How To Stop The Barking Habit?

Most neighbors choose to be oblivious about your dog and besides a little bit of petting once in a while in the elevator nobody bothers too much with your dog. So even if he is over toppling your house, ripping the furniture to bits they wont have any complaints. But if his behavior also involves a good dose of midnight barking, then you have a problem on your hands. Most people will not tolerate your dogs barking for too long and if you dont want to deal with the police on a regular basis, you will have to do something to stop your dog.

Barking is an inherent behavior in all dogs. They bark for various reasons and as far as they are concerned they are doing it to protect you. So its a difficult habit to get rid off. If you want to successfully get your dog to obey you when it comes to barking you will have to start early. The best time to teach your dog good behavior is when he is a puppy. So that you can nip this habit at the bud and not let it get out of hands.

The way in which a dog barks will usually tell you a lot about what he is trying to convey. Dogs bark to communicate many different emotions from pleasure, to distress and from hunger to fatigue. Your dog also barks when he wants you to play with him or if he is in high spirits. He barks to welcome people and to ward people off.

Some dog breeds need a lot of activity and not giving them enough of it may lead to barking. One such breed is the terrier. Another prime reason for insistent barking is loneliness. If you leave your dog home alone for long periods its very frustrating for him and he starts craving your attention. This frustration and craving manifests itself into barking.

A good way to remedy this situation which may occur in the future is to take a look at your familys demographics before bringing a dog home. If you are expecting your kids to take care of the dog you have to remember that they will grow and move away but the dog will stay back, its insensitive to get a dog just to dump him in your backyard. When you get a puppy home he accepts you and your family as his family. So like other human beings he has the need to interact and interrelate with his family. Its very confusing and distressing for your dog to deal with neglect.

Your dog goes through extreme anxiety each time you leave him. So the 8 hours that you spend at work turn into a night mare for your dog because he thinks you have abandoned him. So its very important to let him know that you do come back and its a regular routine nothing to fear. You can start this by spending some amount of time away from your dog when he is a puppy. Increase the time span gradually. Pat him gently before you go and say something encouraging like take care or dont worry. When you come back dont forget to give him your undivided attention at least for half an hour.
This will take time some time but it will work out in the end. Not only will its stop barking it will also stop your dog from being moody and temperamental. If you have one of those that dont let you have a fixed itinerary you may want to hire the services of a dog walker.

Another good way is to let your dog to vent his frustration and anxiety. The chewed furniture that welcomes you when you leave your dog alone for long periods is not because he is trying to vex you. He does it out of fear, anxiety and frustration. So give a chewable toy to give vent to his feelings. This will keep him occupied and stop him from barking.