© copyright 04.Sep.2009 by Paul Bradley posted under Dogs.
When Zelda's been barking nonstop for three hours, your neighbours will probably not care what set her off and why she's still at it. They may complain to you, but they may also just call in a noise complaint that can lead to a fine for you or, if it continues, to having Zelda taken away from you. If you have any hope of correcting this behaviour, however, you need to care what set her off and why she's still at it. Barking comes naturally to dogs, but they are not born knowing when and where their human friends will consider it desirable or appropriate. You must teach them.
Before you can begin, you have to listen to Zelda when she barks. While you won't understand her in the literal sense of the word, you can learn to identify, usually by the context, what she's trying to say. Zelda's barking could be a happy bark, a caution to someone who has entered "her" territory, a bid for attention, or even a warning to you and your family of danger. As with any behaviour, the key is not punishment and negative reinforcement but reward and positive reinforcement.
This behaviour is easy to spot. If Zelda starts barking as soon as you pick up your keys or close the door behind you and continues for any length of time, chances are her distress comes from the fear that you will not return. In this case, your job is to let her know that you will return to her. Start by removing the instant association with the cues: put on your boots, but don't leave right away; pick up your keys, then walk into another room and sit down. Don't ignore her completely, but downplay your actual departure by speaking calmly: a long, drawn-out goodbye only emphasizes that she is being left behind. Likewise, when you return, don't rush to her with an effusive greeting. Keep it low key for five or ten minutes after you arrive home. It can also help to make sure she has something to keep her occupied when you walk out the door. One way is to get one of the many toys available that hold a snack or a dab of peanut butter that she has to work at to eat.
Dogs need mental and physical stimulation to thrive, just as humans do. If Zelda spends her days in the same room or two or tied up in the yard, she will get bored-and lonely. She needs attention, exercise, a change of scenery, a long run, and extended playtime with her favourite human.
Zelda may also bark to be let out, or let in, taken for a walk, or to remind you to fill her water dish. There is probably a better—that is, quieter—way for her to communicate these, and you should train her to use those behaviours instead.
Dogs are pack animals. Their social structure follows a predictable hierarchy based on the dog's personality and attitude, not her size or strength, and the male and female whose posturing and behaviour make them the "leaders" are known as the Alpha dogs. These roles can change over time. Dogs are also territorial. When someone steps into "her" space — especially another dog — Zelda reacts to not only protect her space but to exhibit her dominance over the intruder. She cannot be the Alpha dog, as that role must fall to you, but that does not necessarily make her the Omega dog, the most subordinate member of the pack.
The problem with barking prompted by territorial instincts may not be that she does it, but that she believes she must keep it up as long as she believes the threat remains. Since you are the Alpha dog, however, it is up to you to determine whether or not there is a threat, and she should stop barking on your command. When she barks at an "intruder" — which could be the meter reader, a wandering Chihuahua, or a burglar—you need to investigate, praise her, and give her the proper response command, whether that be to stop barking or to protect you.
Remember, you are the Alpha dog. If Zelda sits at the window and barks at everything that moves, you need to correct that. (Attach a long lead to her and when she starts, give her a quick, but not rough, tug; if someone walks past and she doesn't bark, praise and reward her.) If Zelda barks when your friends come to visit, you need her to know that you're the top dog, so to speak — and approve of that person. If she barks, use your Quiet! command. If she doesn't praise and reward her.
One of the best ways to stop Zelda from barking may sound counterintuitive: teach her to "Speak!" This works since teaching her to bark requires her to also learn the opposite of barking - silence. Otherwise, if you say Quiet! only when she is barking, and before she knows what the word really means, she may think that Quiet! is the command to bark.
As with every behaviour and socialization lesson you will teach Zelda, you do this by rewarding desirable behaviours, and not rewarding the undesirable ones. When she barks, as long as she is not barking at an inappropriate time, say Speak! and praise and reward her. When she stops, say Quiet! and do the same. You can teach her Quiet! and Speak! without punishing her; she just needs to know what you want her to do. If the training is not progressing, when she barks when she shouldn't try giving her a quick squirt with a water pistol. This will quiet her for a moment or two, during which time you can praise and reward her for Quiet!
These are sound - activated punishment collars that issue a shock when set off by barking. Not only do they use negative reinforcement rather than the more effective positive reinforcement, they are also inhumane: a sensitive collar might shock Zelda when the neighbour's dog barks, when a car backfires, or when she snores.
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