How to Prevent Your Dog from Barking at Neighbors

A dog barking at neighbors is a certain community nuisance and may land you in hot water with your landlord. Your best bet is to identify what the issue may be, and apply a quick response for a quick resolution.

Why Is Your Dog Barking?

All dogs bark as a method of communication, and they do not realize that their barking is causing a problem. Most likely, barking will become an issue when you are away. This can be caused simply because your dog is seeking interaction with you, and is barking out of nervousness or boredom.

If this is a new home for you, or your pet is new to your family he will by more likely to bark anxiously simply because he is not familiar with this new environment. When you are at home, make sure to exercise your pet often, and give your dog as much attention as possible to keep him happy and at ease. Also, provide your pet with plenty of toys and snacks to occupy his time. Leaving a lamp on, or turning the television on softly will provide a feeling that you are at home for your pet. The more normal of an environment you can provide while away will allow Fido to feel secure and calm if he is alone.

Methods of Calming Your Dog

Dog obedience training is an excellent method of learning and applying techniques to keep your dog from barking. Many dogs will bark or jump uncontrollably when a visitor arrives. Or, you may have issue with destruction of furniture and items in your apartment. Pet training is most useful when a dog becomes destructive. Trainers will spend anywhere from a single session to months of training to help you identify and resolve whatever issues your pet may be experiencing. And, pet problems almost always are solved with proper training. The right attention and techniques used to communicate with your pet will give you greater understanding now and in the future.

Other Measures

Should your dog not respond to the methods you have used thus far, there are over the counter aids you can use as last resort. Anti-bark collars may be necessary and utilize either a citronella spray or electric shock applied to your pet whenever barking occurs. This consequence forces your pet to associate his barking with either an unpleasant scent or a low impact electric shock. Many pet trainers feel that shock collars, though effective, are not the best method as they do not help the owner to actually understand what is causing the barking in the first place. So, make sure to research shock collars prior to using a method such as this.

A Routine for Both You and Your Pet

Keeping a regular routine with your dog helps him to anticipate a schedule of events, and to not feel deserted when you exit. Finding a pet friendly apartment may also encourage interaction with other dogs. Playtime, exercise, meal time or any other activity should be scheduled on a regular basis to keep your dog happy, healthy and nuisance free.