There might be several reasons for your dog to bark constantly. Talk to your veterinarian who can provide behavior advice and it’s also a good idea to take your dog to the vet for a full health check to make sure there are no medical reasons for the excessive barking.Never try to modify your dog’s behavior by punishing him. Any form of punishment is unreliable, they do not address the underlying cause of the problem and are easy to abuse.
Dogs bark to communicate their needs, and it is what they are programmed to do during unfamiliar situations. Although you can’t put an end to this habit completely, you can do certain things that help lower your dog’s barking behavior.
There are many causes of excessive or compulsive barking. A puppy locked up inside the home all day long has little stimulation and company, and more pent-up energy that it hopes to release through barking. It can also be that the puppy is just being an attentive guard dog or is barking to ask for something.
It could be that the furry baby is hungry and wants attention, petting, playtime, an outdoor stroll, or something else. At the same time, some dogs bark when ill, and others may withdraw into their crate or just lay there on their bed when dealing with sickness.
Understand the cause of the barking habit so you can find optimal solutions to resolve the behavior. When in doubt, contact your vet for advice and assistance. Suppose you suspect an underlying health issue contributes to the compulsive barking habit, then seek the right course of treatment at the earliest opportunity.
Dog medical aid covers a furry baby’s physical health care during accidents, illnesses, and medical emergencies, depending on the level of cover chosen. Consider buying the best pet insurance, so your fur companion’s health is comprehensively covered. Meanwhile, read this article to learn four things that help curb your little puppy’s relentless barking habit.
1. Active lifestyle
Bored, frightened, lonely, and frustrated dogs are more prone to barking, which is why you should help them adopt an active lifestyle. Long walks with ample breaks, jogging, running, water activities, socialization opportunities, traveling, organizing puppy play dates, and celebrating special occasions with your puppy’s favorite people and animals enrich your furry friend’s life, keeping it happy and healthy. So, don’t limit games, activities, and exercise to your backyard or garden; instead, stretch it to cover new places, and include new faces and scents. This way, your pooch will live a worthy life, and the obsessive barking habit will gradually disappear.
2. Remove the motivation
If you see your dog do excessive barking that means he gets some kind of reward when he barks. Otherwise, he wouldn’t do it. Find out the reason and remove it as soon as possible.
3. Ignore barking
Sometimes it can be seen that dogs are barking in front of their owners and they actually do this to get attention. If your pooch does this with you and you realize it, then ignore him for as long as it takes them to stop. Don’t touch him, don’t talk to him and don’t look at him that time. When you ignore him, he will stop.
4. Train your dog to reinforce positive behavior
To remove dog barking, you should reinforce positive behavior. Teach your pet some positive behavior and give him treats and rewards, if it learns something positive. To train him, playing is a great way. Through playing, your dog can learn positive things while having fun.
5. Give him time:
Loneliness is a reason to do unwanted behavior like barking. Spend some quality time with your dog and try to keep him always happy. To spend some quality time, you can play with him, take him on a trip, go with him for a walk. Your caring will help him to stop excessive barking or any unexpected behavior.
6. Mental stimulation
Obedience training, positive reinforcement, teaching tricks, commands, solving puzzles, and playing mental stimulation games help keep your four paws’ mind young and active. This way, your precious fur baby will be occupied and mentally exhausted during the day with little energy to spend through barking. Redirecting your pet’s energy to productive activities helps satisfy its physical and mental needs.
7. Bark collars
These products make a noise, trigger an electric stimulation, or emit an air spurt whenever a puppy barks. However, such a collar can be activated when some other canine barks, not just your dog. So, consider it a last option and always use any product after consulting your vet.
Every dog is unique and barks for different reasons. Understand the context of barking so that remedying the habit becomes easier. Meet your vet or an animal behaviorist to know your canine pet’s concerns. Many times, painful health issues can cause fur babies to bark incessantly.
In a case like this, your furry friend may require quality medical help. Consider being prepared with the dog medical aid so your canine is covered for broader-ranging health conditions. Pet insurance makes providing timely health care possible with little financial implications, so contemplate purchasing a policy.