Barking dogs

All dogs bark, but some barking dogs become a real nuisance - greatly reducing the quality of life for neighbours and increasing neighbourhood tensions. Ongoing barking is often a symptom of another problem. Taking time to understand what makes dogs bark, especially your pet or other dogs in your neighbourhood, is the first step towards solving this problem, both for the dog involved and your neighbours.

Download your copy of the Barking Dog Information Pack HERE

Dogs bark because of:

Loneliness - dogs are social animals
Stress due to separation from an owner
Conditioned behaviour - where an owner rewards the dog for barking
Dominance - barking until they get what they want
Attention seeking
Boredom
Fear - dogs bark at people, other dogs or objects when scared
Threat or territory - something unfamiliar may be a threat
Play
Breed - some breeds have a reputation for barking

Methods of control

The most important first step is to work out why your dog is barking. Once you know the symptom, you can find the cure.

Avoid conditioning: do not reward your dog if it barks for the response alone
Companionship: before leaving home turn on a radio, give your dog an old coat or box of shoes belonging to you
Never call your dog after it has stopped barking and then punish it
Regular exercise: where possible, walk your dog twice a day
Access to the house: if you can let the dog inside the house, provide your dog with a single room where odours relating to you relax the dog (denning principal)
Obedience training: a dog can be trained to be alone, and bark only on command
Avoid stimulus, distract your dog with another form of reward at the time it usually barks at the postman
Fence design: a fence correctly designed to restrict your dog's vision will reduce barking
Anti-barking devices, used in conjunction with obedience training
Discipline: show your dog that you are the head of the house, dogs are pack animals and need to be shown where they stand in relation to the family unit

Remember barking dog problems can be cured!

How to recognise and treat your dog's behavioural problems

Do I have good control over the dog?
What is my relationship with my dog, emotional, over-attached?
How much do I value my dog?
What amount of time and investment have I put into my dog?
What is my attitude to my dog's behavioural problems?
How much time do I spend with my dog?
Does my dog understand that I am the pack leader?

Assess and define your dog

What sex is my dog, is it de-sexed?
What is my dogs breed? Look for typical problems - fearfulness, dominance, aggression or arousal in working breeds
My dog's temperament is: timid, confident, unresponsive, intrusive, attention seeking or easily bored?
Is my dog obedient? Try come, sit, drop, stay
Is my dog responsive to my commands? Look for responsiveness and enthusiasm
Who is the boss? Me or my dog, determine your dog's willingness to comply with obedience commands
Reactiveness; Assess your dog's arousal point
What is my dog's history? Where purchased (pound, refugee, pet shop) with previous experience and influences
What is my dog's home environment like? Does it have an uninteresting yard, high fences, no outlook, boring?

Assess your problem

What makes my dog bark?
When, where and why does my dog bark day / night, when I'm not home?
What happens after my dog barks? Does there appear to be any form of stress release for the dog?
Is the behaviour normal for my dog? (talk to the Local Law Officers or your local veterinarian)
Is my dogs behaviour learned or conditioned?
How long has my dog been barking?
How did the behaviour problem start? What were the circumstances?
Look at the length of times this behaviour has been going on; has it been gradual, is it occasional or progressive?
What have I tried? Assess your attempts to prevent the barking and look at the results

Once you have assessed yourself, your problem and defined the dog, use the information to determine what you can do, or who you can ask for assistance in preventing your dog from barking and becoming the neighbourhood nuisance.

Boredom busters

To avoid boredom you need to give your dog plenty to do when it is alone.

If your dog likes water, place a sprinkler on a timer to come on a couple of times a day so the dog can play
Use old drink bottles or milk containers, half fill them with water or stones, your dog will roll them like a toy. They also make a good chew toy (empty)
There are food reward toys available (talk to your veterinarian or pet shop)
Make sure your dog has some dry food and plenty of water
Give your dog a bone when you leave the house, this will teach your dog that when you leave there is a positive reaction - the bone.
A variety of toys (balls, chew toys, something to climb on)

Living near a dog that barks excessively - what can neighbours do ?

Recent amendments to the Dog Act are designed to improve the ability for councils to take action when someone is affected by barking and other nuisance behaviour.

Approach the owner

Firstly, the owner should be approached directly and have the problem explained to them. It may help to provide them with times the dog is barking.

Unapproachable owners

If your neighbour is unapproachable or does not agree that the problem exists, then a Nuisance Dog Complaint should be submitted via mail@swek.wa.gov.au or hard copy delivered to the Shire Administration offices reception.

Continuous barking

If the barking problem continues, and further complaints are lodged, the Ranger may issue a noise abatement notice which requires the owner to abate the noise. This notice has effect for 6 months.

Failure to comply

If the owner does not comply with the notice, they may be issued an infringement notice of $200 or be taken to court, where a penalty of up to $5000 may be issued. Higher penalties apply for dangerous dogs.

False reports

Complainants who make false reports, for whatever reason, may incur civil court action for false declaration.

Further information

For further information on rights, responsibilities and penalties under the Dog Act 1976 click here