Why do dogs bark in the first place? Every dog and situation is different but a dog will bark for a number of reasons. Those reasons include but are not limited to:
- Happiness
- Excitement
- Boredom
- Anxiety
- Fear
- Saying hello
- Aggression
- Wanting your attention
- Not feeling well
The inclination for dogs to bark is normal and to be expected on several accounts. Unfortunately, with problem barking the longer a dog has been allowed to get away with it, the harder it can be to get your pup to stop. What usually results are frayed nerves, sleepless nights and even community discord. In other words, a problem barker may negatively affect you as the dog’s parents, your neighbors and other people who your dog and you may come into contact with. In an effort to help those living with a problem barker, we thought we would help by providing you with some helpful tips:
- Train your dog to understand the “quiet” command – Believe it or not but you can teach your dog when it is okay to bark. One way to do that is through teaching him the “quiet” command.
- Don’t yell – Yelling at your dog will never help because to a dog, when you shout, it just sounds like you enjoy barking too. Staying calm and speaking in a normal yet firm tone will work better.
- Consistency – Always be consistent when trying to get your dog acclimated to a new behavior. If you allow him to bark during one problem barking moment and not another – you will be giving your dog a mixed message, which will only cause confusion and most likely more barking.
- Mental and physical activity – Imagine being home alone all day with little to nothing to do. Chances are, you would probably do a bit of barking too. A mentally and physically bored dog is not a happy dog! If your pup spends most of his time sleeping all day and not at all engaged, this can cause a number of problems for your pooch. In addition to boredom, your pup could also develop some anxiety and, which can also make dogs barky. Experts say a happy dog gets an hour of activity a day. You can easily break this up into 5, 10 or 15 minute increments. Also, don’t forget to keep your pup mentally active. Try a Kong with peanut butter or cheese or another reward type, chew puzzle toy made for dogs. Remember, a bored dog also has a tendency to chew on things it shouldn’t!
- Positive reinforcement – Treats will help get you to where you want to be in the barking department. Use treats to reward your dog when they stop barking or to divert them away from a barking situation.
A lot of love and a strong commitment to instilling positive behaviors is a good place to start when curbing problem barking. At least when it comes to good nutrition, companies like NuVet Plus makes the work easy. Manufactured in an FDA approved lab and comprised of human grade ingredients, NuVet Plus is quickly becoming the go-to supplement for discerning dog parents. Especially designed to meet the unique nutritional requirements of dogs, you too can learn why so many dog lovers are making the switch to NuVet Plus when you take a look at the NuVet Reviews. See the amazing things that happy dog parents are saying about NuVet Plus and the wonderful things it has done for their beloved canines.