Barking Dogs
Many dogs develop bad habits and frequent barking is one of the most common. The volume of a dog's bark or howl is at least 60 decibels and sometimes exceeds 110 decibels. If the barking is frequent it can become a real nuisance for everyone nearby. If you own a dog that barks or howls frequently, you can train it to bark less and have a happier dog and happier neighbours.
If you are suffering because of a neighbours continuously barking dog, the Noise Pollution page has more information and advice.
Reasons why dogs bark
Some dog breeds have been bred to encourage barking and many dogs have been trained to bark for security reasons. If a dog barks frequently, it is usually because their physical or emotional needs are not being met.
Don't leave your dog outside for long periods
Dogs are highly sociable animals and need to be with their 'pack' - in a domestic setting that is their owner or the family they live with. Dogs left alone outside will often bark frequently because they are bored, anxious or lonely.
Make sure your dog's physical needs are met
Your dog may bark if it feels too hot or cold, if it's hungry or thirsty. It may also bark if it needs a walk or is feeling ill.
Keep your dog occupied
If you increase your dog's level of exercise and play with it, it will be less bored and will probably sleep more. You could also enrol in a training class to build your dog's confidence and emotional control.
Re-training dogs that bark too often
It is not easy to re-train dogs that have a habit of barking frequently, but there are steps you can take to minimise barking:
- If you have been "giving in" to your dog by letting it out when you can't stand the barking any longer, be aware that you have strongly reinforced it to bark to be let out. This behaviour will get worse before it gets better as the dog now thinks it need simply try harder to get what it wants. If you hold out eventually the dog will give up. Wait for the barking to stop and praise it quickly before taking it out.
- Do not try to punish your dog for barking as this may only increase anxiety.
- If possible prevent the dog from seeing or hearing things that trigger the barking. If your dog barks at passers-by or vehicles find some way to block your dog's view such as keeping the curtains closed or confining the dog to another part of the house.
- Socialise your dog to new experiences. Take it to lots of places and and praise it for appropriate behaviour. Expose it gradually to sights or sounds that seem to cause it to bark. If the dog stays quiet and relaxed reward it.
- Train you dog so that you can give your it a command to do something else instead of barking. Your dog could fetch a toy or come to you and sit when the door bell rings for example.
To report a noisy dog please contact our Dog Control Section, or use our Dog Complaint form outside office hours.
| ||||||
