The Constantly Barking Dog - How To Deal With Him
All dogs bark for a variety of reason and some can include attempting to warn their owner of trouble, or to express some sort of pain or fright. Other times, constant barking can be considered negative behavior as far as we humans are concerned. Dogs in this category are trying to be menacing or simply trying to gain attention.
Whatever the reason may be for a dog’s barking, it can often be considered a nuisance by the dog’s owners and their neighbors alike. Because of this there are several methods employed to control a barking dog.
By far the best method of controlling constant barking is to train the dog not to bark or, more specifically, to bark only at the appropriate times. There are several ways to accomplish this, but dog trainers usually agree that traditional reward and reprimand systems are the most effective and the kindest to use.
Some people may employ what is called a “bark collar” or a “shock collar” to attempt to control a constantly barking dog. These devices deliver a small shock to the dog when it barks and the idea is that the dog will associate a minor pain with his barking, becoming startled and eventually stop.
There are many problems with this method. Many dogs will not associate the negative stimulus of a shock collar with their barking and they will continue to bark despite the pain it may cause. Dogs that have a lot of fur many not even feel the slight shock around their neck because activation of a bark collar requires its metal contacts to come in contact with the dogs skin around its neck. Some dogs will finally get the message and stop barking. Generally, however the bark collar is not enough and the dog will require additional traditional reward/reprimand training anyway.
If you do use a bark collar, only use it for short periods and not an extended period of time.
Some owners find the idea of delivering an electric shock to the dog to be “cruel”. While that may be a matter of opinion, the collars provide only minor discomfort for a short time and will not actually cause harm the dog.
Yet another type of collar that operates on the same principle will deliver a mist of citronella in front of the dog’s nose. Dogs hate the smell of citronella and will soon realize that it is caused by the barking. Success rates for citronella collars are comparable to those of the electronic collars.
The most extreme method of trying to control a dog who constantly barks is to it undergo de-barking surgery. This procedure entails removing a small fold of tissue from the larynx of the dog, making it unable to bark. Many people find this to be completely unacceptable and inhumane not to mention the dogs bark may return after a few months anyway. Most vets will not recommend this procedure except in extreme cases.
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