Dogs use a variety of cues to communicate with each other and humans. They verbalize thoughts, feelings, or opinions through growls, whines, or barks that can be loudest when it’s time for them to take action on something they don’t want you doing! If your dog barks, there is a reason why. It may be simply a response to a stimulus, like a jogger running by the house—or it may be your dog’s way of asking for help. It would be best if you found out why dogs bark to stop them from barking.

Some Reasons Dogs Bark

Barking is a natural behavior for dogs, and there are many reasons why they do it. Some dogs bark for attention, some to express excitement or joy, and others as a warning or defense mechanism. Regardless, barking can be frustrating for pet owners when it becomes excessive—understanding why your dog barks are the first step in finding a solution to the problem.

Health or Aging

As dogs begin to age, they will sometimes bark at night even if there doesn’t appear to be anything for them to be concerned about. When this behavior develops, it could be a sign of cognitive dysfunction. If you notice your older dog barking into the corner or at walls during the night, make an appointment with their veterinarian. They may be telling us they’re uncomfortable, and it’s essential to take action before things get worse!

Defensive or Fear

This is your dog’s way of sending you a distress signal. It could mean another dog is nearby or a stranger is approaching the house. The bark is usually deeper and may have an aggressive growl associated with them, and it will be incessant. If your pup is anxious, their fur will be raised, their tail between their legs, and their head will be low.

Food and Attention Bark

Sometimes the bark means they want food, sometimes they need to go for a walk, and sometimes they want attention. Pay attention to their body language if your dog is barking and you can’t figure out why. Often, they will give you clues as to what they need. They are probably hungry if they paw at you or lick their lips. They probably need to go for a walk if they are leaning against you or looking at the door. And if they are pacing back and forth or following you around, they are probably just looking for some attention.

Barking As Greeting

Pet owners love coming home when their dog greets them excitedly by jumping and barking. They feel this proves their dog’s love for the family. Dogs that greet their owners in this way are trying to communicate. But rather than professing undying love, they are probably trying to tell you that they are lonely and bored; their needs as a dog are not being met. The excitement is your dog’s way of burning off the excess energy that has been building throughout the day.. Dogs simply don’t use emotions as people do. Remember, they’re dogs. To love a dog means you must treat him like an animal, which means fulfilling him as nature intended him to be fulfilled.

Boredom

Your dog might start barking because of boredom. When dogs are not physically or mentally challenged, destructive behaviors may manifest. If your pup brings a leash, ball, or toy, it could hint that they need some playtime to release some pent-up energy. A dog needs exercise everyday to keep boredom at bay.

Excitement

The excited barking of your dog can signal that you’re home, especially if they start to bark when hearing the sound of their leash. The barks are often followed by a waging tail and happy-bodied position (ears perked and head held higher). The sound of excitement is one that dogs make when they’re with friends or family members. Yipping and yowling can be considered a way for packs to communicate their joy!

Pain or Distress

When you hear your dog barking in pain, it’s not just for show. They are letting their pack leader know that they need help. If you try to touch them, they might bark in anticipation of the pain or are already hurting. Seek medical attention from your veterinarian to determine the cause of irritation.

Reactive Barking

Often reactive barking is a single bark, but it can follow with more barking. When humans are surprised or scared, their voices go up a pitch to show they’re afraid. The same thing happens with dogs and other animals spooked by something surprising: Their body language also suggests alarm! This bark is uncontrolled, and body posture can vary as they were likely startled.

Positive Reinforcement

Barking can be controlled through positive reinforcement training, where the dog is rewarded for not barking. Here are some quick tips for this type of training.

• Keep it fun
• Wean from giving treats as a reward
• Praise immediately
• Give rewards for desired behavior
• Don't stop training
• Don't be inconsistent
• Don't complicate things

Nuisance Barking

If nuisance barking is a problem, consider these issues to find a solution. It’s the best way to show genuine love for your dog.

• Is your pup's world anchored by a pack leader who projects calm-assertive energy?
• Are you walking with him daily, which exercises his body and mind?
• Is he living a balanced life (diet, routine, rest, exercise)?

If you are looking for more help on how to help your pup check out this article More tips on problem barking.

The post Why Dogs Bark appeared first on Cesar's Way.

1) A form of warning or protection.
2) A warning letting others know “this is my territory.”
3) A form of excitement, such as when a dog barks when he wants a ball.

The bottom line is simple–as the pack leader–you should be able to control the barking if it becomes excessive or obsessive, and if it’s normal barking, it isn’t something that you’d consider “a problem.”

Unstable leaders
In general, when I see people who cannot manage their dog’s barking, I see people who have trouble managing their life too. People who are not balanced. The dog, therefore, is following an unstable leader and is looking to be challenged. He can’t express this lack of stimulation, so he barks. He’s telling you he’s bored! Obsessive barking is the manifestation of a dog telling you “my needs are not being met” over and over and over again. The result? A frustrated human.

Seeking professional help
People say to me – “Cesar, I’m taking my dog for walks every day, I love him so much, I give him everything he needs, but he’s still barking. I think it’s just the way he is!” And to them I say, “Do you think you might be barking up the wrong tree?”

