How to Stop Your Dog From Barking
Hearing a dog bark incessantly gets REALLY annoying really fast. It makes matters worse when you know its your dog making the noise. You can just imagine what your neighbours are thinking, and it wont be flattering!
I just read an article from the Online Dog Trainer "Doggy Dan" who explained why constant barking occurs. This was a brand new idea to me - even after owning a number of dogs myself. I thought excess barking could be typical of a specific breed, or perhaps the dog was improperly trained. I was wrong - theres a very good reason why your dog may be barking a lot. He thinks its his job to protect you.
Regardless of the fact that you paid money for him, hes living in your house and probably riding in your car, if your energy does not signal leadership to your dog, (according to the pack leader criteria in the canine world) someone has to be in charge so your dog steps in!
It is the job of the canine pack leader to protect his pack members, so if your dog perceives anyone to be a threat to you, he has no choice but to bark, trying to warn you of the danger, and scare off the person or other dog (or both, if everyone is out for a walk.) Your dog is instinctively doing his duty to you, even though you may be surprised to discover that you have been "demoted" to a pack member despite your buying the food and serving it.
Another reason a dog may do a lot of barking while you are away from home, is if he feels he is the pack leader and you are missing from his pack, hes trying to call (bark) you home. It is very stressing to have a pack member missing, and a stressed dog can get into a lot of trouble trying to relieve that stress. Chewing your furniture might be therapeutic for your dog - at least until you get home.
Your only solution is to understand what the dog leadership rules are, and transform yourself into the leader your dog can respect and follow. This is not a negotiation. It is an acceptance of a particular type of energy that dogs perceive as in charge. (I remember an amazing story about a lady who owned a pit bull rescue shelter. She had about 30 pits, and they were all terrorized by a chihuahua - who could have been a snack for any one of the pit bulls. Its all about the energy!) When you establish your leadership energy, suddenly your dog will gladly relax, and wont have to bark himself silly or eat up your house.
To get an indepth idea of what it takes to become a human pack leader enjoying life with a calm, relaxed dog, take a visit to Doggy Dans website.
http://tinyurl.com/doggyexpert
He has a lot of information and inspiring testimonials as he explains what the natural dog laws are. Life will be different for you and your dog once you fully understand them.
