The dog barks loudly when a guest arrives at the house and continues to bark when the guest sits on the couch. This barking is triggered by the stimulus “a visitor”. Other dogs bark for long periods of time to express their feelings because they have been alone in the yard for a long time and have been excluded from the family. Barking incessantly is a reward for barking, so the dog develops a habit of barking for no apparent reason.
To improve the situation, do not continue to lock him in the courtyard, keep him indoors and often accompany him in. The dog will be able to gradually break the habit once he confirms the love of his companion.
Is the stimulation collar effective?
It is not a case of insufficient contact with people and still barking incessantly. Some people choose to use a stimulation collar for this situation. Stimulation collars are collars that emit an electrical stimulus. The collar has a protrusion on the inside of the collar that, when energized, stimulates the dog’s neck. These collars are available in remote-controlled, operable types and stimulation types that automatically sense when the dog barks, but they are not recommended for long-term use. If the collar performs poorly, the slightest cough from the dog may trigger the stimulation.
Remote operated collars have some advantages in one sense. The companion does not step in directly to punish the dog when problematic behavior occurs, and a remotely manipulated stimulation collar removes the correlation between the punishment and the person. In addition, flipping the switch at the moment of barking allows the dog to associate his behavior with the punishment and pain whenever he barks, thus creating a natural awareness to stop barking.
When using the collar, only tension and relaxation can achieve the best results, frequent use of electric current stimulation, it is likely to make the dog change to neurological dysfunction. Stimulation collars should not be used for long periods of time and should be used under the supervision of a veterinarian.
Is removal of the vocal cords effective?
Surgical removal of the vocal cords is not always effective. Surgical removal of the vocal cords will not reduce the frequency of unprovoked barking, but will only make the dog’s barking voice raspy, and the vocal cords will regrow afterward, rendering the surgery pointless!
Two methods to correct the barking habit: allopathic treatment and radical treatment
1. Symptomatic treatment with momentary distraction
Distracting the dog’s attention at the moment it wants to jump on its companion or bark can effectively prevent the problem behavior from occurring.
2、Punishment of Root Cure
The so-called eradication therapy is a method of instructing the dog to recall unpleasant events in order to correct the vice. Unpleasant events include punishment and ignoring. When giving punishment, be careful not to let the dog realize that it is his companion to implement.
Directly stepping in to punish will only add to the dog’s resentment. When punishing, you can use natural punishments so that the dog understands that “you don’t know why, but you must have done something wrong”. Spraying or using a water pistol to distract the dog from the punishment is also very effective.
The main point of discipline is to give a sudden and unpleasant punishment at the moment when the dog’s problematic behavior begins. Just as he is about to bark, a bucket of water is suddenly thrown in his face, and after a few repetitions, the dog remembers that if he barks, something unpleasant will happen. To avoid being punished, the problem behavior will improve.
3. Ignorance of Root Cure
Root canal therapy includes natural punishment and elimination. Elimination” is the process of ignoring the dog’s problem behavior to eliminate it. In the process of elimination, you need to take a completely ignore the attitude, this is a method that requires patience, the dog will not be praised, and will stop barking over time. On the contrary, if a dog is repeatedly criticized for problematic behavior, the dog perceives it as praise, thus reinforcing the problematic behavior.
Reinforcement is the consistent giving of rewards to reinforce a behavior. When living with a dog, both reinforcement and elimination will have a very significant positive effect on improving your dog’s problem behavior.