The biggest challenge in my work is getting people to realize that it’s not the dog. It’s the human behind the dog. People say they watch the show all the time, but when it comes to recognizing where they are falling short of their dog’s needs, they don’t see it.

They can talk the talk, but they can’t walk the walk. Literally. This is why I recommend calling in a professional trainer who can help the human see what they are doing, so they can be the solution, rather than the problem.

Fulfilling Your Dog
What a barking dog needs is the fulfillment formula. He needs Exercise, Discipline, and then Affection. He needs the physical, and psychological stimulation. The question is: can the human commit to this every single day? We have to understand that balance doesn’t happen because we love our dogs. It happens because we fulfill their needs. That to me is the meaning of love.

Is your dog a barker? Tell us all about it in the comments.

The post Barking Up The Wrong Tree? appeared first on Cesar's Way.

I don’t think anyone wants their dog to never bark. A little barking at the right time can be very useful, whether it’s to alert you to someone or something approaching your home, or to scare away threats when you’re not there. The trick is to get to that Goldilocks zone of barking — not too little, not too much, but just right.

You might be surprised to hear it, but getting to “just right” is probably a lot easier than you think.

Why do Dogs Bark?

Before you can get to the fix for any problem, you have to understand the causes. In the case of barking, it can be either wanted or unwanted, so the first question to answer is why dogs even bark in the first place.

Simply put, they bark to communicate, particularly in situations where they cannot immediately see the rest of the pack or when they want to get a message to the entire pack. In the wild, the message can be a warning of danger or a call to the hunt. When it comes from the dogs at the front of the pack, it can a way to scare off a threat.

In the wild, though, dogs don’t bark all the time. In fact, they don’t bark a lot. They save it for when they really need it. But when your dog barks constantly at home, what is it they need?

Why Do Dogs Bark Too Much?

So when a domesticated dog barks all day, what are they trying to communicate? Generally, if they do it when no one is home, it’s a sign of boredom or frustration. It can also be their way of trying to call you back, especially if the dog is experiencing separation anxiety.

The other causes, whether there are people at home or not, can be excess energy, which a dog will try to burn off through excitement and hyperactivity; or it can be due to anxiety, which leads to the dog perceiving every little noise as a possible threat to be scared away.

It may seem like something that’s impossible to control, but you have to remember why dogs bark in the first place. Communication. And what is it that one dog will try to communicate to another, or to its human pack leader? Needs. Meet the underlying need, and the excess barking will stop.

Stopping the Barking

Maybe that sounds easier said than done. But, in reality, it actually is done fairly easily. It just requires focus, commitment, and consistency on your part. It begins with correcting the unwanted barking when it happens with whatever method works for your dog, whether it’s a touch, a “tsch”, or something else. The commitment and consistency mean that you have to be ready and willing to continue the corrections until the behavior stops, and you have to always correct it when your dog barks inappropriately and you’re there.

There’s another “C” that goes with commitment and consistency, and that is “calm.” As with any correction, you have to remain calm and assertive. If you get angry or impatient, this will just amp up your dog’s energy and make barking more likely.

If the barking is always at a specific thing — like a particular door or window, or when people come in the house, then you can break the cycle by claiming that thing. That’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Using your body language and calm, assertive energy, create an invisible barrier between your dog and the stimulus. This sends the signal that it’s nothing they need to be concerned with or worried about, because it “belongs” to you.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Giving a correction is great if I’m there, but my problem is that my dog barks when I’m not home.” In that case, you need to challenge your dog, mentally and physically, in order to leave them in a state that’s directed away from unnecessary barking.

Dog Exercise

The physical challenge means exercise. Take your dog on a long walk before you leave to drain all of that excess energy and leave her in a calm, submissive state. To challenge her mentally, you can leave her with something to do, like a favorite chewy, or a “find the treat” toy that will keep her engaged until you get back.

Crate training or creating a space for your dog to go to that she’ll associate with calm and relaxation can also help. Of course, make sure that whatever you leave your dog with is safe for her to use without human supervision. Ask your vet or trainer if you have any doubts.

And don’t forget the power of asking. If you can’t solve the problem, there’s nothing wrong with consulting a behaviorist or trainer to help out.

When your dog barks, she’s trying to tell you something. By making it a two-way communication, you can give her the calmness and confidence to know that she doesn’t have to tell you everything.

Stay calm, and stop the barking!

The post How to Stop Dogs Barking and Make Them Happy appeared first on Cesar's Way.

A recent experiment in Hungary set out to test the theory that humans are able to distinguish their dog’s emotional intentions conveyed in a variety of barks. Under the advisory of Dr. Ádám Miklósi of Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, a team of researchers at one of the world’s first facilities dedicated towards investigating the human-dog relationship conducted an intriguing field study.

“Scientists used to think that barking is a random noise without any specific information or content, however, we have a different idea. Dogs might tell us something about anger, fear, happiness, despair. So these are basic emotions which I think humans might be able to recognize in the barking sound,” explains Miklósi.

As the basis of the experiment, Miklósi and his team acted out a variety of situations, which caused dogs to bark and then recorded the canine reactions. A group of people was brought in to listen to the recordings and was instructed to match the bark to an emotion.

