A dog trainer has taken to social media to share information about the different types of barks your dog might make and what they mean.
He strongly advises owners to ignore their pets' demands when they make certain sounds, as giving in to them could lead to more serious consequences.
A trainer known on TikTok as K9 University Dog Training has posted a video explaining “the three different sounds your dogs make, what they mean, and how to respond to them.”
First of all, he stressed that one should not indulge a dog if it makes a “plaintive” sound, which is often accompanied by scratching or clawing.
He explained: “This behaviour should never be encouraged by allowing them to get what they want, otherwise the problem will only get worse.”
Secondly, while it may be tempting to comfort your dog when they are upset, the trainer advises ignoring them when they are whining or crying. He added: “This indicates that your dog is feeling anxious or stressed. There are two sides to this – one whine is calming, and the other can escalate into a more serious reaction such as barking or aggression.”
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Finally, he says, dogs often howl to express separation anxiety: “They feel lonely and are trying to find the rest of their group.”
“This behaviour definitely needs to be corrected because we want them to learn to calm down on their own and howling won't help them reconnect with the others, but being put down or calming down might.”
According to Veterinary Wellness Partners, dogs typically have seven types of barks, each signaling a different emotion, such as anxiety, demand, frustration, boredom, stress, play, and greeting.
The statement reads: “Demand barking is one of the most common and easiest to stop early on. It is your dog barking to get something, whether it is a treat, praise or something else.
“The longer a dog successfully demands something, the more persistent he will be if you try to ignore him. Ignoring is the best way to respond to this behavior. That means being strict: no treats, no attention—not even eye contact. As soon as the demanding behavior begins, say a cheerful “Oops!” and turn away from your dog. When he stops, say, “Quiet, yes!” and return your attention—and the treat—to him.
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“It's harder to stop demand barking when your dog has already received a lot of reinforcement for it. Remember, any attention you give him reinforces demand barking. Eye contact, physical interaction, verbal corrections – all of these give him what he wants: attention.
“The process for changing a dog who barks on demand is the same: remove all reinforcement. However, be prepared for an extinction burst — a period when the behavior gets worse rather than better. The behavior has worked before, so the dog thinks that if he just tries harder, it will work again. If you give in during the extinction burst, you’ll reinforce more intense barking behavior, and guess what happens next time? That’s right — your dog will offer more intense behavior sooner, making the barking even harder to stop.”
Sourse: www.express.co.uk
