Dog Barking

Vicious dogs may be what you read about in the papers, but barking dogs are the more commonplace bane of urban and suburban life. It's somewhat ironic that barking is a problem, since our ancestors were the ones who bred for the behavior in the first place, to serve their needs in a more rural existence. But the rural dog that barked a warning of the occasional stranger is now the city dog that barks all the time.

Why do dogs bark? Experts say it's to express a variety of emotions: anxiety, boredom, territoriality, aggression, playfulness and hunger. Certain conditions in a dog's environment can trigger these emotions -- and barking fits -- more frequently. For example, a dog that barks a warning when strangers are near will bark constantly if one side of the fence in his yard separates his area from a well-traveled public sidewalk. Likewise, an intelligent high-energy dog, neglected and bored in a barren back yard, will often rid himself of excess energy by indulging in barking sessions that can last for hours.

What can be done? The first step is to remove or reduce barking triggers. Figure out the kind of barking your dog indulges in. Is he a fence-runner, trading insults with the dog on the other side of the back fence? Consider reworking his area to deny him access to that activity. In my house, Andy got in the habit of jumping up on a sofa to look out the front window and bark. After the sofa was moved, he couldn't see outside any more, and the barking settled down. Visual cues are the most obvious to us, but don't forget to address sound cues, too. Many dogs fire up when they hear car doors slam, other dogs bark or the mail carrier's steps on the walk. Muffle these sounds by leaving a radio playing while you're gone, and your pet is more likely to sleep while you're gone. (And that's doubly good for a destructive pet.) Exercise, both of the body and of the mind, works wonders for all dogs, especially those that bark from boredom or to release excess energy. Bring your dog out of the back yard and into your life, train him and provide regular aerobic exercise and he'll be much more calm, quiet and happy.