Silencing
the Problem Barker
Barking is a
natural behavior, but becomes a nuisance when carried to extremes. Here's what
you can do about it.
By Douglas Kirk and Valerie Matthews, DVM
Barking is generally considered a normal
behavior that most dogs display.
Some breeds tend to bark more than others, and domesticated dogs seem to bark more frequently and for different reasons than wild dogs. Barking is, after all, a method by which dogs communicate with one another and with their human companions.
However, dogs that bark in excess can
become annoying or downright disruptive to the general peace. Some cities have
ordinances to govern the barking of dogs and assess fines or other penalties to
those who own dogs that bark excessively. Barking has even been known to cause
neighborhood disputes and subsequent court battles. It is prudent, therefore,
to learn how to control your dog's barking. To do so, it is important to
understand the reasons that dogs bark.
Why
Do Dogs Bark?
We've identified seven general reasons for
barking. Each generates a different kind of bark with a unique sound.
1.
Barking to induce play. This bark can become
associated with almost any activity that leads to reward. For instance, a dog
that barks at garbage trucks because they intrude within its territory will
learn that persistent barking leads to the disappearance of the trucks. This
rewards the barking behavior, and a cycle is begun that is difficult to break.
Persistent barking can then generalize to other objects, such as school buses,
neighbors walking by, children on the way to school, the paper boy, mailman,
milkman and so on. To break the cycle, it is necessary to interrupt the natural
system of reward.
2.
Barking to discipline young. This sound usually involves
a snap and a sharp bark, uttered when puppies or younger dogs do something that
irritates an older dog. The bark itself generally does not persist, as one or
two warnings usually stop younger animals in their tracks.
3.
Barking to warn of danger.
This is a deep, repeated bark. The dog's
tail will be motionless or lowered to the ground and the dog's forelimbs will
be widely spaced on the ground. The barking will generally persist until the
dog is able to retreat to a position of safety.
4.
Barking to threaten intruders. This bark may
include an angry growl. The dog may raise its hackles and the hair on its back
and tail. The dog will plant all four feet squarely and assume a fighting
stance. As the dog barks, the teeth and gums will be readily visible. To stop
spending more time with the dog at regular intervals not instigated by barking,
your dog will feel more assured that it will get sufficient attention from you
and will not have as much inclination to bark for companionship.
How do you teach a barking dog to
distinguish between friends and strangers? The solution is to show the dog that
certain individuals (garbage collectors, mailmen, milkmen) are, indeed,
friends. To accomplish this, the dog has to be introduced to these people and
given an opportunity to get to know them. While this is not always practical,
it is nonetheless a potential solution. As you restrain your dog, stop delivery
people and have a short conversation with them, letting them meet the dog for a
brief period. Repeat and lengthen the process over the next few weeks.
Eventually, your dog should accept these individuals and all should be well
until your regular mailman is sick and another takes his place.
What
do you do with a dog that barks at guests in your house?
One solution is to take the dog to another
room and give it something to do. Or, if the guest comes to your home often and
you don't want to have to lock up the dog every time, work to gradually
introduce one to the other. Have the guest get on his knees, pet the dog, offer
it a treat, and more or less become part of the family. Let your dog establish
the speed at which this relationship develops. Don't force it, or your dog may
become alarmed by a "pushy" guest. After such a bark, you must either remove the intruder or
remove the dog from the situation. Sometimes, stepping to the dog's side and
assuring it thatall is well will cause it to stop barking.
5.
Curiosity barking. In general, this bark is displayed when
there is some activity near a dog, but in such a place where the animal cannot
have a good look. It is as if the dog is saying, "Hey, what is up?"
The dog will display excitement and tend to pace erratically with a slightly
wagging tail.
To stop the barking, all you have to do is
let the dog see what it is curious about.
6.
Barking for companionship. This is an incessant,
repetitive bark,
accompanied by a relatively motionless tail
and concentration toward the area most associated with the dog's owners. The
solution to this type of bark is to spend more time with the dog and to allow
the dog access to the area where humans spend their time. Dogs that are ignored,
tied out or locked up alone often display this bark.
7.
