12/05/2022
Informational Post #6! 🐶
As many of you already know, the dogs of Kambalda are rather talkative, and whilst they love to listen to their own voice, many others don’t appreciate them as much. Whilst dogs are known to bark, there is a difference in alert barking (in which they are barking to let their family know there is a threat), or obsessively barking. It's impossible for me to give tips for barking without seeing the dog in person, as there are so many components to it, but adding some of these tips into your pooches life might be able to decrease their barking whilst you're out.
First, it's important to break down why the dog might be barking… there's too many reasons to add all of them, but below are some of the more common:
-Separation Anxiety
“Separation anxiety in dogs describes a condition in which a dog exhibits distress and behaviour problems when separated from its handler. Separation anxiety typically manifests within minutes of departure of the handler.”
This is usually paired with behaviours such as, obsessively barking and howling, destruction, whining, pacing, coprophagia (eating their own toileting).
-Boredom
Dogs who continuously bark, for hours upon hours in a monotone bark may be suffering from boredom barking. This is due to them not having their physical or mental needs met, and thus, they are entertaining themselves. Barking uses up the dogs energy, and thus, the dog is trying to get energy out. This is usually also paired with destruction, digging, overexcitement, constantly panting, constantly scratching and excessive licking.
-Alert Barking
Alert barking refers to dogs who bark at something new in the environment. This is a normal behaviour for dogs, but dogs who do it obsessively, such as barking at the wind, may have a further underlying issue, such as anxiety. Yet, this should not be confused with fear-reactivity barking, in which the dog is afraid of the new thing in the environment. This is usually shown with the dog refusing to leave the ‘trigger’ alone, completely exposed teeth and over abundant barking. This is not the same as guarding. Most dogs who bark are barking out of fear, unless trained otherwise.
-Canine Dementia
Just like us, senior dogs can develop canine dementia, and may become vocal at night for no reason. This is usually due to fear, confusion or stress caused by dementia. This is usually also paired with pacing, staring at walls, disorientation, random aggression and general anxiety.
If your dog is barking due to Separation Anxiety Disorder(SAD), or Boredom, ensuring your dog has something to do whilst you leave is important. SAD takes a long time to train out, and would require a post all of its own. For a temporary fix, giving your dog a ‘job’ to do whilst you are aware may be enough to distract them for some time. This could include
-Tossing kibble in your lawn so they need to snuffle
-Kongs
-Canine Puzzles
-Swing tennis ball
-Licki Mats
-Fetch toys
Keeping your dogs physical and mental needs met too are a vital part. Take your dog for a long walk/run before you leave, so they sleep most of the time you are away. Keeping your dog up and moving will stop them from entertaining themselves.
If you dog is afraid of something on the other side of the fence, such as people, adding small blockages can help decrease the dog's fear. If that's not possible, investing in something such as a crate may be less stressful for the dog as they can relax within the house. Covering the openings where dogs can see will also decrease their anxiety. Ensuring their mental and physical needs are met is also extremely important.
Dogs with Canine Dementia should be on a plan with a veterinarian to ensure they are correctly medicated.
Since this is such a large topic, multiple posts may be made on this topic if it is of interest (:
