Getting Your Dog to Stop Barking

Debarking is not a good option 

Dogs naturally make a lot of noises – whining, moaning, sighing, farting and growling.  But out of all the noises they make, barking is the noise that can land you and your dog in the metaphorical doghouse.  If you cannot get your dog to stop barking incessantly, you will face fines, court dates and the possibility of your dog being taken away from you.

Why Do Dogs Bark?

Dogs bark because of three reasons –

• communication
• stress
• sheer boredom

When you are retraining your dog to stop barking so much, make your sizable task easier by making sure your dog is waiting a proper diet, getting regular exercise (including AT LEAST one half hour vigorous walk a day) and have your dog neutered.  Neutering your dog not only reduces your dog's chance of getting cancer of the reproductive organs, but makes the dog much better able to concentrate on training sessions.

When They Bark

Try to immediately distract your barking dog's attention by clapping your hands, throwing a ball or stomping on the floor (the floor, not your dog).  Whatever you do, DON'T shout.  It is very hard not to shout because you want to let any human hearing your barking dog get yelled at.  But human yelling equals human barking to a dog.  Your dog will keep on barking when you yell at him or her to stop barking so the dog barks more and the cycle continues.

One thing that may work for your dog certainly worked for mine.  My mongrel Pony suddenly began the habit of barking when she wanted her dinner when she turned three years old.  This had to be stopped.  When she began barking, I put her in the basement by herself.  She wasn't let out until she stopped barking.

When I'm not home, I leave plenty of chew toys to keep her mouth occupied.  I also leave something with my scent on it (my bathrobe) to give her comfort.

Reinforce Quiet Behavior

When your dog is quiet, reward with praise, treats or (if your dog is on a diet)  play with a favorite toy.  Do this whenever your dog is quiet, until your dog starts cottoning on to the idea.  Each dog learns at his or her own pace – just like you do.

You need patience in order to retrain a continually barking dog, especially if they are one of the breeds that have been bred to bark, such as Jack Russells or Parson Rusell Terriers.  If you are not having success, then you should ask your vet for advice and to help find a trainer.  You may need a professional trainer for help.

What About Debarking?

The absolute last resort can be to get your dog a devocalization (debarking) operation.  (This operation is illegal in many European countries). Any operation is expensive and potentially lethal, so this should be done only if the dog is under threat of death because of the barking. 

Debarking will not make a dog silent.  The dog will still bark and make noises, only softer than usual.  Many view debarking as cruel.  It is necessary, expensive surgery if you are patient and persistent with retraining.

Additional References

• · Palika, Liz. The KISS Guide to Raising Your Puppy. DK Publishing; 2002.
• · Sweeney, Michael S., et al. Dog Tips From Dog Town: A Relationship Manual for You and Your Dog. National Geographic: 2010.
• · Dennison, Pamela. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training. Alpha Books; 2006. 

Image from Wikimedia Commons, A cat hissing at a barking dog over a bowl of milk in a barn. Etching by J. R. Scott after A. Cooper.

Differences Between Excitement Urination and Submissive Urination in Dogs

Dogs pee for lots of reasons, including when they are very excited or when they are being submissive. Here’s how to tell the difference.

You love your dogs – but not their urine. Dogs and puppies urinate in the house for several reasons, including showing submission and being overexcited. Both behaviors have a lot in common. Both excitement urination and submissive urination happen mostly to younger dogs and puppies. Both problems often go away on their own once the dog and the dog’s bladder muscles mature. But there are some differences between these two types of inappropriate urination.

Causes

Excitement urination is caused by the dog or puppy being so overjoyed by an event that he loses bladder control. The amount of urine lost is often a series of small drops. Events that trigger excitement urination include greeting human or canine friends; being shown a new treat or the appearance of a favorite toy.

Puppies and dogs that become nervous or scared urinate to show how helpless they are. This behavior is seen in the dog’s relative, the wolf.  Releasing a few drops of urine shows that the dog is helpless like a little puppy in the presence of the pack leader or higher-ranking family member. 

Body Posture

When a dog or puppy pees when excited, the dog appears happy. The ears are perked, the mouth is open and the tail is wagging. The dog may vocalize to get attention or relieve some of her excitement. The dog is up on her feet and may be bouncing about.

In contrast, submissive urination is done in a different body posture. The dog or puppy is often on her back to show her belly to whoever is intimidating her.  The mouth is closed and the ears may be pressed to the head. The dog or puppy may quiver or tremble. The tail may or may not wag. Submissive urination sometimes occurs when the dog is standing with a hunched back and a lowered head. 

