While barking is natural for dogs – it’s their form of communication. If your dog is barking excessively day and night, this could point to an underlying problem. Why a dog is barking is not always obvious to us. Dogs have an enhanced sense of smell and hearing, meaning they may notice things way before we do.
But occasionally barking can become a problem, when they start to relate barking with a problem or need. Sometimes a dog needs a little training to curb his excessive barking. Occasionally there are other causes which may need looking deeper into.
Common Causes of Excessive Barking
Fear
Loneliness
Boredom/not enough exercise
Sickness or pain
Ageing
Territorial
Anxiety
Excitement
How to Curb Excessive Barking
The first step to curbing your dog’s excessive barking is to find the root of the problem. If your dog has never had any training, he needs to be taught when it’s acceptable to bark and when to quieten down. Being a pup parent means you have to teach your furry friend right from wrong. If your dogs barking is new, a trip to the vet is advised to check for any health conditions.
Ask Your Vet
New, excessive barking could point to a health condition or some sort of pain. Your vet will do checks according to your dog’s age to rule out any problems. If you do find something wrong, he will help you put a plan in place to make things better.
Basic Training
Dogs who excessively bark have often had zero basic training to teach them good behavior. Your dog could be barking because he is excited, lonely, bored, territorial when he sees another dog or maybe scared in certain situations. Once you pinpoint his trigger, work on behavior modification training. Ensure he gets enough exercise and show him how to act in his trigger situations.
Natural Health Supplement
Just like humans, dogs face stressful situations and can suffer from anxiety. Those loud fireworks, banging from the builders, loud music or separation anxiety can all stress your pup out. To help keep him calm, try a natural health supplement like PetCalm. Containing Hop, Skullcap, Valerian, St John’s Wort, Passiflora extract and Capsicum powder, all these natural ingredients are known to help induce a feeling of calm.