Our AMOs can work with you and give suggestions about any behavioural issues your dog/s may be expressing or give you tools that you can use as a responsible pet owner.
There are many reasons your dog may bark, including: boredom, being lonely or wanting attention, warning that others are in the area or passing the house, your dog may not be feeling well or you may be hearing a dog being mistreated, separation anxiety, or howling in response to other dogs, sirens or other noises in the area.
You can find out more about what dog barks might sound like in our barking dog fact sheet.
Identify triggers
Once you’ve found the barking triggers, they can be reduced or removed. Try using a video or sound recording to see if roaming cats or strange noises are annoying your dog.
Sight barriers
Providing a barrier to a busy street can sometimes remove the dog's need to try to control the situation. Sometimes a doggy door for the dog to retreat inside solves the problem.
Pet minding service
Ask a neighbour to check on your dog through the day or employ someone to walk or play with them.
Aboistop (anti-barking citronella collars)
These work by distracting or discouraging the dog from barking. They are not a permanent solution and can induce fearful behaviour in some dogs.
Pet behaviour counsellor
Someone outside the situation can offer workable solutions. Your local vet can recommend a counsellor.
Avoid getting a companion dog
Until you have controlled the first dog's problem, a second dog will often add to the problem e.g. two barking dogs.
Understanding the reason why your dog barks will assist you in putting together a realistic and efficient training and/or management program to help reduce the nuisance. Additionally, your dog’s health, age, breed and physical and mental enrichment allowance per day are all likely to be contributing factors to any nuisance barking.
NOT ALL EXERCISE IS EQUAL
Exercise breaks up your dog’s day with both mental and physical stimulation. It provides your dog with a chance to release energy, but also investigate and explore their surroundings. Dogs can go for walks and outings as often as you can take them, regardless of how big or little they are, or how big your property is; dogs are not self-exercising. Dogs who are walked frequently are less likely to exhibit problem behaviours like constant running around, excessive barking, pacing and escaping.
You could consider incorporating longer, sniffy walks as part of your routine. These can be along trails, the beach or footpaths that really encourage them to use their noses. Dog’s perceive their world predominantly through their noses, so allowing your dog to stop and sniff any time they want to on their walks (as long as it’s safe) will provide them with additional enrichment. While you may feel initially that you’ll never get anywhere, you’ll find over the weeks that the time spent sniffing particular spots diminishes. For barking dogs, a relaxing outing in the morning before you leave will be more useful in reducing barking than a full-on crazy play session with other dogs at the dog park. They will calm back feeling calmer and content, rather than on a high.