Many dogs are perfectly quiet and well-behaved when they’re safe and comfortable at home with their owner. However, once you leave and the dog is home alone, it’s common for them to act out, and one of the most typical ways is through excessive barking.
Some dogs will bark due to boredom, while others are expressing restlessness or fear about the fact you’re gone and they don’t know when you’ll come back.
Separation anxiety is an extremely common problem among dogs, especially if your schedule has recently changed and you’re now away from home more than your dog is used to.
Nobody likes knowing their dog is at home feeling anxious and restless. Plus, if your dog likes to get their anxiety or boredom out by barking excessively, you’ve likely heard a thing or two about it from your neighbors.
Luckily, there are a few relatively easy ways to reduce separation behaviors like barking and keep your dog happy and relaxed when you’re away from home. If you’re looking for a quick, no-shock, humane way to keep your pup from barking, check out Pet Pawsabilties bark collar.
How to Improve Separation Barking in Dogs
Before you create a plan of action for your dog’s excessive barking, it helps to know what is motivating the behavior in the first place.
Try setting up a recording device when you leave the house, or ask your neighbors what the barking sounds like.
Is it anxious whining and crying, or is it random sporadic barks throughout the day? The former is more likely to be related to separation anxiety, while the latter could be a sign your dog is simply bored with nothing else to do but bark.
Let’s look at some changes dog owners can make to reduce their dogs’ separation barking. Some will be better for boredom barking, and some will be better for separation anxiety, but these tips should be able to help with either situation.
Give Your Pup Lots of Exercise
Many dog owners can attest to the old saying that a tired dog is a happy dog. Most dogs have a lot of energy, and when their energy isn’t properly channeled into activities like walks or play sessions, they can channel it into less desirable behaviors like boredom barking, or even chewing on furniture around the house.
Make sure to take your dog on at least one walk per day and keep them active with regular play sessions when you’re home. This way, they’re more likely to rest comfortably while you’re gone rather than look for ways to entertain themselves.
Offer Mental Stimulation
Dogs require lots of mental stimulation and physical stimulation. We can achieve this mental stimulation through sniffing on walks, playtime, or even a puzzle toy with hidden treats that they have to work to find.
If your dog tends to boredom bark while you’re gone, try leaving them with a puzzle toy to spend some time figuring out. This approach can also help with separation anxiety, as it will distract the dog from the fact that you’re leaving.
Use a Safe Bark Collar
No-shock bark collars are a 100% safe and humane way to dissuade your dog from barking excessively. When they bark too much, they’ll hear a warning beep followed by a mild vibration that irritates them, and encourages them to be quiet in order to stop the sensation.
If you regularly work on excessive barking using this collar while at home, your dog will learn to avoid barking too much in general. Therefore, your pup is much less likely to keep up bad habits even while you’re gone.
Work on Quiet Training
The best way to work specifically on separation anxiety with your dog is to teach them that it pays to be quiet and calm when you leave. You can do this by stepping out of the house for just a few seconds at a time and coming back in to give them a treat when they remain quiet.
Slowly build up the practice to several minutes or even several hours at a time, and your dog will learn that they don’t need to be anxious when you leave, as you’ll always come back with a treat.