BARKING MAD!
“My neighbour’s dog barks at me every time I go outside. Can you do something about it?”
This is a request heard often by Animal Control officers.
The sad part of all this, is that the neighbour is guaranteed success if he or she acts to fix the problem. To explain this better, you have to understand WHY the dog is barking at you. Most times, it is out of fear – fear of the unknown. So how do you fix it? Easy! Get to know the dog in a friendly way. Let it know you are not someone to be feared but someone the dog will look forward to seeing every day. Simple, isn’t it?
Unfortunately, most neighbours act in an opposite manner – they yell at the dog, throw water over it and reinforce to the dog that they are something to be feared. So the more the neighbour reacts in this manner, the more the dog will bark.
So what can the Animal Control Officers do? They can investigate the barking problem and then remove the dog if necessary. All this causes tension between neighbours and life becomes very unpleasant for everyone. And all this could have been EASILY avoided.
So take time to get to know your neighbours. Tell them you have a problem with their dog barking at you every time you walk outside your house, and ask if you can work with them on the problem. Get to know the dog, play ball with it and give it treats. You may even arrange for the neighbour to bring the dog over to your place so he/she can investigate your yard and lose that fear of the unknown. And your problems will be solved. Instead of barking at you, the dog will run to the fence to greet you.
So why do we prefer conflict to this quick and easy solution?
- To proud to give it a go
- To engrossed in a battle of proving others wrong?
- To obsessed in the eradication of all barking dogs?
And they say we are the smarter species!
Carmel Hodgins, Delta Certificate IV Dog Behavioural Trainer
