While many of us love our furry friends, pets, and especially dogs, can be a massive point of contention is a strata community. One of the major issues that people have is the noise that comes from excessive barking.
Relentless barking is an annoying habit that can leave even the most chilled out of neighbours screaming for a bit of peace and quiet.
There are numerous reasons why dogs bark. Dogs bark to get your attention, when they think there is an intruder or more commonly when they are bored or stressed.
So, if you are dealing with irritated neighbours and relentless barking, we’ve prepared this list with a few tips on how you can deal with this issue.
Exercise
A great method to reduce boredom throughout the day is give them plenty of exercise before you leave for work. If your schedule does not allow this, you may want to consider one of the numerous trusted dog-walking services.
Training
Crate training, where a dog is trained to stay silent in a crate or foldable pen, is a great way to help reduce the likelihood of barking all day. If this fails, consider hiring an experienced professional trainer who can show you other tips for keeping him from barking the whole day.
Provide Entertainment
Dogs often bark because they are bored. Before you leave home always ensure that your furry friend has a chew-toy or some sort of entertainment to keep them stimulated.
Block the View
Dog’s usually bark for a reason. It is usually a response to something that they have seen or a perceived threat. Address this issue by blocking the views to the outside world. Draw blinds and curtains before leaving the house and even put large objects in front of windows to block your pet’s view.
Noise Control
As well as visual stimuli it is also very important to block outside noises. Try leaving your television or radio on before leaving for work or using a white-noise machine. Ensure it’s not too loud or it will have the opposite affect and stress your dog out as (well as upset your neighbours).
Anti-stress Devices
If you’ve tried all these methods and your dog continues to bark excessively you may want to look at an anti-stress device.
- Spray collars: a spray collar is a perfect and harmless alternative to a shock collar. Most spray collar work by spraying lemon-scented mist to your dog’s face every time he barks. Since dogs don’t love citrus, this will distract and even discourage them from barking in the future.
- Stress-relieving collar: This collar produces a pheromone that resembles the chemicals produced by female dogs to calm their pups. This collar is affordable and very easy to use.
- Anxiety jacket: this jacket can be quite helpful when dealing with a dog than barks a lot when anxious. They are made using a breathable material that gives the dog a calming effect every time he gets nervous.
