How to stop your dog barking

Barking is a normal way for your dog to communicate but when this becomes excessive it can cause a real problem. To effectively control your dogs barking you need to understand what they are trying to communicate. Could it be for attention or because they are guarding their territory?  Perhaps they are scared, in pain or frustrated about something, or maybe they have separation anxiety.  Finding out the triggers will make the task much more manageable.

If your dog is barking at people or other animals from inside their own home, then think about how you can block their view. Use privacy fencing around your garden and keep blinds closed or use a film over your window to distort the view.  If you think your dog may have separation anxiety then make a safe place in your home for the dog, somewhere away from the doors and windows with blankets and a chew toy and some background noise like a radio or the TV.  If you don’t have a separate room you can use then consider crate training.

There are various products on the market to help you train your dog to stop barking excessively:

• Citronella spray anti bark collar
• Pheromone collar
• Ultrasonic bark deterrent devices
• Pressure shirt or wrap

There are varying reports about how effective these actually are, so do your research and speak to a veterinary behaviourist before trying anything new.