Barking at nothing. (Or shall we say - "barking at
everything"?)
Excessive barking is one noise nuisance you and your neighbours do not need to suffer.
Dogs bark for various reasons - to warn off intruders from their turf, to try
and communicate a need to their owner, to have a wobbly when they are not getting their own way, because their adrenalin is running too high or because they are suffering separation anxiety,
for example.
Only when you understand what the actual reason for your dog's barking is, can you cure it, and Natural Dog Training teaches dog ownes to shift their perspective and see things the way dogs do. For example - when we command them, they (not being human) are receiving signals that inform their instincts that we are barking with them. "After all", says one of the greates British writers, Ian McEwan "Imagining what it is like to be someone other than yourself is at the core of our humamnity. It is the essence of compassion". And what is dog owning without compassion?
Indeed, what is any behaviour modification or dog training without it? Insensitive to the dog's feelings, and not nearly as effective.
Imagining what it is like to be a dog enables the Natural Dog
Training programme to actually remove the underlying cause of all unecessary barking. It is therefore both kind and easy for both dog and owner, and the results are immediate as well as long term.
Pam Whyte was approached by a vet at
the Animal Protection Institute in the USA to write a paper for them on curing excessive barking in the domestic dog for the holistic vets,
as they stated that her natural approach was the only non-pharmaceutical, non-surgical solution to the problem.
This is achieved by removing the root cause of the problem - rather than by simply treating the superficial symptom by disciplining, so-called
"positive reinforcement" with treats, (which dogs quickly learn to train their owners to dish up) and so called "negative reinforcement" by making a loud noise, which in theory the dog is supposed to "associate with barking" and therefore not bark, but which actually frequently excites the dog, causing him to bark more. and if it does work, in reality the dog (who is not a machine but has feelings) actually associates this fear-inducing reaction with his owner and this, sadly, can cause him to lose his trust in her/him. Naturally!
Then there are anti-bark citronella spray collars and other torture equipment like electric collars. The citronella spray collars are not regarded as cruel to the dogs because they do not inflict pain. But there are other ways of inflicting suffering - these collars block the dog's access to oxygen for a while, causing him such intense anxiety that he dare not bark again. Not only is this very inhumane, but what if a burglar comes? Cutting the dog's vocal cords, of course is mutilation.
Which are all not dissimilar to stifling a baby's
cry to silence her or him, rather than attending to the need that they are trying to communicate to their parents! Natural Dog Training - as the holistic vets in the USA point out - is kind because it teaches dog ownes to determine exactly why their dog is barking, and as with a crying baby - to attend to what he or she is trying to communicate to their owner. A dog is a sentient being who needs to be heard and to be understood. Not to be treated like a piece of machinery with an on and an off switch - without any emotions - which is what so many dog professionals are taught to believe. If dogs had no feelings, might as well live with pet rocks.
Dogs also bark because we bark! Yes - even though we are unaware of the fact. This is because dogs are aliens, remember! So, because dogs do not command each other, when we command them to stop barking, they think we are also barking! (And we think
they are disobedient!) I don't know what they think - perhaps it's better not to know.
So how do we stop our dogs barking for nothing!? Dog
Training the Natural Way will give you a simple solution. Through knowing why our dog is barking, you can remove the actual cause of the problem, so the dog no longer feels compelled to draw attention to his need, to his stress, or to his confusion. Or to himself.
Dogs that go to
obedience training bark at the next door dog, at dogs on their walk, at people that pass by. This is because dogs at dog training learn to bark. Dogs learn by example - so this is what they are learning from other dogs. (And from the trainers.) this is what they are actually learning. And because a command is also a sharp, loud outburst - they think their owners are barking too. And as we know, barking spreads from dog to another...
If their dog then stops
barking, the owner thinks that her or his dog is obedient - but in reality, there is no need for the dog to continue barking because he has accomplished his mission. Provoked a reaction from his owner. I.e. - made them bark. (Owners are never disobedient.) If he hadn't been to
obedience training - he would not have learnt how to train his owner to "bark"… (In human lingo, to tell him to stop - in dog lingo, to bark too.) Once you have learnt to look at yourself through the eyes of your dog, it is all so easy. Just child's play.
Excessive barking can also result from dogs grieving when their owners go out. This does not mean that you must never go out in order to keep your dog happy!
It means that your dog needs to be more adaptable and to develop self sufficiency.
Pam Whyte points out how dogs that bark whenever they don't get their own way are dogs that have become "attention junkies" and want to be the centre of
attention all the time, so when they are not the main attraction, they have a "barking tantrum". Dog Training the Natural Way takes you gently through a
programme that shows you how to stabilize your dog's emotions, which gives him peace of mind, thus removing the urge to demand attention whenever he is not getting his own way.
(Yes, it does work for children too. So Pam's clients tell her - and they should know.)
Natural Dog Training has a proven solution. Pam's house calls, Living with an Alien, her Home Training Kit and booklet on adrenalin-related problems
all give very high success rates. (And families, dogs and neighbours peace of mind.)
Whether your dog barks "for nothing", "barks all the time", "barks at nothing"' barks excessively", doesn't bark, barks at everything,
barks at everything that moves, never stops barking, barks at everyone that passes, barks at visitors, barks at children, barks at every sound,
barks at (and with) the next door dog, barks at cats…. (which gives rise to legislation against barking dogs) Dog Training the Natural Way will give you all the solutions! This will also make your dog a far better watchdog, because then you will know that when he is barking, there is a
valid reason for it.
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