Five Ways to Stop Dog Barking Bad Behavior

A lot of dog handlers do not know what to do when their dog barks and is a nuisance for their neighborhood. When the reasons of the dog barking are known, it is much easier to correct the bad behavior. A dog handler who wants to keep problems at bay with his neighbors has many possibilities available from positive training tricks to the use of mechanical gadgets.

Why does a dog bark? A dog barks to communicate a message, show excitement or draw attention. The sound can’t be taken as a rich information message similar to human speech because it is not a language. There are distinctions in the tonality of a bark that can be recognized: disturbance barks are rough and low frequency while play barks are of a more tonal and higher frequency. A bark combined to a particular body posture may send a proper message to the dog’s owner about what is going on.

The main types of barks are warning barks and alarm barks. A warning bark is a response to a territorial intrusion and starts as a low growl becoming more loud and ferocious. If the dog feels in danger, it may as well show its teeth. An alarm bark is a reaction to an unusual event and voiced by one or two barks, which are in no way aggressive. The dog may keep on barking until action has been taken by the handler.

The other kind of barks are playful barks, need barks and on command barks. A dog barks for a treat or during a play session with its owner. It barks in order to have the owner satisfy its need such as providing food when it is hungry or letting it going outside to do its business. Some owners also teach their dogs to bark on command, which is part of a dog obedience training course.

When barking is a nuisance, the behavior can be controlled in different ways, with the easiest solution being the first, and the last the most controversial:

- Finding the reason of the barking and if possible eliminating it.- Correcting the behavior with positive training methods.- Attending a dog training course.- Using a bark collar.- Surgical debarking.

If a dog barks at another family pet such as a parrot, the solution would be to isolate the cage in another location. Positive training is a method to fix the behavior without punishing. Time needs to be spent with the dog in order to stimulate the animal to remain quiet, and give treats or praise when the barking stops. Dog training classes are also a wonderful way to go, but they need commitment and training centers are not always conveniently located close to one’s home.

There are a few types of very effective bark collars, which are more or less well received by dog lovers. Basically the device produces a response to a bark that annoys the dog and makes the animal stop. A citrus spray collar sprays citronella, that dogs do not like, to disrupt the pattern of barking. A vibrating ultrasonic collar produces a tone that humans can’t hear but irritates the dog and progressively discourage barking. An electrical collar generates a gentle irritation or buzz impression after a bark. The last option is the most debatable mechanical gadget of all for evident reasons.

Surgical debarking is a procedure to modify the dog’s voice box so that a bark makes a reduced noise. This is the last option available for a stubborn dog that won’t stop to bark despite all the efforts made by its owner. It is very controversial and also illegal in certain countries.

Stop Dogs From Digging — Uncover These Five Secrets to Prevent Dog Digging

Let’s face it, while dog digging behavior is completely normal, it’s irritating to see your lawn and garden pockmarked with holes.   All canines have the instinct to dig, although some breeds are more prone to it than others.   Is there anything you can do to stop dogs from digging?Why Dogs Dig HolesBefore you address the problem, you need to understand why dogs dig in the first place.   There are several reasons for this behavior.  In the wild, canines had to hunt for their food.   If they couldn’t finish it all off in one sitting, they would bury it so that other animals wouldn’t eat it before they could get back to it.   Even though your canine friend doesn’t have to hunt his own food any more, this instinctive behavior persists even now. Digging holes is a way your pup provides himself a cool place to escape the summer heat.   If he’s outside in the winter, he’ll dig into the ground or into the snow to provide a snug warm place for himself.   And, of course, wild canines dig dens for themselves and their offspring. Certain breeds are more inclined to dig holes.   Terriers dig to hunt for rodents and other creatures living in the ground.   Retrievers and hounds are prone to digging, too.   Plan ahead when choosing a dog breed if you want to prevent dog digging problems. Five Ways To Stop Dogs From Digging1. Keep your canine buddy occupied.   A dog that’s bored will find ways to amuse himself that won’t amuse you.   Digging holes and excessive barking are two common dog behavior problems caused by boredom.   Lots of exercise will tire him out and use up excess energy.   Giving your pet lots of time and attention, and providing him with toys to play with goes a long way towards preventing dog behavior issues. 2. Provide him with his own digging pit.   It can be as simple as letting him have a corner of the yard to call his own.   When you catch him digging someplace that’s off-limits, redirect him to his own spot.   Praise him when he excavates his own area instead of yours.  3. Provide shelter for your canine.   He needs a warm, snug doghouse in the winter, and a cool shady area in the summer.   During really hot weather, you may want to provide him with his own wading pool.   Not only will it help keep him cool, but he’ll also enjoy playing in the water. 4. If your pooch is always digging in the garden when you’re not there, set up a sprinkler, and put it on a timer so that it goes off when he doesn’t expect it.   This is effective because he thinks the garden is doing it to him, not you.   Set the timer to come on at a different time each day.  5. You can discourage him from digging around your shrubs by watering them with a mixture of chili powder and water.   Spraying them with Bitter Apple can help too.  You Can Prevent Dog DiggingTo conclude, this dog behavior problem can often be prevented by thinking ahead and providing your dog with lots of things to do.   Spending at least ten minutes a day training him will keep his mind occupied.   Dogs like to learn new things too, and he’ll enjoy the extra attention from you.

