Dear Marie:
Our
four year old German Shepherd has always been a barker and I’ve never really
worried too much about it; however, we recently moved from a relatively rural
area to a very high density condo complex and now her barking is a problem. I’ve been receiving very unfriendly,
anonymous notes from neighbors who are apparently quite upset about the
noise. They are threatening legal
action against us and want us to get rid of her. I don’t want to be a bad neighbor; but I certainly don’t want to
get rid of my dog either. What should I
do?
Rachel,
Mission Viejo
Dear
Rachel:
It
is unfortunate that your neighbors are being so “un-neighborly.” The least they can do is talk to you, in
person, and try to work things out together.
They can advise you when the barking is occurring and also if it is
coincident with any other activities going on in the neighborhood, i.e., when
the gardeners are working, or perhaps when loose cats are close by. Any bit of information can help you in
training your dog not to bark. But
since your neighbors lack these interpersonal skills, it is up to you to try to
resolve the problem because if your dog disturbs the peace of the neighborhood,
you may find yourself in court for violations of state and local laws.
To
understand why your dog barks, you must first understand the nature of dogs in
general. When man domesticated the
wolf, some 12,000 years ago, he trapped this amazing canine in a permanent juvenile
state—mentally. Generally, only wolf puppies bark. (Adult wolves do make different sounds, like howling, but these are very complex in comparison to the "pay-attention-to-me" type barking of pups.) Barking behavior in wolf pups is indeed necessary to get the attention of the busy adults in the pack and
allows for nurturing and interaction from and with mature members and caregivers. As the pups become adults themselves, they
move away from this tendency. Since
domestic dogs are essentially perennial puppies, at least on an emotional
level, they bark for the same reasons wolf puppies bark.
Many
dog owners choose to keep their pets outside.
For a dog, this is very difficult to deal with. They do not understand why they must be
separated from their pack, which is you and your family. It is somewhat like a permanent state of
punishment. The emotional tie between a
dog and her family is incredibly strong, so you can imagine why a dog will cry
if left out of doors for extended periods of time. Frequently, the easiest way to deal with a barking dog problem is
to just allow your dog inside with you!
Going
to work, or out to dinner and a show may also give your dog a feeling of
intense loss and may bring about barking.
One way of countering this problem is to teach your pet that you always
come back home and that coming and
going is really no big deal.
To
conquer this problem, you will need a good block of time, preferably a weekend,
to practice leaving and returning. When
you begin this exercise, leave from the same door you use when you go to work
or other destination associated with long away periods. (You will need to take
your car so that your dog knows this is the “real thing.”) Do not make a big production about
leaving. Do not give your dog any
treats or lots of extra pats and “good-byes.” (You can fill up an interactive toy with kibble and peanut butter and hide it somewhere so that you dog has something to do while you are away.) When you are ready to go, just leave without fanfare, and come back in about five minutes. When you return, you must not make a big
deal about that either. After some time
has passed, lea
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