The results were pretty spot on. When presented with a recording of a dog that was provoked to bark in a specific situation, participants were able to identify the emotion that the dog was trying to convey through his bark.

Below are several excerpts from the study:

The alone bark-where a member of Miklósi’s team tied a dog to a tree and walked away.

Here’s what the participants said about the recording:

“That sounds like a dog asking for attention.”
“It’s anxious.”
“It’s sad; distressed.”
“Wants to be let off a chain or something like that.”

The excited bark- Where a team member is getting a dog excited by showing the dog a ball for a game of fetch.

Here’s what the participants said about the recording:

“I think that one’s playful.”
“Excitement.”
“It seems as though they’re actually asking their owner for something.”
“It sounds as if it may want a ball or a toy or something. She could be playing with it.”

The angry bark-where Miklósi walked up to a house with a guard dog and riles him up.

Here’s what the participants said about the recording:

“Angry”
“That is a sound that she would make if she [my dog] saw somebody behind the fence walking along”
“It’s a stranger. I think it’s a stranger encroaching on her territory.”

“Overall in the study, you could see that people can discriminate six barks, and most of them were quite successful in this,” explains Miklósi who has also been working on a system to determine criteria for analyzing barks. The researcher measures three elements of a dog’s bark which he says is probably also what the judgment of people is based on when asked to describe a bark in terms of it’s emotional content: the frequency of the bark, tonality, and interval between barking sounds.

Studies like this one are not only helping to strengthen the bond between owners and their dogs, but are also suggesting that throughout the process of domestication, dogs have evolved their elaborate vocal repertoire, especially to communicate with us. Not surprisingly, they use many of the same noises we do to communicate their emotions: dog sighs when it is bored, whimpers when it is sad, and unleashes a deep and throaty bark when it is alarmed.

Does your dog have different barks for different moods? Are you able to distinguish when he is sad, wants to be let outside, and feels threatened by an approaching stranger?

The post What Your Dog’s Barking Means appeared first on Cesar's Way.

Statistics from the North Shore Animal League indicate that roughly 10 percent of all dogs adopted from U.S. shelters are eventually returned because of behavioral problems. But recent studies by the Humane Society have gotten to the heart of the matter, revealing that a full 41 percent of those problems specifically involve excessive, distracting, and often hostile barking. If there’s happy news to be gleaned from all this, it’s that most goodhearted rescuers hang on to their yappy adoptees and simply suffer sans silence. But the bad news is that that’s not really healthy in the long run for man or canine. Rather than keeping an endless supply of earplugs on hand, say Cesar and other experts, try identifying the cause of bothersome barking, which isn’t as tough as it sounds. There are generally four basic triggers—and each carries a very clear message.

“I’m bored”

When Cesar took on the case of Fella, an adorable Jack Russell/Italian Greyhound mix, the little dog’s antics were about to get his owner slapped with an eviction notice. At the apartment complex where Fella resided, he barked nonstop the entire time his adoptive mom was at work, ceasing only once she came home at night. The complex manager liked Fella’s owner, but when other tenants began complaining loudly, she didn’t feel she had a choice: Do something about the barking, she said, or you’re going to have to move out.

A notorious barker when he was at the shelter, Fella also yelped incessantly whenever he was in a car, and was overtly hostile toward other dogs. But it wasn’t long before Cesar got to the bottom of things. It turned out that high-energy Fella got only 15 minutes of exercise a day. So while separation anxiety was obviously a factor here, it was merely symptomatic of a much greater problem: Poor little Fella was bored out of his mind.

In the widely acclaimed behavior guide How Dogs Think, psychologist and author Stanley Coren asserts that in a case like Fella’s, how long a dog barks has everything to do with the message being sent. “The underlying rule,” he says, “seems to be that the longer the sound, the more likely the dog is making a conscious decision about the nature of the signal and the behaviors that are about to follow.” Taking into account the rate of repetition, Coren notes, is also critical to accurate interpretation. “Sounds that are repeated frequently, or at a rapid rate, indicate a degree of urgency.”

Faced with the fact that a return to the shelter might mean euthanasia, Fella’s owner got the message, admitting she’d been selfish in not devoting more time to developing an exercise regimen that would address Fella’s considerable needs. With Cesar’s help, she worked out a rigorous daily walking routine, as well as a morning ritual that involved brief but increasingly lengthy periods of separation, meant to prove to Fella that his owner’s leaving did not signify permanent abandonment. When Cesar returned to the apartment complex several months later, Fella was still happily ensconced, and there wasn’t a tenant to be found who’d heard him barking.

“I’m spoiled”

By the time Cesar arrived to film a Dog Whisperer episode with Prada, a pampered Pomeranian, the pup had become a Class-A brat. She worked herself into barking fits when she didn’t get what she wanted, and worse, used her considerable charms to attract houseguests’ attention, only to turn on them—growling in a threatening way—once she’d succeeded.

Prada had a weekly toy allowance of $100, was swaddled in cashmere, and was regularly treated to gourmet meals. To minimize her time alone, she often went to work with one of her owners.

