What’s Up With All the Barking?

Owning a home in an association Pets

Dogs left alone all day can get bored and restless, and many find relief in barking. Some respond noisily to any and all activity. And, as we all know, nothing is as annoying as incessant barking—even for dog lovers. For dogs that are yappers or yowlers, here are some bark-abatement ideas to help keep the noise down:

  • Training. Always the first recommendation for any behavioral problem! Help is as close as the Yellow Pages. Training not only helps the dog, but it helps the human companion as well! Training classes can offer some insight into why a dog barks so much, or what it is trying to communicate.
  • Citronella collars. A humane alternative to the electric-shock, anti-barking collar. Reasonably priced and readily available on the web and in pet stores.
  • Confinement. Sometimes simply bringing an outspoken dog indoors or confining it to a crate can cut down on the disturbance to neighbors.
  • Reduce stimulus. Close drapes to help muffle street noise, or leave a radio on to mask it. Silence telephones and doorbells before leaving the home if they upset the dog or make it bark.
  • Companionship. Dogs are pack animals; they need companionship—a cat, bird, or another dog for them to interact with just may do the trick. Consider a mid-day visit from a pet-sitting service, or drop the pooch off at a friend’s place or a day-care facility once or twice a week.

This article is provided by Ascent Management Profesionals.