WHAT ARE SOME COMMON REASONS A DOG MAY BARK?

Dogs may bark for a plethora of reasons, but studies show there are several common causes that stimulate canine utterances. Barking is generally necessitated by a dog’s need or desire and can be categorized as follows:
DISTRESS OR APPREHENSION
Many dogs will bark repeatedly during situations in which they feel uneasy or frightened. The appearance of strangers or a possible injury may provoke uncontrollable barking.
PLAYFUL BARKING
At times of excitement or joy, a dog may express barking as a way of showing he or she is having a good time.
BARKING AT OTHER DOGS
There are times when it seems that one dog’s bark can be heard around the world. In a strange phenomenon, it is not uncommon that when one dog barks, a procession of barking can be heard circulating the neighborhood.
EMOTIONAL BARKING
When a dog feels lonely or stressed, they may use barking as a means of conveying to humans and other dogs that they are feeling upset.
Barking for the above mentioned reasons is completely natural for a dog. In normal conditions, most dogs will discontinue barking once the situation or circumstance has changed. With deviant barking behaviors, there seems to be no apparent stimuli for prolonged barking.
MY DOG WON’T STOP BARKING!
As a pet owner who struggles with a persistent barker, there are treatments which can deter or prevent the problem. While the humaneness of some remedies can be questioned, there is little doubt to their effectiveness.
CITRUS SPRAY
Modern science has found a way to safely interrupt excessive barking through the use of citrus. As dogs have an apparent dislike for the smell of citrus, special collars have been equipped to mist a dogs muzzle when it begins to bark. This has been proven fairly effective and causes no pain.
SHOCK COLLARS
A highly debatable method of deterrence for excessive barking is the use of shock collars. These neck bands use sudden jolts of electricity to modify negative behaviors in dogs. Usually controlled by the pet owner, with the push of a button an electric shock is administered to the dog’s neck.
DEBARKING SURGERY
This surgery is highly controversial as some feel that by removing a dog’s bark completely, it renders the dog almost incapable of communication. This in turn is believed to be a possible safety concern as well as an animal rights concern. In the procedure, tissues around the dog’s larynx are removed to prevent barking. Many feel that this method is pointless and cruel since the dogs bark often returns after a few months.
While these methods of modification may be a last resort, most pet owners will find that the best course of action is simply consistent training. Using reward and distraction may be all that is needed to end the eternal yap.

Whether it’s a new puppy or an old hound, training can become a tedious chore if done incorrectly. Many wives tales have foretold of the impossibilities for teaching older dogs new tricks, while horror stories abound of little pups gone awry. Luckily, it’s not necessary to resign yourself to a pooch that refuses to obey. Here are a few tips to help train your dog, young or old:

PUPPY TRAINING

The first rule to remember when bringing home a new puppy is that they are tiny little balls of endless energy that have little concept of what is appropriate and what isn’t. In this fact, caring for your new addition is similar to caring for a small, mobile child. They may not learn right away, but with love, patience and consistency, your new puppy will be trained in a matter of days.

PREPARE YOUR HOME by putting away any expensive or heirloom items that you would not want damaged. Items such as antique vases and imported rugs often act as a magnet for little canines that like to run and are not yet potty trained. Bear in mind that stowing these accessories is only temporary and that when your little dog is more docile, you may put the items back in their rightful places.

START CRATE TRAINING as soon as possible. Giving your puppy a safe place to stay while you’re away or asleep also helps in potty training. To make using the crate easier, here is what to do:

• Keep puppy food inside the crate. This will help your little one be less intimidated by the idea of being contained.
• Stay close by. This helps to assure your puppy that he or she will not be confined forever. If the puppies whining or fussing become too much of an annoyance to you, simply walk away for a few minutes, then return.
• Once puppy has adapted to its new container, you may then open the crate door and let them out. DO NOT let the puppy out if he or she is whining to get out. This only teaches the dog that throwing a fit will encourage release from the cage.
• Make sure to have your puppy go potty outside before putting him or her into the crate. This will help to eliminate the occurrence of accidents inside the crate and marks a good beginning to potty training.

POTTY, POTTY, POTTY! While potty training is the bane of new pet owners everywhere, there are ways to make the experience go a little smoother.