The problem, though, wasn’t that Prada had been allowed to live out a doggie daydream, but, rather, the mind-set of her owners. Guilt- and grief-stricken over the loss of Prada’s mate, Gucci, two years earlier, they’d done everything they could to make things up to Prada, and to themselves. Yet it took Cesar just one walk with Pomeranian and parent to pick up on the “hysterical energy” that was spurring the dog’s frequent barking bursts and schizoid bouts of growling.

Prada required the standard rehabbing rituals—learning to walk the walk, being given toys only when she was in a calm-submissive state—but it was her owners who really had their work cut out for them. They were overindulging the dog to make themselves feel better, remembers Cesar. “I had to convince them of that, and get them to convince themselves that, even though they still loved Gucci, it was time to let go.” Once Prada’s owners were able to change their guilty mind-set, their histrionic energy abated and they were able to lead their pack of one with calmness and clarity—and belligerent barking became a thing of the past.

With dogs as with humans, say those in the know, it’s the context in which a sound is uttered—be it a word or a bark—that ultimately determines its meaning. In the New York Times bestseller Inside of a Dog, author Alexandra Horowitz writes, “A sound a dog makes while wagging merrily means something different than the same sound delivered through bared teeth.” But more important, she says, “there is reason to believe dogs and all non-human animals respond ingenuously. In many cases, a sound will have a reliable effect on those in the vicinity: think Fire or Free Money!”

Or, as was the case with pampered Prada, You need to cut the crap! As Cesar himself has often noted, dogs do not lie.

“I’m confused”

Sonny, a rescued German Shepherd, was a huge hit at home with his owner and with dogs at the local park, too. The problem for Sonny, unfortunately, was everybody else. An early experience with animal control officials had so traumatized him he was left with a permanent fear of strangers, which he demonstrated by barking loudly and incessantly whenever one approached. This became especially problematic for his owner, who counseled adults with special needs and liked to bring Sonny along to the center where she worked. Whenever one of her clients tried to pet Sonny, the dog would bark madly until the client retreated in fear—at which point Sonny himself would dive under his mom’s desk and spend the rest of the day cowering.

“When his owner first rescued him,” says Cesar, “she told me that as he hid in his crate trembling, she petted him over and over as a means of assuaging his fears.” But what she actually did by offering affection when the dog was fearful, he insists, was reward the fear, giving off weak energy in the process. “When he got hungry, he would’ve gotten out of his crate, then she could have offered him food—and the food would have become affection.”

And though she obviously meant well, Sonny’s owner hadn’t set herself up as an authority figure with her gentle attempts to coax him out from under her work desk either. “Rather than making herself powerful, she was asking for a favor,” Cesar recalls. “When a dog shuts down and won’t move,” he says, “it’s like with horses. You just have to bring him out and get him out; bring him out and get him out. Then he sees he doesn’t have a choice.”

When Cesar, Sonny, and his owner went for their all-important walk, Cesar encouraged her to project the kind of authoritative energy that she routinely projected with her clients—rather than acting as though she were dealing with a scared, unpredictable dog and knew it. As she began to practice walking with authority, it got easier and easier to be authoritative in all of her interactions with Sonny. And as his leader’s confidence blossomed, so did Sonny’s confidence in her—and his fears abated in equal measure.

Secure in the hands of a confident leader, Sonny not only abandoned the barking-and-cowering routine but went on to actually assist his owner in her work.

“I’m scared”

When four-year-old Hootie—a budding agility-course champion—was just 18 months old, his promising career came to a screeching halt. He and his owner were heading home from practice one day when a team of skateboarding teenagers whizzed by at lightning speed, shouting loudly, and coming so close to Hootie they nearly clipped him. From that moment on, the Australian Shepherd was gripped by an intense fear of kids that not only made life difficult in general, but made agility competition nearly impossible. At the briefest sighting of a teen in a crowd, Hootie would immediately freeze up and start to bark.

“The minute we met,” says Cesar, “Hootie’s owner told me how terrible she felt about what had happened, and that she felt responsible for not having protected him.” But feeling responsible wasn’t the worst of it. “She also told me,” he says, “that every time she was with Hootie and spotted a teenage boy, she’d begin to anticipate all the bad things that were about to happen.”

Curing Hootie’s panic-based barking required a three-pronged approach. His fear of kids could be addressed only by having him face them head on—and to that end, Cesar’s sons, Andre and Calvin, were brought along on Hootie’s first rehab-centered pack walk. Once the dog understood the boys posed no threat, Cesar kicked things up a notch, putting Hootie through a new kind of obstacle-course training, in which Andre and Calvin themselves served as the obstacles. He was tentative at first, but it wasn’t long before Hootie was flying over the boys, leash-free.

Now that his owner understood that the sight of a child didn’t have to send Hootie into panic mode, she was able to visualize positive outcomes to future encounters. And the energy those positive pictures engendered helped regenerate Hootie’s confidence: If his leader was feeling good about teens on the scene, why shouldn’t he feel good too?

