A dog barking? What kind of aberration is that! Since when do dogs bark? What do we have to do to solve this sentence?
Well, we must bear in mind that dogs bark because it is their way of communicating with their environmentIn the same way that we use speech, they use barking. If our dog barks a lot, it is because he is trying to tell us something that we must listen carefully before getting nervous and punishing him for something he will not understand.
Dogs are domesticated animals, which means that have been deprived of living in their own way and in their natural environment to become our pets. Bear in mind that, from their origins, howling and barking has been something natural in their nature, and that depriving them of doing certain things or acting with violence can be inconsistent and denote, on our part, irritability and little understanding with the animal.
Needless to say, any gadget, such as anti-bark collars, physical violence or surgical interventions such as the section of the vocal cords of the dog, are at the height of what we could call torture and abuse, not education.
If our dog barks a lot, all day long, and we are completely crazy, the first step is to calm down and understand whyThen, once we know the causes, act accordingly in the most effective and efficient way possible.
Why does my dog bark a lot?
Is stressed
It is likely that our dog barks because we, his owners, are not giving him everything he needs to be happy, and that, in this way, he constantly barks to make us understand that feels something is missing.
Are we regularly taking him out for walks to relieve himself and relieve stress? Do you get your recommended servings of food and water each day? Does it get enough attention from its owners? Not meeting any of these needs, you could lead to accumulated stressAnd when a dog is stressed, it often uses barking as an escape route to free itself from all its tensions.
It hurts to part with you
Separation anxiety is another reason why dogs bark a lot. When we leave home and we leave them aloneThen the orchestra begins: our dog doesn't stop barking because he wants to be with us and he can't stand loneliness.
At this point it is important to ask ourselves if our dog spends a lot of time alone at home. When a dog has not used up its energy and has not received enough attention, it is very likely that he barks and bites everything to let us understand that he is not happy, you need more attention, and spend less time alone. If we spend a lot of time outside, nurseries are an excellent option.
On the other hand, let's not forget that excessively pampering our dogs when we get home can aggravate separation anxiety. The dog, when alone at home, will suffer impatiently for your arrival. The best thing is to act normally, not to have a party, and if we want, once the dog has gotten used to our arrival, we give it a few caresses and tell it that we love it very much.
Have fears
Many dogs, when we adopt them, they may come with many traumas or fears of certain situations, objects or people. When we observe that this happens, we must arm ourselves with patience to understand that our furry is only expressing his fears of what he considers dangerous.
Ending a dog's fears can take a lot of time and dedication. In the event that we do not know how to act, the best will be go to a specialist to evaluate the case and give us the necessary guidelines to make our furry stronger and happier.
Has been poorly trained
Have we given him a lot of treats or joys every time he barked because we thought he was adorable? This is a very common mistake, the problem will come later, when the dog understands that barking gets our full attention.
The most sensible thing to do is to reward our dog only when it does something correct, such as relieving itself outside, or behaving correctly with other dogs, people and specific situations. Training is a learning process that must always be rationalYou should never be driven by our sensitivity or desire to see our furry do adorable things.
Problems with territoriality
It is important that we pay attention to whether our dog barks a lot only when you hear the doorbell or when someone arrives. These types of attitudes are related to your protective instinct. In principle, your barking should be simply informative, two or three would suffice, but if you do it repeatedly, it could be a problem with territoriality.
If our dog claims his territory in excess and barks a lot at someone or something whenever he appears, it is best to take a step in his direction and claim that stimulus as ours. Arm yourself with courage, and with calm energy, sets a limit that the dog must not exceed when someone arrives or the bell rings. We will need time, but with perseverance and dedication, you will understand that your role when someone arrives is not to bark excessively.
You don't socialize enough
For dogs, it is very important socialize with other dogs and people so that they fully understand that they are not alone in the world around them. It is not about having them at home all day, even if we are with them, and whatever their size, the ideal is to take them to parks with other dogs and more people, or to areas where there is a bit more noise than at home, where they pass bicycles, cars and motorcycles, always properly leashed. In this way, the dog will understand everything much better, and when he gets home, he will not be alerted by that strange noise.
Health problems
Pain can cause our dogs to bark a lot, although it is a rare cause. we must take it into consideration. The best thing to do is take him to the vet to examine him and determine if these recurrent barks are due to a health problem with the animal.
What should I do if my dog barks a lot?
Well, once the cause is determined, we must effectively and efficiently solve any emotional imbalance or health problem so that the dog is calm and balanced as soon as possible.
The most common cause of the dog that barks a lot is usually stress. No one is born knowing, and dogs are too they need a routine and physical wear to feel good about themselves. Taking them out for a walk, playing with them by throwing the ball, taking them to the field, to the river or to the mountains to sniff and run, are usually the cheapest, most effective and healthy solutions for both.
By taking them out often, we will progressively alleviate their anxiety, stress and fear of loneliness.
In the case of a territoriality problem, fears or poor trainingIf we see that we are not able to redirect their behavior to a successful conclusion without using violence, it is best to take them to a professional to study their case carefully.
Let's not forget that it is usually about normal behaviors, and that spontaneous barking is a way of expressing themselves and communicating with their environment. Only in cases where the barking is excessive, we should be concerned.