Barking for reward. Finally, dogs can be inadvertently
trained to bark and will persist with remarkable resistance. Barking at the
phone? This is simply a case of a dog that has been rewarded for barking at the
phone ringing. When the dog barks, someone eventually answers the phone and it
stops ringing. To stop your dog from doing this, have a friend call and let the
phone ring until the dog loses interest. Continue over a period of days and in
time the dog will learn that barking at the phone accomplishes nothing.
Finally,
what do you do with the dog that barks while you are away from home?
There are several possible solutions. One
is to act as if you are leaving, then stand outside the door until the dog
barks. When it does, return and scold it verbally. Another is to get your dog a
companion but you might end up with two barkers! A third is to use a
sound-activated tape recorder.
When the dog barks, the sound switch turns
on the tape recorder for a minute. The tape plays your voice scolding the dog.
Some systems can repeat as many as 45 times while you are away.
Other
Solutions to Excessive Barking
The first five reasons for barking are
rarely the cause of "excessive" or
"annoying" barking. They are
usually specific to certain situations and short lived.
The sixth and seventh reasons are those
most likely to be considered problem barking, and they are not unrelated.
Barking for companionship can turn into barking for reward. The dog barks to
get its owner's attention, the owner comes to the dog to tell it to be quiet,
perhaps petting it or playing with it, and goes away again. The dog is quiet
while the owner is there, but has learned that barking will bring the owner
back. Thus the system of barking and reward is established. A solution, again,
is to spend more time with your dog and have it near you rather than somewhere
separate from you. However, if your dog is separated from you and it begins to
bark to get your attention, do not immediately go to the dog. It must learn
that barking will not guarantee your presence. Dogs will stop barking as the
play proceeds. If you do not play with the dog, the animal will eventually give
up and stop barking.
The best way to reduce your dog's barking is
to pay attention to the reasons for the bark. If you can satisfy the dog's
needs, barking will automatically be reduced. By the same token, learned
barking can be extremely persistent.
Rewards can cause the cycle to go on for
years. The best solution is prevention, so be aware of the possibilities and
work to stop problem barking before it starts.
Sadly, sometimes other forms of attempting
to work out a barking dog between neighbors fails.
The public may fill out an Animal Complaint
Form: http://animalcare.lacounty.gov/Animal_Complaint_Form.asp
Filing this complaint begins a formal proceeding against the owner(s) of the animal(s). If necessary, an unresolved complaint will be turned over to the city attorney of the city where the problem exists or the District Attorney for possible prosecution.
For the Altadena Area, our local Animal
Shelter and
4275 Elton, Baldwin
Park
(626) 962-3577
http://animalcare.lacounty.gov/
http://animalcare.lacounty.gov/lawsordinances.asp
Barking Dog Complaint Procedures
California Penal Code
Section 373a provides:
Every person who maintains, permits or allows a public
nuisance to exist upon his or her property or premises, and every person
occupying or leasing the property or premises of another who maintains, permits
or allows a public nuisance to exist thereon, after reasonable notice in
writing from a health officer or district attorney or city attorney or
prosecuting attorney to remove, discontinue or abate the same has been served
upon such person, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be punished
accordingly; and the existence of such nuisance for each and every day after
the service of such notice shall be deemed a separate and distinct offense, and
it is hereby made a duty of the district attorney or the city attorney of any
city the charter of which imposes the duty upon the city attorney to prosecute
state misdemeanors, to prosecute all persons guilty of violating this section
by continuous prosecutions until the nuisance is abated and removed.
Similarly, most municipal
ordinances define "public nuisance animal" as:
Any animal or animals which by any sound or cry disturb the
peace and comfort of any neighborhood, or interfere with any person in the
reasonable and comfortable enjoyment of life or property.
Our officers make a reasonable effort to resolve complaints
regarding public nuisance animals, such as dogs that bark excessively, through
communication and education. After a complaint has been received, our officers
communicate, in person and/or via telephone and correspondence, with the
owner(s) of the dog(s) in question, inform him/her a complaint has been
received, and provide him/her with information and literature to assist him/her
in identifying reason(s) which may be causing his/her dog(s) to bark
excessively, and possible solutions to the problem.
During rare incidents when literature and education have
failed to resolve a complaint and every reasonable effort on the part of our
officers has been exhausted, the complaint is handled via a petition process,
which may result in all parties involved, including the owner(s) of the dog(s),
the complaining party and witnesses, appearing and testifying before a public
hearing and/or a court of law.
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