The family dog has limited means of communciation to express his intentions or ideas. Aside from whining, howling, and growling, he can bark. The problem is, your pooch’s barking as a means of expressing himself can leave you, your family, and your neighbors, feeling rattled. If he does it excessively, it can quickly become a problem.

Despite the annoyance of excessive barking, most of us want our canines to warn us of intruders or imminent danger. The challenge is to find a balance. Below, we’ll take a closer look at the most common reasons dogs bark. By understanding the catalysts, you’ll find it easier to influence - and curb - the behavior.

A Warning Of Potential Danger

Keep in mind from past articles that dogs are territorial animals. Your dog views you as his pack leader, and your home as the pack’s territory. This is the reason he barks when someone knocks at your door or rings your doorbell. The dog is alerting you that someone (i.e. a possibly intruder) is close by.

Should you have to leave him home alone, he will become the self-appointed guardian of the pack territory. If someone approaches, he will bark to let them know he is willing to protect what is his.

Anxiety Or Excitement

A lot of canines suffer from separation anxiety and will start barking when their owners leave them behind. Their bark is usually accompanied by a whine. In some cases, canines bark while they’re playing with people or other pets. This is most common with pups because they’re easily excitable.

When He Wants Your Attention

Your pooch loves your attention, and he’ll go to great lengths in order to get it. While some canines are content to sit near their owners, others will bark as if to say, “Hey! Pay attention to me.”

Your dog might bark at you for a number of reasons. For example, he may want to be let out, played with or even cuddled with. He might also vocalize excitedly when he knows you’re preparing to take him for a walk.

How To Curb Excessive Barking

A positive approach that rewards good behavior is far more effective than punishing your dog for unacceptable behavior. First, make sure he has an outlet for daily exercise. Two walks each day should be sufficient for helping him expend his pent-up energy.

Second, avoid petting him when he’s barking. That sends him the message that you find his behavior acceptable, and are rewarding him for it. Instead, require him to “sit” or “stay” and give him a treat when he has stopped barking. He’ll gradually make the connection that his silence is likely to earn him a treat.

Third, if you can identify any potential threat that might by inciting your canine to park, try to desensitize him to it. For example, allow him to greet friends who visit your home, so he understands that a knock on your door does not necessarily represent a danger. Also, take him to a park where he can grow accustomed to passersby and their pets.

Your dog’s excessive barking will eventually become annoying to you and your neighbors. Once you determine why your pooch is doing it, you can take measures to slowly modify the behavior.  You can also use dog treats to reinforce good behavior.

The U.S. CDC states that one of four Americans are overweight. The eye-opening thing is that dog obesity is about the same as that statistic, if not worse. I wonder what some of the major reasons for the incredible amount of dog obesity could possibly be? Yes, thats right, its the dog food!

Natura Pet Products Company lead Veterinary Nutritionist, Dr. Sean Delaney, states “The debate among veterinarians is that pet food is to blame”. Canine obesity is fastly turning into the major cause of a lot of the diseases our canine friends experience. Premature dog deaths are also due mainly to canine obesity. However, as said by Dr. Delaney, dog obesity is absolutely preventable.

Most of today’s dog food brands are basically the same as feeding your dog fast food every day. And, a lot of us actually overfeed our dogs, knowingly or unknowingly, which adds to the epidemic of dog obesity. It only takes about 10 extra calories a day in your dogs diet to have him gain 1 extra pound of fat per year. Portion control is key to preventing dog obesity. Call up or visit your Vet and ask him or her if you’re giving the right amount of healthy dog food to your dog.

Healthy dog food is crucial to preventing dog obesity. For the most part, the majority of major commercial dog food makers make food that is unhealthy for your canine friend. Therefore its critically important that you find out if the brand your dog is eating everyday is truly healthy or really just disguised fast food for dogs. Try not to be persuaded by the major dog food company marketing gimmicks, these companies are marketing professionals. Find out for yourself.

So the two major secrets to preventing dog obesity are portion control and the type of dog food you feed your dog! And don’t forget, exercise is a close third.

A collar is thought to be a must for any dog owner, no matter what breed of dog you’ve got.  This is because collars are used to identify your dog and any allergies he or she may have, among other things.  Collars can also assist in the training process.  There are countless different types of collars out there, and one thing that differentiates them is the material.  Of the materials used for dog collars, nylon is the most common.  There are a few features that explain nylon’s popularity.  Seaside Ribbon durable nylon dog collars are among the popular options that dog owners make.

