Tied up?
Does the lead give the dog room to roam?
Does the lead allow the dog freedom of movement so he
can sit, stand, lie down?
Don’t tie your dog up unless you have to, and always
make sure he can move around comfortably and has access
to shelter, food and water.
Warm or cool enough?
(Furry dogs need a cool spot in warm weather and
short-hair dogs may need warmed houses, beds with
blankets or even little sweaters. You may need to bring
your dog inside to make him physically comfortable, or
you may need a special dog-house. In hot climates, make
sure your dog’s paw pads don’t get burned by walking him
on grass instead of hot pavement. If it’s too hot for
your feet, it’s too hot for his paws.)
Think about how physically comfortable you would be
in his place, and make adjustments accordingly.
Does he have access to food and water?
Your dog should always have plenty of fresh water
available, and should either have food within reach or
be fed by you twice a day.
If he’s outside, does he have a shelter to lie down
in, in case of rain or too much sun?
Make sure he has a crate or a doghouse or a sheltered
spot.
If he’s inside, does he have his own spot to rest in
such as a doggie bed, a chair designated by you as okay
for lounging, or a crate?
Just like their humans, dogs need their own space.
Are you certain your dog is healthy? Updated on shots
and heartworm prevention? No fleas, ticks, mites,
injuries, illnesses, allergies, dental, skin, claw,
hearing or vision problems? Is your dog aging or
maturing from puppyhood?
Take your dog to the vet at least once a year and
anytime you are concerned about his health. If your dog
is older and the barking (or any other behavioral
problem) is new, consult with your vet.
PSYCHOLOGICAL REASONS
FOR BARKING.
Is s/he...
Barking at something he hears or sees?
Consider removing the dog from the noise or screening
off the disturbing view with curtains or fencing.
Barking at certain people or animals?
Go directly to teaching your dog to “speak” and
“hush”, applying the lessons directly to the problem
(i.e. use the postman’s daily visit when training your
dog).
Barking at certain times?
Pinpoint when your dog barks and then discover the
reason behind that time. Is s/he barking at garbage
trucks, kids on the way to school, neighbors going to
work? Then apply the remedy for the particular
situation.
Barking while you’re away?
Teach “Speak” and “Hush” and practice “going away”
for short periods of time while training. Reward your
dog for silence when you leave the room and he stops
barking.
Protecting his territory?
Consider adding fencing or hedges to screen your dog
from those passing his or her “territory”. Once your dog
seems to be “getting it” in your basic training,
practice teaching “Speak” and “Hush” where s/he
currently does the most barking.
Bored?
Use training to keep your dog busy and engaged with you.
Buy him toys he can play with alone, and spend time
playing with him every day. If you can, get him a
playmate in the form of a second dog or a cat. If you do
get him a playmate, make sure and read up on how to
integrate new animals into your household with minimal
resistance and rivalry.
Lonely?
Pay more attention to him. Consider whether you
could be taking your dog along more often when you go
shopping, out with friends or possibly even to work. Use
training and games to spend time together. Get him a
playmate if you can. Remember, dogs’ instinct runs to
living in a pack, not alone. Dogs get lonely faster than
people and feel it keenly.
Afraid?
Remove the dog from what he fears.
If your dog has a specific fear, you may be
successful in removing the fearful stimulus from his
environment. You may decide to ask delivery people to
use a different door, for example. Or you may shut the
dog up in another part of the house before getting out
the vacuum cleaner.
Use specific training to lessen your dog’s fear
Fear of machines (such as vacuum cleaners) may be
addressed by gradually introducing your dog to the
machine, rewarding him when he follows your command to
“hush”. If it’s practical, you may incorporate the
feared object into your training sessions. If your dog
is terrified and there’s no particular reason to inure
him to the object of his fear, the kindest thing is to
just move the dog to a place where he is not afraid.
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