• In the initial stages of potty training, it is vital that a schedule be instituted for optimal success. A puppy should generally be taken out at least every two hours and subsequent to eating or sleeping.
• Take the puppy to the same pre-determined location every time he or she goes to the bathroom.
• When taking puppy out to potty, be sure to use explaining words such as “GO POTTY” to help your puppy identify what it is that he or she is doing.
• Each time your puppy does well in the potty training; always reward their behavior right away. Giving them a treat or words of praise will encourage further progress.

TEACHING PUPPY BASIC COMMANDS such as sit, come, or stay are obedience commands and should begin right away.

• Use short words and a solid tone.
• Be consistent in your requests and command frequently while your puppy is learning.
• Keep training session times limited to around 15 to 30 minutes each.
• Always reward your puppy when he or she does what was expected of them.

DOG TRAINING

Adult dog training is very similar to that of puppy training and is an important aspect of being a responsible dog owner. Proper training helps ensure the safety of those around your dog and promotes good relations between you and your dog. Here are some helpful hints in the training arena.

• To teach old dogs new tricks, you must first impress upon them the idea that you are the leader of the pack. Since canines are territorial and inherently pack driven, most adult dogs must feel that you are the alpha dog, or the dog that they must follow. To do this, speak in a firm tone, stand at full posture, and give the dog any command which he or she may understand.
• If your dog does not obey, do not hit or yell at them. This will only prove destructive and counterproductive to your efforts. Instead, end the training time and start again a little while later. If the dog then complies with the given command, always reward him or her.
• Always be consistent. Do not let a bad behavior slide one time and then discipline for it another. Use the same word for the same command each time as well.

Training your canine may seem like a daunting chore, but consistency and patience will be your best ally.

Many times when company arrives, our puppy will be all jumpy and anxious because of the strangers. Even though most of the time is a sweet gesture, there are persons who will not appreciate it and see it as such. That’s why teaching our puppy to be calm and quiet when you’e having company over is important. Try with treats and with lots of compliment words.
We are responsible of teaching our pet how to behave, but still enjoying them like the friends and loyal companion they are.

• Pain: acute pain can make of the most loving friend a grumpy one. A sudden change in our dog’s mood requires our attention. We must check any pain, soreness, and if so, go to the vet.
• Old age: the oldies, just like any other grandpa or grandma, are more irritable. This because they have more troubles moving, sleeping and sometimes having to put up with the rudeness of kids. Instead of bugging them, giving them calm and affection can be a very effective thing to do.
• Injuries: some dogs are used to work and being active most of the time, and when they are forced to be more calmed and inactive, their temper can change for worse. Just like any other athlete unable to do what they’ve done for long time, they can’t hide their annoyance.

Of course, we have to remember that most of the times, a bad temper dog can be entirely our fault, and so before going to the vet, we have to take a long look at ourselves to see if we are not the cause of our dog’s mood changes.

Maltese dog is not a home-wrecker sort of dog. The destructive behavior of this breed is relatively low, and also they are not aggressive dogs, but perhaps they are a little impatient when around children. They answer really well to the obedience-training, not being too much dominant with their owner.

Finally, when it comes to the special features of this dog, we can say they truly are a wonderful breed, extremely loving and affectionate, features that will make you enjoy their company all the time.

Here you have some exercises specialists have suggested in animal behavior, as a way to evaluate in your own home the degree of obedience of your pet. The purpose of this is to determine how long the dog takes in processing information.

The classic test is to situate the dog in an empty room, and leave a container with some appealing food, such as canned food. The animal will approach the food; in that moment a firm ‘NO’ is in order. The idea of this is to see how many times the dog will try before frustrating. An obedient dog would give up by the second or third try; the disobedient will end up eating the whole thing. The same exercise can be done with a toy. Ask your dog to play and in a sudden way, end the game. How much longer can your dog hold before asking for more? Once more, after two ore three times the dog should calm.

Maybe your dog is obedient when alone, but what happens when other dogs are near?
It’s important to know if your animal obeys when being in the company of other dogs.

Try taking your dog to a safe park and let it loose. The most likely thing it’ll do is going socialize with the other dogs. Try calling by the name. If after calling a few times nothing happens and you have to go with the leash to get its attention, you can be certain teaching your dog will require lots of work.

But don’t be embarrassed or worried, and just remember this is only a test which helps you understand the potential your dog has to be trained. Even if your dog only learns the basic commands and more advanced stuff can’t be taught, there’s one very important thing you ought to remember: pets bear a strong resemblance to their owners.