Treating the Problem

Because the causes are different, the treatment of these two types of inappropriate urination is also different. Excitement urination is an involuntary action, so pet parents need to work around it. If a puppy or young dog is known to pee when excited, make especially stimulating moments like getting a new toy done on the outside or in a room lined with puppy pads. If the dog does not outgrow this behavior by age two, see a veterinarian. There could be a medical issue.

The best way for dog owners to handle submissive urination is to ignore it. Just clean up the puddle and go on. Bring the dog’s confidence up by not bending over the dog. Greet the dog by sitting down and letting the dog come to you. Do not stare directly at the dog’s face, but off to the side. Use a soft voice. When the dog approaches, pet the dog’s chest or under the chin to avoid reaching over the dog and frightening him.

Image of submissive dog by Elf for Wikimedia Commons

Why Positive Training Works Best For Behavior Problems in Dogs

A look at why positive dog training is best for correcting problem dog behaviors like chewing or excessive barking.

The big problem with bad dog behavior isn't with the behavior of the dogs -- it's the behavior of their people. People tend to cling to unrealistic expectations about how a dog learns and acts. People tend to think dogs are people in furry costumes. That's not the case. Dogs are dogs and thank goodness for that. The more you learn about dog behavior, the more you'll wish people behaved like dogs.

Power Of Positive Training

All dogs will eventually do something you don't like. You can train them to do something else other than the bad behavior. But you have to do it in a way that make it fun and rewarding for the dog, so they will want to do what you want them to. You want to use positive training methods. This means that you reward the dog when they do something right. You don't hit them for doing something wrong.

For example, say you have a dog that's chewing your house. In order to use positive training to cure a chewing dog, you need to three things:

·         Make sure everything valuable is out of the dog's reach

·         Keep plenty of chew toys available

·         Catch the dog as he has a bad item to chew in his mouth.

When you find the dog chewing on something like a shoe, you have him drop it, and then praise him verbally for dropping it and giving him a chew toy. You don't just walk over to the dog, yank the shoe from his mouth and whack him. That only teaches him to be terrified of you.
And terrified dogs eventually become biting dogs.

Should You Hire A Trainer?

It's really not necessary to hire a dog trainer or so-called dog whisperer if you use common sense and really try to get to know your dog. The only exceptions to this rule are with aggressive behaviors such as biting people or being too rough with cats.  These need professional help. And, if you really feel at your wits' end, then hiring a trainer that uses positive reinforcement can help you at least get another's perspective.

For example, say you have a dog that barks far too often. Believe it or not, teach him to bark. Keep a favored toy or his filled food dish right out of reach and give it to him immediately when he barks. That way, you can then teach him a command to be quiet. You do this by rewarding him when he's quiet. Also, don't yell at him to stop barking. He may think you are barking right along, too, and that's fun for a dog
.
Keep in mind that each dog, like each person, takes his or her own time to learn something new. You need to be persistent and patient in order to help train your dog. Making sure your dog is spayed or neutered will help your dog relax and look to you to take on the stress of being the boss.

Additional References

• · Palika, Liz. The KISS Guide to Raising Your Puppy. DK Publishing; 2002.
• · Sweeney, Michael S., et al. Dog Tips From Dog Town: A Relationship Manual for You and Your Dog. National Geographic: 2010.
• · Dennison, Pamela. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training. Alpha Books; 2006. 

Image of clicker training a dog by Elf for Wikimedia Commons

I Had To Use Google Ads -- Sorry

I guess it's hard to miss the Google ads on this blog now. I need the money (or pennies in this case.) I'm still going to put up on posts about religion but I'll also be putting up posts that are mostly dog-centric.

Topics coming up include:

• Dog breeds
• Dog health
• Dog training
• My dogs
• Dog book reviews 
• Dog movie reviews

Thank you for your patience and understanding as I place a dog named Mammon here over any God.

Owning a Dog Helped Me Overcome Nightmares (No Thanks to God)

I currently am owned by two dogs, but this was written when I was only owned by one dog.  I've been plagued with nightmares all of my life, which God did nothing to help (come to think of it -- God has been  the cause of a lot of my nightmares.) However, my dog Pony has helped me deal with my nightmares.  Yet more proof that dogs are better than gods.

Please read my article about how my dog helped me overcome nightmares at Yahoo.  Thanks!

More Great Dog and Dog God Images for You

Facebook is a treasure trove of goofy dog images.  Here are some I've discovered since the last time I posted on this blog.  Enjoy.

 I wonder how long it took to set this photo up.

 Jihad for Milkbone.

 But they WERE there to see the dog!

 They're also waiting for the pizza guy.

 Well, they can't all be funny, except I think the nun's face is pretty funny. Now back to the humor.

 

 

 

5 Best Dog Images I Found on Facebook Recently

The core of My Dog is Better Than Your God Facebook page consists of pictures of dogs.  Here are some of the best that I recently have come across.  Enjoy.