Columnist Dave Barry was once quoted as saying, “Dogs feel very strongly that they should always go with you in the car, in case the need should arise for them to bark violently at nothing right in your ear.” Dogs bark, sometimes for reasons unknown to their owner. A plastic bag could be blowing in the wind a mile away, the dog needs to tell somebody. Or the motivation may be more obvious, a door knock, a thunderstorm, an owner is not sharing the turkey he is carving fast enough. There are a hundred and one reasons for a dog to bark. Barking excessively, however, should not be tolerated.
The key to prevent excessive barking is to determine why the dog is barking. Once the owner narrows down the cause, a solution won’t be far behind.
Is the dog bored?
If an owner has a bored puppy on her hands, she needs to provide the dog with more exercise and some mental stimulation. Hide a favorite treat for the dog and let them “track” it. A treat cube is also good to exercise for the brain. It is a puzzle that can to be rolled certain ways for treats to come out. Signing up for some special training classes (Agility, flyball, dock jumping, etc…) will keep the brain sharp, the body active and will keep the boredom at bay.
