Barking is a natural behaviour for dogs, but excessive barking can be a nuisance for you and your neighbours. If your dog is barking excessively, there are a few things you can do to help.
1. Identify the cause of the barking
There are many different reasons why a dog might bark excessively. Some of the most common reasons include:
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Attention-seeking: Some dogs bark excessively to get attention from their owners.
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Anxiety: Dogs who are anxious or fearful may bark excessively. This is especially common in dogs who have separation anxiety or are fearful of strange people or strange dogs.
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Boredom: If your dog is bored, they may bark to get your attention or to relieve their boredom.
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Frustration: When your dog is struggling to get their needs met or struggling to access reinforcers (things that give them pleasure), they may bark as an expression of that frustration.
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Guarding: Some dogs bark excessively to protect their territory or their owners.
2. Address the underlying cause
Once you've identified the cause of your dog's excessive barking, you can start to address the underlying issue. For example:
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If your dog is barking because they're anxious, you can try to desensitise them to their triggers or teach them relaxation techniques.
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If your dog is barking because they're bored, you can provide them with more exercise and mental stimulation. A predictable daily routine helps your dog know when it’s time for rest or time for interaction with their guardian.
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If your dog is barking because they're frustrated or seeking your attention, we can teach them more appropriate ways of asking for what they want. Or we can anticipate when they might get frustrated and plan to assist them with accessing what they need.
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If your dog is barking to guard, we can teach them more appropriate ways to alert, or teach them that they're 'off-duty' from guarding.
3. Use training techniques to discourage barking
There are several training techniques that can be used to discourage excessive barking. Some of the most effective techniques include:
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Managing the environment: This involves rearranging the environment to prevent opportunities for barking. For example, covering windows with opaque window film to prevent visual access to ‘triggers’ (people, other animals) outdoors or disabling your doorbell and replacing it with a note at the door with instructions to text your phone instead.
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Positive reinforcement: This involves noticing and rewarding your dog’s quiet (not barking) behaviours: sitting, looking at you, going to their mat, bringing you a toy. For example, you could give them a treat, a toy or quiet praise when they're quiet.
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Behaviour modification: This involves pairing training your dog to do a new behaviour with helping your dog form new (positive) associations with around their barking triggers. For example, teach your dog to go to mat and feed a treat when they hear the doorbell.
4. Get professional help
If you've tried the above techniques and your dog is still barking excessively, you may need to professional help. At On Kew Dog, we can help you assess the situation and develop a customised plan to help you resolve your dog's barking.
It takes time to change behaviour. With patience, consistency, and support from us at On Kew Dog, we can help your dog overcome excessive barking and live a more peaceful life.
Nada Chebib KPA-CTP ABTC
www.onkewdog.co.uk
ID 1: A golden short haired dog is lying on a bed and barking to the right of the image. Behind the dog is a blurry image of a white woman with dark brown hair and with a laptop on her lap.
