If you would like to read previous issues of my Dog Obedience Newsletters,
for dog owners and dog lovers everywhere, please go
here
If
you fancy exploring this site further, then go to the resources page
which you can find
here
where you will find
links to all sorts of valuable information, such as articles, my blog,
charities and much more. If you refer others to this site, which you
can do from that resources page, I will send you a FREE Screen Saver with
beautiful pictures of dogs from my readership.
I want to build a second screen saver with pictures of
YOUR dog(s). So why not send me a picture with some short details about
your dog (its' name, where it lives, any story about how you acquired him or
her and
what made you chose them etc.). All I ask is that you add the words "there are no
usage restrictions with these photographs", so I know there are no copyright
issues to contend with. Send your details to me at
info@trainingdogsrus.com
Many of you have sent in your pictures, but to make the screen saver more
beautiful and rich it would help to have some more. REMEMBER, all
those who send in
their photographs will get a copy of the new screen saver completely free of
charge, which will contain your pictures within it of course!
Ring Factory Stop paying for ringtones! For only $19.99, you can create unlimited ringtones using
Ring Factory
This Weeks' News
Dog alerts pair to fire; they live, she dies
Indianapolis
Star, IN -
3 hours ago
The dog, which slept at the foot of the bed, licked and
nibbled at their hands until 81-year-old Robert awoke and the
couple went outside,
she said. ...
Lucky Dog Plucked From Freezing Lake
WNBC, NY -
19 hours ago
A member of the dive team wearing protective gear swam through
chunks of ice to get the dog. Tony Padilla said Pearl growled
at him at first, but then went ...
This ‘Dog’ gives audience a treat
Kansas City Star, MO - 3
hours ago
I
cringed every time I looked at a publicity photo showing actor
John-Michael Zuerlein with his mouth open pretending to be a
dog. ...
DOG FOULING: NOW IT'S WAR
Lincoln Today, UK - 2 hours ago
helmet-mounted video cameras are
patrolling the streets at dawn to catch irresponsible
dog-walkers who don't clear up dog mess. ...
Flasher claimed dog attacked him
News Shopper, UK - 1 hour ago
Croydon Crown Court heard on
March 7 how the dog jumped up at Odam, who kicked it before
walking off into Woodland Way. ...
Police dog finds woman lost in forest
Greenwich Time, CT - 1 hour ago
Macchia set Tyro to work quickly
finding a human scent, and the dog began to pull his partner
through the heavy woods and down slick embankments. ...
Dog owners urged to be responsible
Cay
Compass, Cayman Islands -
6 hours ago
The RCIPS would like to remind
the community that there are laws against not taking proper
care of your dog; anyone found guilty of permitting an animal
to ...
Dog Attack Bills Move To House
WTVF, TN - 11 hours ago
Another bill would impose liability on a dog owner that
injures another dog, regardless of whether that dog had shown
a propensity for attacking in
the past ...
.
Now for this
week's tips and advice
Dog Barking - Why Does He Do It?
Dog barking is the most aggravating dog problem most owners
will ever face. The problem is that we want them to bark
sometimes but not others – how’s he supposed to know when its
ok? The only time I want a dog Barking is when people drive up
or to keep coyotes away but how will he know that?
Dog barking is one of the most common complaints raised to
local governments and animal control. It quite literally
drives some people crazy to hear a dog barking, especially in
an apartment block if they are allowed, because the sound
carries so far. Even outside the noise can carry and be very
frustrating if the dog keeps it up for long periods of time.
So, the biggest problem with dog barking is not usually the
barking itself; it is the length of time that the dog
continues to bark that becomes the issue. Most people are
happy that the dog sounds the warning – if only he would stop
at that.
So, why do they bark?
Well, every species has a natural form of communication and
for dogs it barking.
Dog barking is something that all dogs do and love – he isn’t
just doing it to annoy you! There are lots of obvious reasons
why they bark eg they hear other dogs, someone is coming to
the door, and its clear that some breeds do bark more than
others. So if barking is an issue for you, consider this
before getting a dog as some definitely do bark more than
others. You can get all sorts of information about breed
behaviours before you get them, so do some research.
Similarly highly strung dogs will bark more than others. This
trait can be picked up before you even get them. Rescue dogs
can particularly be prone to baking to attract attention form
you.
The first thing you need to do is become attuned to the reason
for the barking, especially if it’s a new dog. Excitement,
boredom, stress, pain are all reasons to bark. Fear of the
unknown is another major cause. Dog barks to greet, to alert,
out of boredom, to attract attention or when they are excited.
My own dog used to bark at the telephone ringing or any bell
ringing.
If the cause of the barking is boredom, loneliness or
nervousness it faces once left alone then a good way to
eliminate excessive dog barking is through proper play and
exercise. Give the dog the correct exercise and he will be
much more settled at home, especially if you then have to
leave them. Every dog seeks attention, but for some it is
obsessive and providing them with a well balance routine of
play and exercise will often overcome their barking.
The other step is to make sure that you do not react to
whatever you think is causing the barking – especially if it’s
another dog. If they sense that you're calm/non-chalant about
it and they may pick up on your attitude that another dog
barking is no big deal. I know that my picking up the phone
and giving it my attention made my dog worse – he whined and
barked all the way thru my calls and drove me mad. My solution
was to have my friends call many times over several days and I
would not answer the phone. He soon got the message that I
didn’t care about the phone and the barking has almost
stopped. Again, I don’t want to stop him completely because he
is also letting me know when the phone is ringing as I don’t
always hear it when I am outside.
If you get very excited and cross when he barks he’s going to
interpret this as your fear and he’s going to keep going as he
doesn’t know what’s happening. If you chastise him he will
likely keep going, so if you are able to, completely ignore
him and the cause of the barking. If you are starting off with
a puppy you need to train him what its ok to bark at and
what’s not ok, right from the start. The best way to stop a
dog barking is to take the pleasure out of it – that means it
doesn’t get your attention.
But remember, most research shows that the sound of a dog
barking is a better deterrent than actually having a trained
guard dog. The intermittent dog barking is like a vocal
knocking on the door saying "let me in” so make sure that you
don’t discourage him completely.
