Canine Potential's Dog Blog

Here’s Barking at You
       

There are a few things about dogs that are guaranteed and barking is one of them. Dogs also will consistently solicit our attention if we ignore them too long and barking is a great way to get a human’s attention. In fact this very situation has come to my attention a couple of times in the past few days with client’s young dogs having learned that when they bark their human will react. In one case the young handler was inadvertently looking at her dog right before she looked away, that was enough. What also was happening that sometimes when the handler would click a behavior like being quiet the dog would get in a bark at that same moment?  Doy, I hate that when that happens!

Attention is a attention whether it is disciplining your dog for barking or rewarding your dog for not barking. Attention is the name of the game and your dog is an expert at getting your attention.  He nudges your hand and you pet him, she brings her ball over to you and you throw it, she barks at you and you look at him and tell him to stop. Your attention has been gotten and in the case of barking you may be saying, “No bark!”  but your dog is thinking ‘Hooray, I got her attention, mission accomplished.’ Then the barking behavior gets stronger.

You must ignore the barking and remember to give your dog attention for being calm and relaxed. Ignoring means standing up and walking away, consistently. Ask yourself is your dog getting enough exercise?  Is there a nice variety of appropriate toys?  If you are steadfast in your approach you will notice your dog’s barking for attention diminish. Before the behavior is extinguished though there will be an extinction burst where your dog will try harder to get your attention. Stay the course and continue to ignore the barking and you will find success.

This link below is for a poster called Ain’t Misbehaving and it clearly shows the progression of how we humans reinforce barking by paying attention to it.

To look at the full sized version of this poster here is the web site:

http://www.yellowdog-australia.k9events.com/images/posters/7416163982_a0026ce0e1_o.jpg

The consequence that is affecting behavior in the situation of barking dogs is the attention they get from us. If you examine your barking situation I’m sure you will see how your own behavior is creating an exciting rewarding consequence [more barking] for your dog through the giving of your attention.  You are then able to modify your own behavior as you guide your dog to more appropriate behaviors like relaxing on their bed or chewing on their toys.