Alexandra Horowitz notes that a dog’s sensitivity to our emotions—particularly when those emotions involve our own fears—can’t be underestimated. “It is likely that dogs do smell fear, as well as anxiety and sadness,” she says. “Mystical abilities need not be invoked to account for this: fear smells. [When a person is fearful], pheromones are produced involuntarily and unconsciously, and through different means: damaged skin may promote release of them, and there are specialized glands that produce chemicals of alarm. In addition, the very feeling of alarm, fear and every other emotion correlates with physiological changes—from changes in heart rate and breathing rate, to sweating and metabolic changes.”

With his fears identified and faced, and a leader who no longer fueled them with her own frenzied thoughts, Hootie stopped barking and got back to agility training. And if the sight of a teen ever did happen to spook him, a brief introduction by his owner was all it took to bring him back to reality.

Is your dog a barker? Share your experience with us in the comments

The post What Your Dog’s Bark Is Telling You appeared first on Cesar's Way.

Some Prevalent Behaviors in Cannines

Dog Panting

Because dogs sweat through the pads on their feet, most of their body heat is expelled through their mouth when they pant. It’s their primary means of regulating body temperature. Dogs also pant to cope with pain.

Dog Barking

In nature, dogs bark to raise an alarm at the first signs of possible danger or to herald a new arrival. Barking is an important means of canine communication. See What your dog’s bark is telling you.

Dog Chewing

Just as a growing child, your dog will want to chew on toys and other objects to relieve the pain of a new set of teeth coming in. If your dog is full grown, you may also come home to find your couch cushions or favorite pair of shoes ripped to shreds, but it is not because they enjoy the taste. Your dog could be exhibiting signs of separation anxiety or anxiety in general. See 5 steps to correct inappropriate dog chewing.

Dog Digging in Your Yard

Digging is an instinctual activity, written deep in a dog’s DNA. It is especially strong in terrier breeds. Dogs in natural packs will dig to hide food or to uncover food such as small rodents. A den dug in the cool earth can also provide shelter from the heat. See Cesar’s dog training advice on how to get dogs to stop digging.

Jumping Up

Though it may seem like play behavior, or an enthusiastic greeting, jumping up is a sign that your dog is attempting to assert her dominance over you. By encouraging jumping up with affection, you are reinforcing the behavior. See Cesar’s training video on how to deal with dogs jumping when excited.

Dog Biting

A dog will bite a person as a way of communicating their current state of mind. The dog could be reacting in aggression, fear or nervousness. There are, however, ways to prevent a dog bite from ever happening if you stay in tune to the dog’s body language. See Dog bites 101: Why bites happen and how to prevent them.

Separation anxiety

Dogs live and travel in packs, so it’s natural for them to feel anxious when they are separated from their pack-mates. Try taking your dog on a nice, long walk before leaving her alone in the house. Leaving her in resting mode can calm her anxiety.

Once you understand these behaviors, you’ll be better equipped to recognize when your pack’s needs are not being met! When your dog’s needs go unfulfilled, unwanted behaviors begin to emerge. Consider: Are you giving Exercise, Discipline, then Affection?

How has your dog misbehaved lately, and how do you plan to solve the issue? Share your story in the comments.

The post What Are Common Dog Behaviors? appeared first on Cesar's Way.

Remember, barking is natural! It’s an important means of communication for dogs. But sometimes problems can develop. As the pack leader, it’s your job to step in and control excessive barking. Here are my 5 tips to help you stop nuisance barking for good.

Correct Dog Problem Behavior and Follow Through.

Tell your dog to stop barking using a look, a sound, or a physical correction. But don’t stop there. Your dog may pause and then go right back to what he was doing. His body relaxed, but his brain was still on alert. Be patient. Wait until your dog completely submits before you go back to what you were doing.

Stay Calm When Trying to Stop Dog Barking.

Constant barking can be irritating, but you won’t be able to correct the dog behavior problem if you are frustrated. Animals don’t follow unbalanced leaders. In fact, your dog will mirror your energy. If you’re frustrated, he will be, too! And barking is a great release for that frustrated energy. Take a moment to curb your own internal barking first.

Stake Your Claim to Stop the Barking.

Is your dog barking over and over again at the same object, person, situation, or place? Then you need to step up and claim that stimulus as your own. Use your body, your mind, and your calm-assertive energy to create an invisible wall that your dog is not allowed to cross. Do it with 100% dedication and focus, and the results may surprise you.

Stop the Barking by Challenging Your Dog Mentally and Physically.

Excessive barking is often the result of pent-up energy. If this is the case, the solution is simple: release that energy in more productive ways. Does your dog receive a daily walk? Can you make the walk more challenging with a bicycle, a backpack, or by walking on an incline? Can you provide more mental challenges, such as herding, agility training, or simple obedience games? There are many, many ways to increase the challenges in your dog’s life. Find one that you enjoy that your dog can participate in safely.

Get Professional Help to Stop Dog Barking.

When you brought this dog into your life, you made a commitment to provide the care he needs. Prevent dog barking, and other dog behavior problems by calling in a canine professional to help him cope with a behavior issue.

Have you tried any of these techniques? How did it go? Tell us in the comments.

The post Cesar’s Best Tips To Stop Dog Barking appeared first on Cesar's Way.

Does this sound familiar?

