Barking is a kind of language with the help of which pets communicate with the owner, “express” emotions, try to attract attention. Happiness, when four-legged friends do it unobtrusively, only in those cases when you need to warn a person about the danger, to remind you that it is time to go for a walk. Another thing is if dog barking turns the life of the owner into a real hell, interfering with the neighbors, preventing a good night's sleep. The problem cannot be left to chance. Dog behavior can and should be adjusted. But for this it is necessary to find out the causes of frequent barking.
Endless barking: what does your pet want to say?
There are many reasons why a dog can bark day and night. Only an attentive owner is able to get to the bottom of the truth, find the very root of evil, because of which the problem arose. Among the most common causes of uncontrolled barking:
• The dog is bored. While the owners are at work, the dog experiences some discomfort. She lacks communication and attention. It does not depend on where the pet is located - in the house or apartment. Closed or chained animals are limited in space and very lonely. For a long bark, they express a kind of protest against loneliness, wishing that the owner would soon return, scratched them behind the ear and said a kind word.
• Source - extraneous irritant. Sometimes a lively irritant becomes the cause of excess barking: a magpie, now and then flying up to the bowl, an impudent cat that snoops past the booth and provokes with all its appearance a scandal, a drunken neighbor who doesn't smell too good. Such stimuli can bring a dog out of balance and make him behave inappropriately.
• The dog is afraid of something. Dogs also have a sense of fear. They, like people, are afraid of the dark, loneliness, night rustles and extraneous sounds. Just kids and serious dogs with many years of experience can experience panic attacks when they see something new and unfamiliar, and their reaction to this kind of external stimulus is barking.
• The dog is in pain. Sometimes prolonged barking is a reaction to pain. The dog may be disturbed by pains of a different nature. Helminths may be the cause of the irritation. Often, anxiety is associated with hormonal imbalances or a period of estrus. It is important to understand the reason, and for this it is necessary to show the pet to the veterinarian.
• Just. It happens that a dog barks for a long time due to poor parenting. She does not know the teams, she is spoiled by the owners, and such behavior for her is in the order of things. Correcting the nature of an adult dog is not easy, but even in advanced cases, following all the recommendations, success can be achieved.
Methods that work
Before you get a dog, you need to evaluate your own capabilities. If you are not at home for a long time, it is better to say goodbye to this idea. Dogs are sociable creatures, they need constant attention, from long waiting and longing they get sick and can even die. So that the pet does not feel severe stress when you are at work, take the habit of spending an hour and a half to walk in the morning. Let the dog run around and play enough to spend more time at home on rest. Buy toys for your four-legged friend: the day will be more fun with them.
If the dog is sitting on a leash, periodically give her freedom of movement. She should feel that on her territory she can be calm and no external irritants are afraid of her. With nightly “tantrums”, sometimes it’s enough to go out onto the porch several times and say loudly “Replace!”: This way we let the pet know that he is not alone and there is nothing to be afraid of.
To an adult dog did not get you hopeless barking, you need to properly educate him from childhood. He must understand the commands “To me”, “Near”, “To the foot”. Try to encourage the puppy in any of his victories, and if he starts to bark, try to call him to him, so that he will be distracted from the irritant for a while. In the event that the pet passes your requests by the ears, scold him: dogs subtly feel the owner’s mood and try not to disturb him.
Dogs usually calm down when scratched behind their ears. Use this method when the dog is too restless. Light strokes will appease the pet, for a while he will forget about his fears.
You can use veterinary drugs based on herbs and melatonin. Pills and drops soothe the nervous system, soften the function of the sex glands.
When all measures are tried, and the dog continues to bark, you can buy special collars that are saturated with pheromones or release a trickle of water if you want to make a sound. Just do not choose "shock" - they can exacerbate the problem.
Attention! What if the dog barks often? Do not try to re-educate her with a scream. Moreover, do not punish her physically. Aggression will cause a response.
Weaning from a frequent exhausting bark is a very difficult matter, requiring time, patience and strength. Only by finding out the reason, you can achieve a lasting result. And for this you need to work long and systematically, using the main principles: kindness, care and love. Do not try to eliminate barking as a condition: with it, dogs communicate with the outside world. It is much more important to adjust the pet's behavior so that he, as before, can trust you.