Dog Training Basics – Avoid These Five Common Mistakes

Dog training mistakes are always human mistakes. Surprised? Don’t be. Many pet owners get frustrated when puppies “have accidents” or grown dogs bark like crazy at the doorbell, while, in fact, these and other problems cannot be faulted on the animal. If people don’t know what they want their dog to do instead, like sitting instead of jumping, going to their bed (when the door opens) instead of bolting out the door, dig in a sandbox instead of the garden, chewing appropriate objects, etc. , the dog can’t figure it out either. Mistake #1: Not Socializing a Dog Properly Proper socialization is one of the kindest acts people can provide for their dogs. Natural by-products of proper socialization are activity, time with your dog, mental and physical stimulation. A dog that has been taught to socialize properly can adapt to changes in the environment and should be able to deal with a variety of situations. Lack of socialization early on in the life of an animal can lead to fear, anxiety, and aggression. The better adapted a dog is to his environment, the less likely he is to engage in unpleasant behavior. Mistake #2: Giving Up Too Soon Being impatient is one of the major problems owners face. Although it’s unrealistic to expect a puppy to be completely housetrained in a few weeks, many owners anticipate just that. It takes time and patience for a dog to understand the basic concept of sitting or staying; it takes even more time to change previous behaviors (such as jumping on the counter) or control urges (barking, digging in the garden, etc). Dogs get the short end of the stick in many situations. People think they should learn things very quickly, but do not always spend the time teaching them. The first step is to be calm and patience when teaching dog training basics. If you’re calm and enjoying the process, your dog will too. Don’t make the training a chore. If you feel yourself getting frustrated or angry, walk away and come back to it later. Mistake #3: Making Training a Chore Owners are not the only ones that get frustrated during training. Long or repetitive sessions can also be tedious for the dog. A bored dog usually stops paying attention and will have a harder time learning. Keeping the training sessions short, from 15 seconds up to five minutes a session. Practicing many of these sessions throughout the day is much better than doing one or two long sessions everyday. If you focus on making the session a fun activity instead of a chore, dogs will pick up on tricks faster. Some breeds are more prone to boredom than others, but to be safe, concentrate on making the training session as dynamic as possible. Mistake #4: Being Ambivalent Consistency is very important in training. If, at the beginning, of teaching a new cue, sometimes you say “Come” and other times you say “Come over here” you can cause confusion. On the other hand, dogs can understand the meaning of numerous physical and verbal cues to mean the same thing. It is important to teach one cue and then add more later. Confusing your dog will lead to failure. When you stick to a specific command or word, your dog is likely to grasp the concept better. It all has to do with the memory process. Repetition forms a “grove” of sorts in our brain which allows information to flow and connect. The deeper the groove, so to speak, the easier it is for the information we’ve stored through repetition to be accessed. Mistake #5: Using Physical Punishment Do do use physical violence ever on your dog! Treat dogs with the same consideration and respect that you would treat your children, grandparents and themselves. Positive reinforcement is the key to success. Training your dog out of fear is wrong! Nonviolent animal training is also more effective than earlier techniques. You can change behaviors such as destructiveness and excessive barking by finding what your dog is doing right and praising him for it. When your dog engages in negative behavior, you can choose to ignore him and hold back praise. Dogs usually pick up on it really fast. Nonviolent dog training allows you to create a partnership with your dog using gentle persuasion based in kindness, respect, and compassion. People who are too busy or too lazy should reconsider getting a dog or any other pet in the first place. Getting a dog that’s too difficult to handle, either because of breed or size. Some breeds are easier to train than others; some breeds are naturally more submissive. Getting upset and screaming are not appropriate. The last thing you want is an animal that’s scared of being around you. Joining a class and then giving up after the first lesson because you didn’t like the trainer. Not every trainer is a good fit for everybody. Some trainers are better with smaller dogs while others are experts at managing larger animals. Before signing up, ask to observe a class, see how the animals interact, the trainer’s attitude, etc. I believe nonviolence fosters nonviolence. Because of the link between dog and human behavior, positive dog training contributes to helping build a world of peace for humans and dogs. When people, especially children, are successful using nonviolent methods with animals, they feel good about themselves and they are encouraged to have a kinder, more positive attitude with their friends, family, and the environment.