Dog howling is a normal behavior in dogs, but it has most likely led you to ask the question, “Why do dogs howl?” Whether it’s when a vehicle drives by or when you’re getting ready to head out the door, your dog’s howl is a unique form of communication that can be triggered by practically anything. Learning the meaning behind dog howling can greatly aid in helping you understand what’s wrong and how you can fix the problem.

If you’re seeking the answer behind why dogs howl, you have come to the right place. Today, we’ll explore key reasons to the common question “Why does my dog howl?” so that you can give the best care possible to your pup.

Let’s begin!

Key Reasons Why Dogs Howl

There are a number of key reasons why dogs howl. Although some of these causes are natural and part of your dog’s ancestry, others could be a sign of health issues and should be addressed right away. By learning what makes dogs howl, you can better understand the care you need to give to your beloved pup.

While dog howling may be annoying, it’s important to realize that it’s a way dogs communicate with us. Your canine may howl when he’s bored, excited, injured or even when he’s happy. Because dog howling can also be a sign of dog sickness, it’s important to find the answers to the question “Why does my dog howl?” so you can determine the best possible treatment.

Are you ready to learn the answer to “Why do dogs howl?” Here we’ve gathered a list of the key reasons why dogs howl. Let’s dig in and explore!

Dog Ancestry

As you’ve listened to your dog howling, has the thought ever passed your mind that she sounds a lot like a howling wolf? That’s probably because dogs are distantly related to wolves, and hence the answer to the question “Why do dogs howl?” is that it’s in their blood.

Sometimes dog howling is done for a specific reason while, other times, dogs howl simply because they’re excited. Whatever the reason may be, howling is part of your dog’s ancestry and totally natural as long as it’s not chronic, pervasive or invasive.

Dog Communication

Another reason why dogs howl is that it’s a form of dog communication. Once again, this is part of dog ancestry. In the wild, wolves howl to tell a lost member of their pack where they are or to ward off another animal that’s encroaching on their territory. For domesticated dogs, this may translate to howling at certain sounds, objects or other dogs. (Read “Pomeranian Puppy Howls Along With Wolves.”)

A common behavior you may have noticed with your dog is his howling at certain sounds like sirens. If your pooch does this, you have most likely asked yourself the question “Why do dogs howl at sirens?” Although there are several causes for dogs howling at high-pitched noises, one reason is that your dog may think there is another dog in the distance. Another reason for dogs howling at sirens may be that your dog is protecting you from what he believes is a threat. His howling is a way of communicating with you to let you know there is danger in the area.

Howling used as dog communication should be expected and isn’t anything to worry about as long as it isn’t accompanied by aggression toward other dogs or people. If, however, your dog is showing other symptoms of illness, it may be a sign of dog injury or sickness.

Dog Sickness and Dog Injury

In some cases, a dog sickness or injury may be expressed through howling. Dogs who are ill or injured likely will howl frequently or in a shrieking manner. Additionally, your dog may experience other symptoms such as loss of appetite, labored breathing, weight loss or constant licking at his wounds.

If you think your dog is howling due to medical causes, it is best to take him to a vet for a checkup. Dog howling could be a sign of a dog injury or dog sickness and consequently should be taken seriously.

Separation Anxiety in Dogs

If your dog tends to howl every time you leave the house, it is most likely a sign that your dog is suffering from separation anxiety. Unlike a joyful, excited howl, a dog with separation anxiety will persistently howl as soon as he senses you are leaving him alone. Dog howling can be triggered in both severe and mild cases of separation anxiety in dogs.

How do you know when dog howling is being caused by separation anxiety? Unlike howling caused by a certain noise or person, dog howling because of separation anxiety in dogs will be accompanied by other symptoms, including destroying things, pacing the floor, escaping his crate or eliminating inside the house. Howling of this kind will take time and consistent effort to overcome.

We hope this article has answered your question “Why do dogs howl?” and helped you understand the meaning behind your dog’s vocalizations. Remember, some forms of dog howling are due to dog ancestry, while others may be a sign of dog sickness or even separation anxiety in dogs. If your dog is showing other symptoms besides howling, it is best to consult with a vet. In some cases, howling is their way of communicating with you about an injury or illness.

Is your dog a howler? Tell us about it in the comments!

The post Why Do Dogs Howl? appeared first on Cesar's Way.

Why Dogs Bark

Dogs bark for a variety of reasons. They may be giving a warning to another animal, sounding an alarm, playing or instigating play, joining in the excitement of the moment, demanding a reaction (even using it as a command), doing it on command, out of fear and the need to drive another animal or object away, and sometimes dogs bark just for the sake of barking. On occasion it can be a combination of any of these. When puppies bark it can be insecurity after leaving the pack.

We don’t necessarily want to stop dog barking though, especially when the barking is an alarm alerting us to danger, or perhaps warding off an intruder. But we do want to stop dog barking when we ask them to, and we don’t want them to bark if there is no reason. Some dogs will bark at the slightest noise, disturbance or movement. Often, although barking could be in the breed’s instinct, the owner has unknowingly reinforced the behavior. If we shout at the dog that is barking he may think we are joining in. If we tell him gently to be quiet or give him affection, he may mistakenly think we like it and sees this calm voice as praise for barking.

