Folks are Talking About Cabinet Veterinaire International…
My 12 year old poodle named Bisou was suffering with terrible joint pain from arthritis. The medication she was prescribed caused all sorts of negative side effects. Upon a recommendation from a dear friend I brought my sweet Bisou to see Dr. Nortey Omaboe at Cabinet Vétérinaire International. The staff is all so sweet and the Dr. is very kind with my elderly dog. He gave us a diet to follow and performs acupuncture on Bisou and she is so much better. Thanks to you all, a good veterinarian is priceless.
- Madame Thomas
WHY IS MY DOG BARKING?
Sometimes we want our dog to bark – when he senses that there is a prowler about the house, for instance. Barking is a natural reaction to canine sensations such as fear or anxiety. If a dog is agitated or uneasy in a particular situation, he is likely to bark. But a dog’s constant barking can cause a lot of irritation for his owner, not to mention the neighbors. If your dog is barking for attention, be sure not to reward him with food or attention while he is barking. This will only reinforce and prolong the problem. If you raise your voice or physically punish a barking dog, it will only heighten his anxiety level and cause him to bark more. To calm a barking dog with long-term results, he must be properly socialized and exposed to new experiences through habituation.
Gradually exposing a dog to the situations which may make him anxious will quiet his fear and demonstrate to him that new stimuli are not necessarily dangerous. An anxious barking dog will react to new sights, smells, and sounds in a negative way, so it makes sense to make these things commonplace for him. Proper communication between a dog and its owner is crucial in the understanding of his behavior. A dog’s perception of the world around him is very different from that of a human’s.
Training your dog to stop barking should begin before the problem seems insurmountable. Creating distance between the dog and his motivation to bark by using a barrier like a crate or fencing is a good start. You may also want to distract the dog with another engaging activity. In the beginning, reward him with food or attention immediately after he stops barking. You may want to employ a common obedience command such as “stop” in conjunction with the reward. Then, as he progresses, increase the amount of time between his stopping barking and his reward. When you’ve noticed significant improvement, or that he’s getting the concept of no bark = reward, gradually move him closer to, and eventually introduce him to, the things that have caused him anxiety. By using socialization and habituation methods, you will show your dog that the stimuli for which he expressed so much anxiety are really nothing to worry about.
You may also choose to utilize a remote leash with a head halter. When the dog barks, a tug on the leash will pull the muzzle closed to stop the barking. The dog can then be rewarded if he remains quiet.
Remember, it may be necessary to consult with a professional obedience trainer or your veterinarian, should your efforts in calming your dog’s barking be unsuccessful.
The myth that debarking surgery is acceptable needs to be debunked. Your dog’s ability and need to bark are a necessary part of his nature. To take it away would be cruel and inhumane.
