Why Do Dogs Bark?

Barking is one of the ways dogs communicate. Barking can signify anything from playfulness to danger. The bark of a dog may warn of fire or scare intruders. Sometimes dogs bark for other reasons, which include:

• Being chained to a fixed point without enough room to move, or kept in too small a space
• Boredom - being under-exercised or not exercised at all
• Lack of training
• Loneliness (separation anxiety)
• Sickness
• Being hungry, thirsty or on the wrong diet
• Being provoked
• Competing with other dogs or animals
• Inadequate shelter
• Threatening situation

These causes of barking shouldn't be part of a dog's life. As well as indicating possible distress on the dog's part, chronic excessive barking is distressing for people living nearby.

Does Your Dog Bark Too Much?

The first step in reducing barking is to find out the reason behind the barking. Armed with that knowledge, solutions will start coming to mind.

Document the barking for a few days. You may want to recruit a neighbour to help with this. Much useful information can be gained by setting a tape recorder or even a video camera to determine what is going on in your absence.

The information which you need is as follows:

• WHEN does the dog bark: time of day, duration?
• WHERE does the barking occur: inside, outside, upstairs, backyard?
• WHAT is to dog barking at: people, animals, nothing, everything?
• WHO is around at the time: family, other animal, children, neighbour, postman?

This information will help answer the most important question:

• WHY what is the motivation or reward for barking?

Once you understand why your dog barks then the following suggestions may help to solve the barking problem:

• Provide enough space for your dog to move freely within your enclosed backyard. A dog shouldn't be left on a fixed chain for long periods as this contributes to savagery and often increases nuisance from barking and other problems. If your dog has to be chained, it should be on a running chain.
• Give your dog a place of its own. This can be a ventilated and waterproof kennel or an indoor area. A dog kept in an enclosed area at night will not usually bark and annoy neighbours.
• Exercise your dog regularly and adequately for their breed and size. Remember that when exercising your dog in public places it MUST be kept on a leash unless in areas specifically set aside for unleashed dogs.
• Your dog will accept kind but firm discipline. Take it to a good obedience school when young and you will enjoy the benefits.
• Give your dog a balanced and varied diet. Main meals should consist of processed meat and dried dog foods, supplemented with vitamins and minerals. Feeding times should be regular and a supply of fresh water should be available at all times. The evening meal of meat should be given between 6.00 and 9.00 pm.
• Dogs suffer from a range of common ailments like fleas, worms, distemper, cuts, bruises. Daily examination, regular baths and veterinary attention, when necessary, will help to ensure that your dog doesn't suffer from health problems.

If after trying the above suggestions your dog continues to bark excessively, there are a number of other things you may try, such as:

• Remove direct line-of-sight between dog and people or animals which may provoke barking, by erecting a fence, wall or other opaque barrier.
• Take the dog to a recognised animal trainer for specialist training to discourage bad habits (contact Council's Rangers for further advice).
• Provide noise insulation for the kennel.
• Obtain a barking collar as a means of training the dog (contact Council's Rangers on where to obtain collars).

It is important for owners to appreciate that dogs can feel lonely if left for periods of time. Often dog owners are surprised when their dog is identified as a nuisance barker as when they are home their dog does not bark, however problems are experienced when they are away.

It is therefore important that owners ensure that if they are going to be away for periods of time that adequate measures are taken to ensure that adequate care can be provided to their dog. For example, if you are going on holidays, place your dog in a boarding kennel or ensure that someone not only feeds your dog but can spend time with it and exercise it.

Noisy Dogs and the Law

Hastings Council receives 300-400 complaints each year regarding barking dogs. Whilst Council encourages as a first step neighbours to resolve these types of issues between themselves, Council will respond to all such complaints.

The initial approach which is generally adopted by Council staff is to approach the dog owner and advise of the complaint and to provide information which may assist in better managing the behaviour of the dog in question.

Many complaints are resolved through this approach, however should further complaints be received, Council officers follow a procedure which firstly seeks to resolve the matter through non-regulatory means, however as the procedure progresses, regulatory mechanisms are introduced:

• Nuisance Orders under the Companion Animals Act, 1998.

Should Council proceed to use regulatory mechanisms such as the above, financial penalties would apply where a dog owner fails to satisfactorily address the barking behaviour of their dog.