Barking for the Right Reason

With all of these different forms of barking there are a variety of approaches we can take to ensure the barking is for the right reason and we can prevent dog barking when the reason is no longer there. Much of this will come from the confidence the owner shows to his dog in being able to handle different situations. To gain this confidence the owner has to get to know his dog and the situations that create the barking. With this understanding, an owner can demonstrate calm, confident leadership and take control in the right way. The dog responds because he can trust the leader has taken charge. From the very beginning of our dog/owner partnership, we should be building a foundation that allows such trust and confidence. Remember that dog barking is one way the dog communicates to us, so we do not wish to prevent dog barking but we do wish to control barking as required. Learning to read your dog’s signals and means of communicating is incredibly important to your overall relationship.

How to Stop Dog Barking

There are several ways to stop excessive dog barking. You can take a variety of actions, so consider the ones you can be consistent in applying and you’ll increase your odds of success.

Gently Closing Your Dog’s Mouth

If you have a dog that will bark and ‘sport’ at people or other animals a head halter, such as a Gentle Leader that enables you to close his mouth and guide him into an acceptable behavior is a big advantage. Introduce the halter so your dog accepts it willingly and, when an unwanted bark happens, lift the leash so the dog’s mouth closes and he is guided into a sit. Now move again and change your direction creating attention to you as you move elsewhere. So, we stop dog barking, we gain attention and we redirect to an acceptable behavior in one simple step.

Have Your Dog Bring You a Present

Another way to keep your dog’s mouth closed is to encourage her to bring a “present” to you, a guest, or someone in your home; or to simply to encourage him to enjoy carrying objects. Dogs that enjoy retrieving will often pick up a toy and carry it around just to show their pleasure. Naturally dogs cannot bark when they are holding a toy. But be careful not to give the toy when dog barking is in progress or the dog could mistake the toy as a reward for barking.

Bark on Command

Another approach that can work is to teach your dog to bark on command, or “speak,” and then command him to be quiet. If you use treats or even verbal praise – do wait a few seconds after dog has finished barking before rewarding him. What you don’t want him to think is that he is being rewarded for barking when really he is being rewarded for being quiet. To get him to bark initially you can have someone ring your doorbell or you can encourage him to bark by “barking” yourself. Have him on a leash during the exercise so that you can distract and stop the barking with a light pop of the leash. To make the response even better teach your dog that he can bark at the doorbell but then must be quiet and go to a place near the door where he can watch who is at the door and allow them to come in. This can give a very effective security touch to a home. Dog barks, owners says “Quiet,” and he stops barking, showing he is under control. When the door is opened he is sat watching and waiting for anything that could be a threat. One word – “Speak” – has him barking again. So by teaching the commands – “Speak,” “Quiet,” and “Place,” – you have a dog that is both under control, yet ready to give a warning or even threaten if required.

Create Distractions

With some dogs it does require an interrupter or distraction to take their mind off of the stimulus to bark. In other words, there has to be something that breaks the concentration on the barking. In some cases the intensity is too high for a verbal command to cut through the behavior. The interrupter in that case may be another noise, such as using a tool that emits a high frequency sound when the dog barks. This is not a pleasant sound to the dog and interrupts his barking. A beanbag, a piece of chain and even a can with pebbles or coins in it, can provide the interruption too. It works like this – the dog barks and this loud object lands on the floor in front of him. You act as though it came from “Heaven.” Now he thinks every time he barks for no reason or if he continues unnecessarily, something falls from the sky.

Barking does not always require a big interrupter, however. You can use everyday objects. If your dog barks near to you, slam the cupboard door or a drawer, so the noise distracts or startles him. Make nothing of this, and carry on as normal. This can work especially well when a dog barks simply to be let out of a crate. You don’t want to scare the dog, just quickly alter his state of mind and change the focus. He should not see you launch the object or make the noise. He has to think that the unwanted barking creates the occurrence. Practice this while you are watching TV, working in the kitchen or whatever you’re doing – the dog should not relate it to you but to the nuisance barking. An important part of this is that if you do drop or throw an object it should not hit the dog, but land at his feet. You should also leave it there for a while so he does not relate it to you. Remember though that you have to be able to understand and translate the different barks. One of his barks may be – I need to go to the bathroom. So learn to understand the tone of the bark or noise he makes.

Think Twice Before Ignoring

Of course another less preferable way is to ignore the barking and wait for it to go away. In a crate or enclosed area this may work (particularly with a puppy who is learning to settle) but if the dog is outside or in a large area then the barking itself can be self-rewarding. In many instances there are multiple stimuli occurring which will encourage the dog barking. In my opinion, dogs should never be left outside unsupervised or unaccompanied. Go out with your dog and do not allow him to run the fence, race down the hedgerow chasing the cars, or barking at the person walking by. Show your control and confidence in handling these situations and be the leader of your pack. Have him on a leash or a long line so that you can reinforce your commands and maintain control without shouting or becoming agitated.

