vet-n-pet DIRECT

Barking in dogs is a normal and necessary behaviour for them as it is their way of communicating with other dogs, animals and humans. However, when the barking is excessive it can become a nuisance to the dogs owners and the neighbourhood. The first step to stopping a dog from barking excessively is for the owners to determine the reason why the dog is barking. To determine the cause the dog needs to be observed when barking, sometimes this involves speaking to neighbours who may be around when the owners are not at home. There can be many reasons why dogs will bark excessively and become a nuisance; a few of these are discussed below: c Boredom is one of the biggest reasons a dog will bark, quite simply they are bored so they bark. This boredom barking is often accompanied by other destructive behaviours like chewing or digging. c Separation anxiety is another common cause for a dog to bark. Separation anxiety or stress and/or loneliness when the dog is left at home by themselves or without their master can trigger a dog to bark, howl and/or whinge. c Territorial behaviour and protecting their territory from other dogs, animals, people or cars often results in barking. Dogs will often walk the fence line and bark at anything the passes by. Sometimes this is considered a good thing, because the dog is protecting the property and people inside, but it can also be a nuisance to the neighbourhood. c Fear from people, other animals, loud noises, the dark, storms or any uncomfortable situation can make dogs bark as a response to that fear. c Attention seeking can cause dogs to bark in order to get a response from people and making people speak to them, even if it is in a negative or disciplinary way it satisfies that need for attention. Once the underlying cause or trigger to the barking is discovered a way to control and/or stop the barking can be worked on. If the problem of excessive barking begins it is important to try and get it under control as soon as possible, as prolonged and habitual barking can be a lot harder to correct. For more information on barking and suggestions on how to control barking caused by the triggers mentioned above please visit the vet-n-pet DIRECT Help Centre.

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