Dog Barks When You're At Work?

If your dog barks when you're at work, you may have any number of additional problems. The dog might be destructive as well and your neighbors will surely start to dislike you for housing and enabling your furry little noise machine.

So, it's important, even if you're not subject to hearing it, to make sure your dog learns to stop barking when you are not around is a social responsibility. Unfortunately, this is a behaviour that takes more than just a corrective command to fix.

Reduce Boredom and Energy

The first thing you should do is make sure your dog is getting the exercise and attention it needs. A dog that spends all day alone in your house without anything to do is going to bark - what else does it have?

Make sure you give your dog a good long walk in the morning before you go to work, as well as a walk after you get home. Every dog, no matter how small, should be given multiple walks a day to ensure they don't have an excess store of energy to draw on when you're not home.

In addition, give them things to keep them occupied. A few simple toys can go a long way toward controlling your dog barking problems when you're not home.

Bark Training

The next step is to train your dog in when it is okay to bark. This is done with a simple "speak" and "quiet" command. Because dogs bark naturally, it can be hard to control their reflex, but when you pull it off, it will reduce a lot of the unnecessary noise.

To do this, tie your dog up to a post or have someone hold the leash. Stay just out of range and hold up a treat or toy. When they bark, praise them and give them a treat. Do this for a few rounds, then take away the treat reward and start saying "Speak" as soon as they appear to be ready to bark.

Eventually, they will learn that "speak" means to bark. To teach "quiet", simply reward them when they stop barking. This can be harder as some dogs will bark ceaselessly. You'll need to be very patient to make sure they actually learn this one in full.

Possible Anxiety

The third thing to consider is that your dog may have dog anxiety issues that lead to its barking when you're away. This an entirely different problem and requires that you teach them that you'll be home soon.

Start by removing their expectations. Don't give them any attention when you first come home for at least 10-15 minutes. Additionally, don't give them attention if they start whining in the morning before you leave.

You may also consider crate training as an alternative here, to help them adapt to being alone in a safe space. Many times, by limiting a dog's space and showing them that you will come home no matter how long you are gone, they will stop barking right away.

The key with anxiety is to measure the severity and to take the necessary steps. Severe anxiety may even need to be treated with medication. Before making any major changes to your dog's behaviour, see your vet to learn if there might be physical issues related to their barking.

Ideally, a dog that barks when you're not home should be easy enough to fix. It may take some patience and time on your part, but with the right approach, you'll never need to worry about an angry neighbour showing up when you get home every day with a noise complaint.

To stop your dog from barking, digging, aggression, chewing, jumping, pulling on the lead, whining and more, check out:

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