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Q & A - Excessive Barking
by: Diane, MN
Q: We adopted a wonderful lab/shephard mix dog, Swinny, from a rescue group about a
year ago. She is wonderful in every way - but one. She barks at everyone within a block radius of our house. Unfortantely this covers a lot of territory as we live on a corner and the backyard abuts to the sidewalk.
I would appreciate any advice to curtail this one bad habit of hers.
A: I checked in with Swinny and here is what she said:
There was an immediate feeling of low self esteem and lack of confidence when I asked her about the barking. Swinny told me that this is her way of dealing with situations that cause her to feel stressed, nervous or anxious.
She says that most of the time she feels that the barking is her way of problem solving as most people leave or continue walking away and this takes care of her perceived problem.
She was very loving toward her family and feels like she has been a 'good girl' for the most part. She also said she feels like she is doing what she is supposed to do by barking at people walking by. Swinny is a smart girl and very active so she needs firm but gentle guidance.
I recommend a few basic steps that require time and effort most of all consistency.
Swinny's low self esteem was probably something she learned at a young age so she is now programmed herself to respond by barking. Getting her into a regular schedule of exercise will help her release some of the built up energy that she develops.
I suggest a minimum of 30-45 minutes a day of rigorous walking. Twice a day would be even better. This is not the same as playtime in the backyard with family members. She should be taken out for hikes or walks on a regular basis.
The next part involves doing things to help build her confidence. Most people think that a dog that is barking is either aggressive or dominant but I have found that many dogs bark because they are nervous or uncomfortable with the situation. Providing Swinny with obedience classes or something fun like agility training would be a great way to build her confidence. Lots of posiitve reinforcement when she completes a task or obeys a command.
The last part requires asking a friend or neighbor to assist. Ask the neighbor to walk back and forth prompting Swinny to bark. The family should be right there by her side before she starts barking. As the neighbor walks by, stop her before she starts barking. By not allowing her get into that stress mode of barking she will learn that she needs to respond to this stimulus in a different way. This is a very important part of stopping unwanted behavior. Swinny needs to learn that she should stay calm and relaxed when someone is walking by.
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