I come across many people weekly that want to know where they can get a bark collar. First thing I ask is, "When is your dog barking?" My favorite answer is, "All the time". Really? Your dog barks from morning to night without taking a breath? Boy am I glad I didn’t get that dog....
In all seriousness, this is a big reason dogs either get a shock collar slapped on them, are taken to the Humane Society, or are dropped on the side of the road. A lot of people really believe their dog is barking just to make them mad. So I’m going to tell you a big secret….. You’re dog is barking because it needs more exercise! It's bored!
You wouldn’t believe the amount of people who don’t believe this at first. I show up at their house for a private lesson. I Give them some basic training tips, figure out what the dog might like to do in it’s spare time, and figure out some things for the owner to do cooperatively with the dog. All these things amount to mental or physical "exercise". The client usually says they can’t believe these things will cut down on the barking, but they will try anyway. Two weeks later I show up at their house and the first thing they say is the dog hasn’t been barking as much, and that they can’t believe it!
The one catch to this is the breed of your dog. If you don’t like barking don’t get a Beagle, Chihuahua, or Schnauzer. These are just three big barkers I get to go see regularly. Make sure you go to AKC.org or Google the breed you are thinking about getting. If you don’t like barking, but want a Yorki… go to the Humane Society and find another breed you’ll love that doesn’t have such a tendency to bark.
...And always remember, "A tired dog is a good dog".
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