Barking, Barking!
Quiet Down, Please!

Why all the barking? I'm usually a laid-back, patient sort of person. Still, a couple of things truly get under my skin: a dog that won't stop barking and a person who won't stop talking!

I have a son who starts chatting the moment we get in the car together. He keeps going until we step out; on a really long trip I end up telling him to "Shut Up" already!

He's a teenager, and I don't want to shut down the lines of communication, so I have to be careful about how I handle it.

Dr. Dog

I'm still working on my constant talker, but when it comes to barking I picked up a lot from Dr. Dennis Fetko's ebook: “Dr. Dog”.

With Dr. Dog's FAST, EASY, FUN behavior solutions, you can quickly and easily teach your dog to...

• Bark only to warn you, then stop the moment you say "Quiet!" (After a week your relieved neighbors might even bake you brownies)...
• He explains why dogs do it and how to train yours to alert only when you or your property could be in danger.

He also offers free "DR. Dog" Ebooks and Audiobooks.

Chihuahua Yapping

Chihuahuas are famous yappers, and their high-pitched toy-dog bark cuts right through me. One little yapper might be tolerable, but get four of them going and going and going (you get the point), and it asks a lot of my patience!

You need to figure out the cause before you try to stop it.

Chihuahuas are hyper-vigilant, and their alert bark can easily go into overdrive. I had to teach mine the "enough" command, starting with the top alerter first and working my way down the pack order.

The most common reasons are boredom and loneliness.

Yes, they bark to communicate and to alert you when a stranger or something scary is nearby.

They bark during play, and for attention — not exactly from loneliness, more of a "hey, look at me!" kind of thing.

If another dog is involved, it's territorial, and your dog will more than likely sound the alarm.

The Outdoor Dog

Dogs are pack animals and need to be with their "pack" most, if not all, of the time.

If your outdoor dog is making a big fuss, go out and play with him, give him plenty of attention, take him for a long walk, or simply bring him inside with you.

Loneliness and Boredom

These are the most common causes, the easiest to fix, and the most rewarding for you too. It almost always happens when you leave the house.

So, do you realize your dog may be annoying the neighbor?

Get ahead of the game. Don't wait for your neighbors to complain — go and ask them whether they hear your dog while you're away.

So How Do We Stop the Barking?

A few things to try...

• Leave the radio or TV on if they're indoor dogs, or plug one in outdoors. It gives them a sense of company.
• Give him something to keep him busy while you're gone. A time-consuming, entertaining toy works well.
• If possible, get another dog for companionship. Two dogs will often keep each other company and entertained when alone. Don't do this unless you're prepared to deal with having two dogs (or more) like me.
• Doggie daycare close to where you work may be a better choice.

Many people encourage their dogs to alert them. If you want your dog to alert, but then you want him to stop.

Well, it's time to start training and stop yelling — after all, this alerting is only natural behavior.

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