Is the Barking Driving You Crazy?

True confession: Barking drives me nuts! Really! Beyond the fact that it often indicates a dog in some distress, I just don’t particularly like the sound! I think perhaps that is why I got so good at finding solutions to solve any barking problems. You’ll find solutions for barking and other common behavior problems in this month’s monthly bonus item: Problem Behavior Management Guide. Here are a few tips I’ve found useful.

First of all, understand that barking happens for a wide range of reasons. A dog might bark to play, because he’s excited, out of fear or even to relieve stress or boredom. All types of barking tend to have the same result for the humans…we get frustrated and annoyed if it goes on too long. Excessive barking, regardless of the reason, may irritate the other dogs as well as the staff and detracts from a fun, pleasant pet care environment. Understanding the reason for the barking is critical to helping the dog.

Teach your staff to listen to the various tones of each dog. Barking, growling and whining can all occur in a wide range of pitches for each dog.   Generally speaking the more stress the dog is experiencing, the higher the pitch and the faster the vocalization will become. Those who have been in the pet care industry for any length of time know that you learn to identify a single dog’s bark from an entire group of dogs. You will also learn to identify sounds that mean a dog is playing and those that mean a dog is injured, scared or angry. In order to figure out why a dog is barking, it will help to identify the various tones of barking.

One of my personal pet peeves is stress barking that is being ignored by staff members. I’ve been in some facilities where this type of barking happens so frequently that the staff becomes immune to it. That is one of the saddest situation I ever encounter. It’s as if the people no longer realize the amount of stress the dogs are going through. Please don’t ever get so accustomed to hearing this type of barking that you ignore it!

Secondly, based on the reason for the barking, begin to implement some management options. Keep in mind that there is no one size fits all when it comes to managing barking. What will work for one dog, may not work for another. You will need to experiment to see what works best for each individual dog. Here are a few methods to get you started.

• Redirect the dog – One of the most common bark-stopping strategies is to distract and redirect the barking. This works especially well if the dog is frustrated or bored. Provide an alternative behavior for the barking dog. If the dog is with a playgroup, you might want to try redirecting the dog to another playmate, do some leadership exercises with him, or take him for a walk around the room on leash. The goal here is to give the dog something else to do.
• Change the environment – Sometimes a change in the environment will help a barking dog. Have you provided quiet, down time for the dogs so they aren’t over stimulated? Like children in need of a nap, some dogs will bark when they get overly tired. This is one of the reasons The Dog Gurus recommend nap times during daycare! For other dogs, they don’t get enough stimulation. Long hours without human interaction can cause barking from boredom. Be sure that your staff is spending some quality time with each dog in your care. Also provide environmental enrichment activities for the dogs so they can use their brains even if they can’t get out for physical exercise. This is a great reason to practice the leadership games with the dogs! You might also try games such as follow the leader, find the employee or any game that requires the dog to think!
• Using a head collar, such as the Gentle Leader^® – A head collar can help calm down an excited dog. For dogs who bark because they are over stimulated, you might try this option. Be sure to fit the headcollar properly and supervise the dog while he is wearing it. This is not a good option to use if the dog is alone, but it is often used successfully during an off-leash playgroup.
• Leash Walking – sometimes a dog just needs some time walking with someone. This might be a quick outing with a staff member outside the facility, but it works equally well with dogs who are barking during off-leash play. Walking a dog through the playroom with a staff member can often calm the dog down so he stops barking.
• Homeopathic remedies – Essential oils and Bach Flower essences can have a calming effect on many dogs. For dogs who are stressed or overstimulated, you might try Bach Rescue Remedy in their water bowl, or Lavender essential oil placed on a towel, bedding or bandanna. Other options would be a diffuser with dog-appeasing pheromones, such as Comfort Zone^®. Obviously, these products should be used with the owner’s permission.

Sometimes nothing works and the dog must be evaluated for continued attendance in daycare. Dogs that are barking due to excessive stress may need an environment other than daycare. Your job, as a responsible facility owner should be to address the emotional health of the dog and be the dog’s advocate, so be prepared to have a conversation with the owner about the best options for their dog.