10 Tips To Help With A Barking Dog [Click To Tweet]

Bark, Bark, Bark, Bark, Bark, Bark, Bark, Bark, Bark, Bark, Bark, Bark! You know the one, that dog in the neighborhood that just won't stop barking. Or maybe it's, GASP, your dog that wakes up your neighbors every morning. Chances are that there's a very good reason the dog is barking so much. Possibly even multiple reasons, but the good news is that most can be easily addressed. We've compiled 10 solid tips on how to keep that puppy happy, healthy, and quiet. Please share the infographic above or check out the tips in text format below the image

Here are 5 reasons why that dog is feeling so fesity.  Note all of our reasons and tips are in text format for easy copy & paste (just be sure to list us and any sources above as a reference):

1 - LONELY - Domesticated dogs are social animals, and when their people aren't around, dogs can become sad, and even distraught, driving the dog to bark constantly in search of attention

2 - ANXIOUS - Just like with people, some canines tend to be anxious - a problem that's made worse by absent pet parents, strange noises, unusual smells or even the full moon . And remember that dogs don't know when their family will be home - this is especially true in households that have erratic schedules that make it tough for four-legged family members to know what's going on, and when.

3 - SCARED - Fido could be escalated over a noise, smell or something he sees - anything from a squeaky bathroom fan to seeing a strange car parked on the street can trigger fear-based barking in a dog.

4 - BORED - Just like people, dogs get bored , leading to all sorts of unsavory behavior like chewing on shoes, digging endless backyard holes, and non-stop barking.

5 - SICK, HUNGRY, OR THIRSTY - Dogs have only a few ways to let folks know they're not feeling up to snuff - they can stop eating, they can eat too much, defecate in all the wrong places, and bark - a lot. A barking dog might be trying to let their owner know that they need food, water or medical attention.

So what to do? Here are 5 great ways to address this noisy situation:

1 - NOTHING ABUSIVE OR ILLEGAL - First off, here's what not to do - never, ever, harm the offending dog - ever. Seriously, don't.

2 - SPEAK TO THE OWNER - Unless you are genuinely concerned for the safety of yourself, your family and/or the offending dog itself, we suggest taking a friendly, helpful stance vs. a combative, call-the-cops type of approach.

3 - BE PART OF THE SOLUTION - Assess just how much barking the dog does, and when. Keep notes regarding the time, frequency and intensity of the barking - that information can be help the dog's owner in narrow down the cause of their dog's excessive vocalizations.

4 - COMMUNICATE - If you don't already have a relationship with your neighbor, start with a simple in-person introduction or a friendly note left under their front door. Let them know that you've noticed their dog barks a lot, and that you understand that canines bark to communicate, so you're thinking that perhaps their four-legged family member has something to say?

5 - TAKE A HARD LINE - In most municipalities, noise abatement by-laws cover disturbances caused by people and pets. For example. in Los Angeles, any dog that barks for more than 30 minutes in a 3-hour period, or for 10 consecutive minutes 12, is considered to be producing "excessive noise"