Your dog is barking again. He or she heard someone go by, or a leaf blew past your door, or they saw a squirrel in your yard. Whatever the reason, your first thought is probably “Knock it off,” or some version of that. Barking can be a major problem, not only for you, but for your neighbors if you live in a community scenario.
Regulating the noise pollution caused by excessive barking is much easier than you think. There are several very effective solutions that you can try right now to make a big difference in the lives of you, your dog, and your neighbors.
–Exercise. Yes, the Dog Whisperer says it, and we will repeat his wisdom. Get your dog some exercise! He or she might be all wound up because they need to get that energy out. If you don’t have the time to go running with your pooch every day, make sure you go out and throw the ball for them or take them to the park on a regular basis. You’d be surprised how compliant dogs are when they are getting enough of that natural energy out! Dog daycare is also a great option, as dogs often come home from daycare so tired, they go right to sleep. You need exercise and so does your pet, so let that bark remind you to get on out there!
– Aversion. OK, if your dog has had enough exercise and is still annoying you to death with excessive yapping, this solution is going to help you a great deal. You’ll need to create a negative association for the dog when he or she barks, so he gets the message “DON’T DO THAT.” Your yelling at them is obviously not accomplishing this, so you’ll need to achieve this by creating a noise they can understand. Some people like to use a tin can full of coins that can be shaken at the dog when they bark. Personally I’ve used the Pet Corrector with excellent results. Pet Corrector is basically a can of compressed air that emits a loud “HISS” sound. Supposedly it emulates a predator’s sound made in nature, and this sends the proper signal to the dog’s brain to “STOP.”
As a side note, if your problem is a dog OTHER than your own, this is the best possible solution. Pet Corrector is a totally harmless dog training tool that you can use on ANY dog, even if that dog belongs to your annoying next door neighbor.