The primary reason is that leather is one of the strongest, toughest materials in the world of dog collars.  Even if you’re using a heavy-duty leash, a collar that can’t bear a heavy load will break under enough stress, so it’s important to have a sturdy collar as well.  The standard for load bearing in dog accessories is set by leather collars and leashes, and this is why they’re considered a must for large breeds.  Leather dog collars are also popular for specialty training purposes.  K-9 trainers and other professionals prefer to use leather accessories for their dogs because, while they provide some of the best strength and durability out there, they’re also comfortable for dogs to wear.  Casual Canine soft strong flat leather dog training collars are very popular choices in this crowd.

Choke chains generally aren’t suitable for puppies or dogs that are still growing, as they can cause abnormal growth of the skin around the dog’s neck if left on.  Also, owners must take care to put the choke chain on the dog the correct way, with the ring over the back of the dog’s neck, or else it will not perform as intended.  A choke chain can be a very effective and humane training aid when it’s fitted correctly and used appropriately.  For serious owners who are willing to be attentive and careful, choke chains are definitely worth considering.  Many people choose chrome snake choke chain medium dog training collars for their usefulness in this regard.

Of all the currently available types of training collars for dogs, electronic collars, also widely known as e-collars or shock collars, are the most recent to have arrived, as well as perhaps the most effective, as demonstrated by much scientific evidence.  Each type of electronic collar has its own special focus.  The electronic no-bark training collar is one of the most popular among these.  Not surprisingly, this type of collar is used to discourage the dog from barking too much.  This goal can be reached through the use of an electronic collar in a few different ways.  When the dog barks, collars can respond with things like vibrations, ultrasonic noise, or different sprays like citronella, water, or lemon.  A popular option for these among dog lovers is the Innotek automatic no bark electronic rechargeable dog training collar

Or, you can activate it until the dog carries out a desired action (this is called “negative reinforcement”).  In other words, you have the option of using a remote training collar along with just about any kind of training.  These types of collars can come with a variety of different functions.  The most advanced remote training collars can output varying levels and durations of stimulation to the dog.  Vibration and sound features are also available with some collars.  Also, they can easily be used along with other training tools and methods in order to get the best possible results.  When selecting one of these bear in mind that the deluxe comfortable electronic big and small dog training collar is one of the more popular selections.

The current isn’t so strong that it will harm the dog – it simply gets his attention.  It will teach the dog to stay within the boundaries in order to stop the current.  These devices are very easy to use, and this also explains why they’re so popular.  That being said, you will need to train your dog in order to make sure that the lesson associated with the fence is learned correctly.  If you aren’t really sure as to how to go about this, it’s a good idea to consult with a professional trainer.  This will ensure that you get the best results, ultimately including peace of mind, out of your invisible fence system.  Be sure to consider the PRF304W deluxe in-ground electronic dog radio fence system when making your selection as it’s one of the more popular options.

If you are thinking about getting a pet then you might consider a few options. Common pets such as cats, rabbits, fish, hamsters and many others are good choices. However, if you are looking for an animal that offers you just about everything you might need, then look no further than getting a dog.

Firstly, they are the most wonderful companions and are so friendly and loyal to you and everyone in the family. One of their main purposes seems to be to make their owners happy and they are very unselfish. Unlike cats, who are terribly independent and who will tend to use you more that you use them, dogs will always look to please you. They are so in-tune with your feelings that they will often know when you are upset and will come over to try to comfort and cheer you up.

Another great thing they have over cats or other potential pets, is the fact that they are superb at protecting you and your home. They will happily defend their home as much as you would and are superb at being natural burglar alarms. If an intruder comes to your home they will bark very loudly and growl and look as fearsome as possible. Furthermore, if you are alone somewhere, having a dog with you makes you feel so much safer and at ease.

They are also superb with kids and will play with them and bond with them often. By bonding they become wonderful companions and will always be loyal and loving. The one thing to remember though, is that some breeds will sometimes lash out so you should consider this before choosing which dog to get.

Finally, they are not particularly expensive to run. Aside from the cost of buying them, which goes up depending on whether you get a pedigree or not, there are few costs associated with them. You may look to take out insurance on them and get them some jabs against illness, but aside from that its mainly food that attributed the main costs.

However, you may to splash out a little bit of money on them if they have been a great pet by getting them some sort of treat. Get something soft for the dogs bed, or perhaps if you are so inclined, look out for some dog apparel or clothes to keep them warm in the winter months. It is important however to remember to get a muzzle, which is like a sort of full face helmet, in order to prevent them from biting if they start to do so.

They are overall fantastic pets and make great additions to the family.