Crate Training your Puppy

A puppy barking in his crate may stop if covered with a cloth sheet so he is not stimulated to bark by what he sees. With a cover over it, the crate also feels more like a den and hence more secure. Some puppies will stop barking if allowed to sleep in their crate next to the owners’ bed, or with a belonging that smells of the owner or their siblings. When your puppy is in the crate do get to know the sounds he makes and unless it is an emergency for the bathroom do not go and open the crate or let the puppy out when the puppy barks. If you do he will learn to bark demanding to be let out and in this way tell you what to do. Sometimes a squirt bottle of water can be used to direct a spray at a puppy that barks in the crate but I have seen dogs that enjoy this too and make a game out of it. Plus, it can make quite a mess.

Bark Collars

And finally there are bark collars that automatically set off an interrupter when the dog wearing the bark collar barks. Some bark collars emit a noise, some bark collars a blast of air or citronella and some use an electric stimulation between two points on the collar that limit the feeling to that area. They can all work. My experience has been that the electronic one is the most successful and most important only the dog wearing it feels the interrupter. The citronella spray bark collar and the noise bark collar can be triggered if other dogs close by are barking. With any form of bark collar, however, I would recommend you seek expert advice before using one.

Be the Pack Leader

I mentioned the importance of your relationship and confidence not only in your own ability to handle situations but also your dog’s confidence in you. This comes through dog exercise, dog training, spending time together, setting limits and boundaries and showing appreciation for behaviors that are pleasing. Controlled walks, games such as retrieving, and learning to be patient by simply sitting or laying down by your side or relaxing in his crate will create a companion that sees no need to bark without a good reason. In this way you build a foundation of trust and confidence that lets your dog know when he can and should bark and also when he can be quiet.

What triggers you dog’s barking? Tell us all about it in the comments.

The post How to Prevent Dog From Barking appeared first on Cesar's Way.

In an effort to give a voice back to the dogs, Massachusetts passed bill H.B. 344, known as “Logan’s Law,” that bans the controversial de-barking procedure without a diagnosed medical purpose. While several states have attempted similar legislation, including California, New Jersey, and Ohio, Massachusetts has set the precedent by fully banning the devocalization surgery. Ohio currently maintains a law that only “vicious” dogs may undergo the procedure.

The Animal Law Coalition hopes that this recent development in Massachusetts will encourage other states to adopt similar legislation and set the standard for debarking regulations.

Devocalization

“Devocalization does not address the underlying behavior that may be causing the barking or crying,” states the ALC on their site. “The reason for the barking or crying, whether fear, boredom, stress, will continue and escalate, and a devocalized dog or cat may act out in other ways, including by biting, and as a result, end up in the pound.”

The reasons for devocalization vary among cases, but the majority stem from behavioral issues and breeding practices. Some owners turn to the procedure as a solution to excessive barking, and many breeders find a “silent” dog as a more desirable buy—especially for those involved in the dog show circuit.

The surgery

The surgery involves cutting certain tissues in the vocal chords, either through the mouth or through an incision in the larynx, and does not involve entirely removing the vocal chords. The end results of the procedure differ among dogs, but usually leave the dog with nothing more than a hoarse or squeaky wheeze.

As of late, the surgery has fallen out of favor with many vets, and some veterinarian educational programs are no longer including it in the curriculum, much to the satisfaction and “about time” mentality of animal rights activists around the country and the world. According to Jeffery Klausner, DVM, MS, DACVIM, Banfield, The Pet Hospital’s senior vice president and chief medical officer, the 750 Banfield vet practices across the country have officially banned the procedure all together.

“It is easy to see why most veterinarians will not perform this procedure unless there is an absolute medical necessity such as a laryngeal mass,” said Dr. Kristy Conn, a practicing vet for more than a decade. “It is a dangerous procedure because there are many blood vessels in this area that supply the larynx and trachea, disruption of the blood supply can lead to tissue death. Scarring is a common problem which results in glottic stenosis which is narrowing of the area where the vocal cords are removed.”

Last resort

While there is no unanimous opinion among vets regarding the procedure, the American Veterinary Medical Association offers the official stance that “canine devocalization should only be performed by qualified, licensed veterinarians as a final alternative after behavioral modification efforts to correct excessive vocalization have failed.” Surprisingly, the topic has become a heated political issue in the state of Massachusetts, and some call the ‘bark softening’ legislation a lie.

“This vote sets a dangerous precedent by banning a veterinary procedure based on emotional media promotion, and requiring vets to justify their medical decision,” said Bonnie Chandler, a local Boston farmer and dog trainer, in an article published in the Harvard Press. “This precedent is just what the animal rights folks are waiting for. They announced years ago what they plan to do with it: Ban more and more veterinary procedures and demand more oversight, until it becomes impossible or too expensive to keep pets healthy.”

But animal rights advocates believe that the procedure takes the strongest form of communication away from dogs. Excessive barking can often be attributed to boredom, loneliness and distress, and can commonly be remedied with nonsurgical interaction.

“Debarking a dog is similar to cutting the vocal cords of a two year old tot so he can’t cry and make a nuisance,” said Dr. Conn. “It is a convenience procedure since the surgery addresses the symptoms but not the underlying cause of incessant barking.”

If you find that your dog’s barking is a problem, refer to these 5 tips for handling nuisance barking.

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