The backyard bark-a-holic. Oh yes, dog owner or not, we have all experienced this sound effect in one form or another. Barking can come in many different flavors such as: the “Who’s there?” bark, then there’s the “Don’t come any closer” machine gun bark, and last but not least the universally  famous “target the squirrel” bark. Whichever the case, the bark that is probably most annoying is the ol’ “What, are you stupid? – LET ME IN!,” bark. The latter being the most annoying of all. If not to you, most certainly your neighbors.

Which ever end of the fence your on, neighbor or dog owner, this can become a big problem.

Unfortunately, there is no twelve-step program… or is there?

Paws For A Minuteâ„¢… 12 steps for dog owners who own a “backyard bark-o-holic!”

Step 1. Admit there’s a problem. Dog owner denial sends a mixed signal to your dog.

Step 2. Don’t  leave your dog out in the yard all day. Break that pattern. If you don’t trust your dog indoors alone then you need to address that issue too.

Step 3. Tire your dog out on a long walk and then have him enjoy the yard for an hour, not longer.

Step 4. Notice the time of day your dog is in the yard. Early mornings and late afternoons are not times for your dog to be in the yard alone unattended. During these busy times of day, distractions will induce triggers for barking.

Step 5. Covering your fence line with trees, bushes, ivy or canvas will help create a privacy for wrought iron and chain link fences. This will help deter your dog from territorial barking at people or other dogs passing by.

Step 6. Varying your dog’s routine is key.

Step 7. Teaching your dog to play turbo fetch for 5 minutes prior to yard time will exhaust your dog and teach him to relax in the yard instead of look for reasons to bark.

Step 8. Never tie your dog up in the yard. This is an instant way to create frustration that can develop into aggression over time.

Step 9. Socializing your dog by walking in populated areas helps your dog get used to people, cars, noises and other dogs. This very helpful and prevents barking over time.

Step 10. Take your dog outdoors at night on a leash for the last potty break. Just opening your  back door and letting a young dog race into the yard and bark reinforces his territorial instinct. Plus, your neighbors will hate you.

Step 11. If you own multiple dogs, shorten the length of time your dogs spend in the yard. Short periods of time in the yard several times a day will trigger play instead of boredom barking.

Step 12. A sudden shake of a penny can and the word “NO,” in conjunction with applying all of the above tips, can also help get the message of no excessive barking allowed.

My new puppy is tormenting my cat. How can I help them get along?

Be patient! This takes time. Your puppy and cat need to acclimate to each others smells and movements. When your pup goes through his teething stage, it is best to gate him with a chew bone. This allows your cat time to walk around, and your puppy to get used to your cat’s presence.

Quick Tip: The baby gate is your best tool for helping both pets to get used to each other. This does not mean keeping your dog gated at all times. It means you can sometimes gate your cat, giving your puppy free time, and vice versa. In time, the two will learn to live together and you can keep your sanity!

Also, remember that your cat can choose to jump over the gate and socialize, or keep its privacy behind the gate.

Do you give your dog a dissertation on your daily activities? Do you wonder if your dog is stupid or just pain stubborn when he doesn’t listen? The Talker breed of owner would probably be genuinely surprised to know that dogs, though quite perceptive, simply don’t understand lengthy human conversation.

Chew on this: Dogs do not reason. If they did, you could have them pick up your dry cleaning or balance your checkbook.

Identifying features: This is the most common breed of dog owner. Dogs quickly learn the pattern of this owner, appearing to be somewhat obedient, then suddenly ignoring the owner’s lengthy request to stay by his side. Instead, the dog bolts across the street after a cat.

Giving your dog a lecture on what you’d like him to do simply creates a lack of focus for your dog. Dogs are movement-driven and action-oriented. Loosely translated: All talk and no guidance on the leash means your dog will misbehave, mainly because he/she can. This breed of dog owner says too much and means very little.

For this breed of dog owner absolutely anything goes. Your dog poops on the floor every other week for a lifetime, and you will simply clean it up. While resenting this role, the owner generally feels that life has dealt him a bad hand and that there is nothing he can do to correct his dog’s behavior. This breed of owner usually owns a toy breed. You know who you are. While waiting for your dog to signal when he needs to go to the bathroom, he is wondering,”Why in the world don’t you take me outside regularly?”

The symptom this dog owner’s behavior creates is that the dog has an “occasional accident “- for a lifetime. Albeit a small mistake and perhaps easier to clean than a Great Dane urinating in your house, it’s still a mistake.We all have been to that house where there are too many potted plants in the living room, covering up all the stains from the dog. This behavior is due to a multitude of reasons but mainly the owner has never formalized the housebreaking process. So even an older dog who could hold the urge to go to the bathroom in the house doesn’t. This could be corrected by crating and training the dog in different areas in the house, proper correction and time feeding your dog, but not by this passive parent. Get it? It’s not the dog. Human behaviors can create automatic misbehaviors in your dog!

Now remember, I am not intentionally making fun of people in a mean-spirited way. I am simply bringing to light a way for dog owners to see themselves.  That said, I know nobody wants to admit any of these wonderful qualities but our dogs often mirror the confusion that other relatives and friends would probably  like to verbalize. Still not sure what I’m talking about? Keep reading..

Do you sound the same whether you are happy or sad? Do you think your dog is brilliant because he constantly cocks his head? The Whiner says “No” and “Good Dog” all in the same tone of voice. The problem with this breed of dog owner is that the dog must become a linguist in order to understand whether the owner is pleased or not.

Chew on this.. “No!” should differ from other words by its tonality; it should be spoken using a low, quick, and firm inflection.

As a trainer, I encounter this breed of dog owner often. One symptom of this breed of dog owner is that his or her voice inflection never varies. If the word “No” is said in a sweet whiny voice, it will never set up a boundary for the pup. Most new dog parents are members of this breed, especially when they first bring their puppy home. Although he or she may grow into a completely different breed of dog owner later, the Whiner says positive and negative things all in the same tone. This gives the dog a mixed signal. Many people are insistent that their puppy “gets it” or is “Einstein” smart. Actually, they are only trying to figure out what’s wrong with their owners.