Are you that pet parent who wishes that your furry one will stop barking when you leave him in a cage someday? Will the dog stop barking at the neighbor’s dog? Will the dog stop barking when he sees a cat/rat/squirrel? Will the dog stop creating nuisance in the middle of the night? Are you concerned that one day your neighbors are going to complain about your dog’s persistent barking?

Here are the facts that one should be aware of about barking. To differentiate excessive barking from normal, clarity about the reasons behind barking are essential.

What is barking?

Barking is a normal, innately programmed response and a form of vocal communication of canines. Barking is in the blood of all canines. Therefore, it’s hard to eliminate. 

Why do they bark?

It is a genetically acquired form of communication. Before domestication, dogs used to live in packs, and they guard and alert their pack members when there is an intrusion. Similarly, they consider humans as their pack members; hence, they protect us from external forces. Birds, animals, and strangers, any living being which crosses the territory, are considered a threat. Barking and howling are the responsive communication on interference, which implies I am here to protect. 

Is there any significance in the tone of barking?

Yes. If you had paid attention, you would have noticed that dogs have different pitches for different situations. I am sure you might have experienced the high-pitched whining/greeting when you reach home late after work, which we translate as where were you and I missed you so much. There is a difference in frequency and pitch for their complaints, greetings, expression of pain, warning, arousal/ mating period, and response to particular stimuli (strangers, birds, baby’s cry, and other animals). All dogs are different, and each one of them has a signature character. Therefore certain dogs can generally be more responsive to stimuli than other dogs. 

How can you know that your dog is suffering from excessive barking disorder?

Is your Dog highly responsive to a certain stimulus?

Does he bark for a long time without a rest? Does he bark for the same reason or when exposed to the same stimuli? If the answer is yes, your dog may likely be suffering from an excessive barking disorder. The key to cure is in identifying the reason which causes this effect. Careful observation of the body language and the environment can help achieve this. Try repetition of exposure to certain stimuli when in doubt. For example, if your dog barks continuously in the presence of cats, increase the exposure to cats and check whether he is repeating the response. If he repeats, you can be certain about the reason.

How can I stop my dog’s excessive barking?

Canine behaviorists suggest that eliminating the stimuli which trigger consistent barking is more beneficial than stopping excessive barking. However, it is hard to eliminate all the stimuli which trigger barking. Ways in which you can eradicate the disorder is as follows: 

Avoid accidental rewarding 

A clear understanding of when and how this behavior started can be of great use. Another helpful question that you should ask yourself is ‘am I rewarding this behavior? Accidental rewarding is a common mistake seen among pet parents. 

Rewarding doesn’t particularly mean giving treats alone. Any encouragement like belly rubs and verbal communication can be considered rewarding. When a dog barks consistently, giving the slightest attention by saying ‘bad boy’ stop it’ can be mistaken as an encouragement for him. From his perspective, he receives his master’s/pack member’s attention when he barks, which its self serves as an encouragement for him. Therefore avoid reacting in such situations. This kind of barking is common with attention-seeking dogs. Though he can be vexing, hold on to your patience and ignore him. 

Extinction

Numerous ongoing studies indicate that the extinction approach to modify behavior is very effective. In this approach, if a dog barks for a long time, punishment is given. When you hear the word punishment, the first thing that comes to your mind might be hitting with a stick. On the contrary, this kind of punishment is not going to be useful at all. Hitting with a stick will always be associated with a person and will trigger autonomous reactions, submissive behavior, and escaping. In this approach, punishments should be remote and not associated with a person. Aversive stimuli are likely to work better; latest studies develop creative punishments like spraying water on the face or body without direct contact with the dog. It helps the dog to associate punishment with the behavior. Avoid using electric shock collars; though it serves as a good aversive stimulus, it can burn the neck and hence not recommended. 

Counterconditioning 

Counterconditioning deals with a combination of punishment and affection rewards. Here, punishment is given when the dog barks, and a reward can be offered when he calms down. This method has also been found to be very effective in modifying certain behaviors. Rewards can be treats, belly rubs, appreciation with a ‘good boy,’ extra playtime with his favorite toy, etc. This approach will help in modifying the behavior faster.  

Distractions

Distractions can serve as a break while barking, and it snaps and pauses his focus during the act. A treat, noise distraction like the sound of beans in a soda can or high pitched whistle can serve the purpose. Stop the distraction stimulus when he pauses the behavior. When a noise distraction is accompanied with a cue word ‘stop’ or ‘quiet,’ it improves the result. 

Barking due to boredom 

A dog barking due to boredom is a frequent complaint raised by golden retrievers, Labradors, and Doberman owners. It occurs due to high unutilized energy in the body. The only way to combat this behavior is by exhausting their energy reserve. Please provide them with plenty of exercises and play a lot of games with them. Kongs with treats and other interactive games are very useful too. 

Note: Puppies are easier to train than adult dogs because they are in their character-building time. In comparison, adult dogs have already established their way of communication and reactions. Hence adult dogs must unlearn the old ways to reinforce the new behavior, which can take time. 

Behavioral modifications can be expensive in terms of time and patience; nonetheless, the reward is sweet as nectar. Keep trying!

Hugs & Wags

VetBug