Dogs
will bark. They can bark for very obvious and appropriate reasons, or the
barking can be a nuisance, inappropriate and excessive. Most dog owners would
like their dogs to alert them whenever someone is approaching their home but
are at their wits end when their dogs barking is disruptive and out of control.
A qualified dog trainer or professional behaviorist may be needed to assist in
training to correct the unwanted barking.
Dogs
communicate in various ways. Vocal communication includes whines, grunts,
howls, growls, and barking. Whines can be heard from puppies, when dogs greet
each other, show submissiveness, are frustrated or in pain. Grunts too can be
heard when dogs greet each other. A howl might be heard from some dogs when
they hear sirens. A dog will growl when threaten, or to warn, in defense, in
aggression and to show dominance. But dogs will also growl during play.
Understanding their body language is necessary to determine whether they are
being aggressive or playful.
There
are many reasons why a dog barks. Puppies will bark when seeking attention. A
dog will bark when an unfamiliar or sudden sound or movement occurs, and they
are startled. They will bark out of excitement during play. They will bark to
identify themselves to another dog. They will bark to alert or warn of danger
or of someone suspicious. A dog will bark when teased. They will bark when they
are lonely and to relieve boredom. They will bark to defend their territory.
In
May 2009 the Arizona Republic reported on Scottsdale's new mediation program.
The police were being called on neighbor issues that should have been resolved
between themselves. The city set up the program using volunteers as mediators.
Many of the complaints were because of barking dogs.
Throughout
the country many communities are adopting laws that address the noise from
barking dogs. The law in Anne Arundel County, Maryland states "It is
unlawful for a person who owns, keeps, or has possession of an animal to permit
the animal to disturb the quiet of a person or neighborhood."
Many
dog owners reinforce the barking by trying to calm the dog down. This only
causes the dog to believe that there is a reason to be alarmed, afraid or
anxious and will bark even more the next time.
Responsible
dog owners will take the steps needed to not only keep peace and quiet in their
own homes but also lessen the tension that excessive barking can create with
their neighbors.
There
are many different methods as well as tools for dog owners to use to control
the barking of their dogs. They range from using a mechanical device, such as a
bark collar to seeking professional advice.
There
are several different types of bark collars that will produce a response that a
dog will notice. The citrus (citronella) spray collar sprays citrus around the
dog's muzzle when the dog barks. The device may also make a hissing noise
before spraying. Citrus is used as dogs do not apparently like it. The sonic or
ultrasonic collar, which also includes vibration, produces a tone that a human
may or may not hear. The tone is annoying to dogs and therefore will deter
barking. An electrical shock collar produces a stinging sensation in response
in the barking. And there are collars that are a combination or escalation of
the different devices. One uses both sound and spray. Another will escalate the
sounds, quiet or low levels then raising the sound gradually until the barking
stops. An ultrasonic bark collar has been combined with an electronic shock
collar where a sound will first be delivered and if the behavior continues a
shock.
There
have been numerous studies conducted to determine whether the collars are
effective since it is believed the collars may inflict pain and stress on the
dog. the purpose of one study was "to (1) measure plasma cortisol and ACTH
levels as indicators of physiological stress in healthy adult dogs wearing
electronic and lemon spray bark control collars; (2) determine the
effectiveness of the two collar types for control barking." [i]They
concluded that "both the electronic and lemon spray bark collars
significantly reduced barking, with no significant difference between the two
types of collars." They believed that "the findings of this study may
contribute additional information in the animal welfare debate regarding
whether the
use of bark control collars is humane." And that "the collars
effectively deterred barking without statistically significant elevations in
plasma cortisol, compared to controls, at any of the time points
measured."
Dog
owners that use a bark collar usually chose to do so because they are either
unwilling or unable to correct their dogs non-stop barking.
Many
dog owners will yell at their dog to be quiet, but this is ineffective. Yelling
or screaming at the dog will not solve the problem of excessive barking as the
dog will probably view their owner is joining in their chorus.
There
are some dog owners that choose a more extreme and drastic way of trying to
quiet their dog and that is to surgically remove the larynx (voice box). This
procedure is called a vocal cordectomy. There are two methods; one is where the
surgeon goes through the larynx. The second procedure costs more but is
preferable because the airway remains free of scar tissue. However, this
surgery does not create a totally silent dog. The bark becomes much softer and
harsher and does not solve the problem of excessive barking. There are several
drawbacks to this procedure. One is that the dogs' voice could come back to its
original level two or three years after the surgery. Another is that scar
tissue could develop and block the dog's airway. Over half of the dogs that
have the procedure will have problems from it.
A
more effective method uses positive training to correct the behavior rather
than using punishment which can cause problems by reinforcing a cycle of bad
behavior. Positive training can be accomplished by several means. One way would
be to distract the dog by making a noise and once he is quiet reward him using
treats or praise. Another way is using a clicker to condition or shape the
desire behavior.
A
good way to stop a dog from barking is to teach the dog to bark on command.
When the dog is barking give the command a name, such as "speak" or
"bark." Once the dog understands the command to speak, the command
"quiet" or "enough" can be taught to him. Use praise, a toy
or treats to reward or reinforce the behavior.
It's
natural for a dog to bark. Unknowingly some dog owners only reinforce the bad
behavior and become frustrated when their dogs' barking is out of control. In
their frustration, believing the dog is stupid and can't learn most will
relinquish the dog to an animal shelter. On the contrary, dogs are not stupid
and learn very quickly. A dog owner should seek the assistance of a qualified
professional dog trainer if they are unable to train their dog to stop barking
on their own. They should find one who trains using positive reinforcement.
Although each training method may or can have the same result, there is no
reason to hurt a dog in training them on command to stop barking.
[i] Applied
Animal Behavior Science Volume 106, Issues 1-3 Evaluation of plasma cortisol
levels and behavior in dogs wearing bark control collars
