front below the animal's chin and when he barks, it emits a squirt of a bad smelling substance. Who would want something squirted in their face? The answer is obvious and dogs are no exception to this logic. The treatment is not painful or inhumane, however there is debate that some hard-headed hounds may have enough defiant drive in them to figure out what's going on and bark regardless of the spray.

Sonic collars produce a tone (and use vibration) below the range of human hearing when the animal barks. The intensity of the tone escalates as the dog continues to bark and the idea is that the noise (and vibration) is annoying enough for the dog to stop. This method is humane and won't hurt the animal, but once again, depending on how willful your dog is, it may or may not work.

Shock collars produce an electronic stimulation at the site of the metal contacts on the dogs neck when he barks. As with the sonic collars, many are escalating, meaning that the more (and the louder) the dog barks, the more intense the electronic stimulation until he ceases. There is, however, controversy surrounding shock collars because some people find it immoral to "shock" a dog as punishment. This judgement call is up to you and you may want to consult your local dog behaviorist or veterinarian regarding shock collars if you aren't sure how you feel regarding them.

Dogs don't realize they are doing anything wrong by barking, in fact they are trying to communicate. They may be "warning" you about beings near their territory they feel are threatening, alerting you to the fact that they need food or water or are just letting you know they are scared. Our job as their keepers is to find out why they are distressed and help ease their anxiety or to find a way to train them in cases when their fears are unfounded. In these cases, a bark collar may be a useful training tool to you.

by: Tristan Andrews

POST COMMENT

The Eighth Wonder Of The World Sonetillo Costumbrista-Satírico-Progresista Using Agents For Ministerial Functions How to decrypt password protected WinRAR/RAR Files? Filming in Israel – large cities in Israel Quarter Life Crisis: The Great Ambition Killer Bridal Makeup: Choosing the right person How To Go About Getting A Mini Scooter For Your Kid Amazed By The ZTE F102 Why Choose Your Lexus From Lexus Dealerships? Best Format For Converting Files For Pmps Why Do We Need A Speed Limit? Parts Of A Bowie Knife