Best Products to Stop Dogs Barking

The very first question owners of  a barking dog should ask themselves should be ''Why is my dog barking?'' rather than ''How can I stop my dog barking?''. Indeed, it is often forgotten that dogs use barking primarily as a way of communicating their feelings. A bark may convey several different states of emotion in dogs: fear,boredom, enthusiasm, need for attention, territoriality and in some of the worse cases, separation anxiety. It is therefore of primary importance and ultimately, the dog owner's responsibility to identify the cause of the dog's barking in the first place, before resorting to investing in barking control devices.

A dog barking all day because he is chained to a tree has every right to bark. This is not what a dog is meant to do all day long. Dogs are canids and therefore crave to stay in company of their pack, basically their family. Dogs are also active beings, they used to hunt walking miles per day in the wild or after domestication, they were used to work in farms, pulling sleighs or hunting. Their body therefore is built to move, not stay chained or secluded in one spot all day. Barking in this case is a legitimate request for help, a plea to be set free and live their life as dogs are supposed to.

A dog barking from fear, stress or anxiety is another case where the dog needs professional intervention rather than a barking control device. Punishing an anxious dog with an aversive stimulus like the use of one of those barking collars that deliver a shock upon barking will only ultimately make the anxiety worse, simply because from an anxious dog's point of view, you have added another unpredictable stimulus to his world, explains Karen L. Overall, VMD in an article for DVM360.

So when should barking control devices be used? They may generally be used for nuisance barking in dogs that are not anxious stress or fearful induced. Because it may be difficult for owners to identify the main emotional state of a barking dog it may be helpful to consult with a professional dog behaviorist to avoid making problems worse.

There are various ways in order to control nuisance barking in dogs. Some dogs may stop barking with some smart interventions on the part of the owner, while more obstinate cases may require special devices to stop the nuisance barking. These should be used as a LAST RESORT when all other methods have failed and when the dog is not barking out of need, anxiety, lack of exercise, hunger or social isolation. Basically, only for desperate cases where the neighbors have complained and the dog risks being sent to shelter. Following are some dog barking control methods.

• Shaking a Can

Some owners have found that shaking an empty soda can full with coins will stop their dog barking in his tracks. The loud noise produced from shaking the soda candistracts and startles the dog which may ultimately stop barking because he forgot why he was barking for in the first place and with time because he learns that every time he barks that unpleasant rattling noise follows and therefore learns to quiet down. This method takes though a lot of time and consistency and the dog may ultimately learn to bark when you are not in sight.

• Teach Your Dog to Shush

It may sound odd, but teaching your dog to bark on command may actually quiet him down. The dog learns that he must bark when asked to, and therefore may bark less because he realizes he has not been asked to bark. Adding a release command is in order for best results. This means that every time you give your dog a bark command you must also give him a release command like ''that's enough'' or ''shush now''. This gives you control and may stop your dog when he barks voluntarily next time.

• Citronella Spray Collar

The citronella spray collar is effective in many ways. It works on several of the dog's senses. The sudden noise startles the dog and works on his sense of hearing, the citronella smell which most dogs find unpleasant works on the dog's sense of smell, and the mist delivered on the dog's coat works on his sense of touch. This collar is more humane than those barking collars that work by delivering a shock or an irritating sound.

Dogs bark for many reasons. Identifying the ultimate cause of a dog's barking is important before resorting to products to stop dog barking. Responsible ownership often entails understanding our canine companions and their means of communication. Use anti-bark products in a wise manner and when other gentlier methods have failed.

References:

DVM 360: Treating anxiety is different than 'managing' the problem