All dogs bark, and it would be unfair to expect them not to. Barking, other vocalizations, and body language are essential communication tools for dogs. Certain breeds are barkier than others, mainly working dog breeds with a lot of energy. The issue with barking is when it becomes excessive. Then you must take the crucial steps to keep it under control.
Brittany dogs are moderate barkers compared to other breeds. However, if you find that your Brittany barks more than necessary, your first step is to determine why dogs can bark a lot if they lack adequate training and socialization. Brittany dogs generally bark too much if they are bored or left home alone for too long. Energetic dogs like the Brittany need vigorous exercise and activity in their day or can become very noisy.
Excessive barking is not easy to live with, and if you have neighbors close by, they won’t appreciate the noise level. This article will help you realize why your Brittany bark and what you can do to manage it discerningly.
Brittany Barking Tendencies
You might well be surprised to find out that Brittany’s bark occasionally compared to other dogs. But they can become overly vocal as any other dog breed for various reasons. So to have any hope of controlling excessive barking, you must find out the cause:
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1. SEPARATION ANXIETY AND STRESS
Many Brittanys experience extreme separation anxiety and can become easily stressed. If left on their own for very lengthy periods, they will typically bark a lot, as they don’t like the house being too quiet. They might also have other symptoms like destructiveness and pacing.
2. WORRY
Some Brittanys will bark at anything that takes them by surprise, be it an object or sound.
3. BEING PROTECTIVE/ TERRITORIAL
If a person or another dog enters your Brittany’s spot or territory, this will likely prompt a lot of barking. When the perceived threat approaches closer, the barking’s volume will usually become louder.
4. FEELING TIRED OR LONELY
Brittanys are pack animals, and if left alone for long periods, they will become bored or sad, which inevitably results in barking.
5. SEEKING ATTENTION
Brittanys tend to bark when they want something, be it going for walks, food, playtime, affection, and so on.
6. WHEN GREETING AND PLAYING
When they meet someone or other animals, Brittany’s bark is only their way of saying hello; this will often be followed by tail wags and jumping.
How To Stop A Brittany From Barking?
The key is not to stop prevent your Brittany from ever barking but rather to manage it so that it doesn’t become unbearable.
You don’t want to stop barking but rather excessive, unnecessary barking. Taking the six scenarios mentioned above, let’s follow them up with solutions:
1. MANAGING SEPARATION ANXIETY/ LONELINESS
Brittanys can experience moderate to severe separation anxiety, and your Britt most likely won’t be cured overnight. However, it’s not a bad idea to desensitize your dog to being alone.
If you need to be away for more than a few hours for an emergency, it may help to get a dog sitter to mind your buddy in your absence.
It will also give you an idea of how long you can leave your dog alone. Keep in mind that this sort of training is a slow process and could take weeks of practice.
- Begin preparing your dog for pre-departure anxiety by displaying various departure cues, like jingling your keys or putting on your coat. It would help to engage in these cues at different times of the day without leaving the house.
- Train your Brittany to become more comfortable with solitude by having your dog sit or lie down as you stay out of sight.
- As your Britt becomes more relaxed with you being out of his sight, close a door to block his access to you. Gradually, extend the time that you are behind a closed door. Ensure that you keep the stakes low initially, practice going behind a bedroom or bathroom door, and not go straight out the front door, as this will distress your dog.
- After some weeks, you should move on to leaving through an exit door. As you increase the time that you are out of your dog’s sight, you should incorporate dog toys and puzzles to keep him distracted.
2. MANAGING WORRIED/TERRITORIAL BARKING
It would help if you learned to recognize alarm or worried barking. While barking at a real threat or intruder is useful and even a lifesaver, it’s not acceptable for your dog to bark at the neighbors passing by your property or a mail carrier. When your dog is worried about something or someone, the barking can often be followed by a pounce forward or lunge.
You must teach your Brittany the “quiet” command. This type of training is time-consuming, and it requires consistency and patience, but in the end, it’s worth the time and effort.
- When your Brittany engages in alarm barking, show him a treat after about four barks. This is bound to get his attention and will distract him from the “intruder.”
- Wait until he stops barking, be patient, and continue holding up the treat.
- When your dog stops barking, give the “quiet” command but stern voice and offer him the treat.
- You will likely need to redo these steps until your dog learns to connect the word “quiet” with him, not barking. When your Britt has done this successfully ten or more times, you can start giving the command without showing him a treat. If he doesn’t comply, you may need to offer him a treat for many more training sessions.
- Your Brittany will eventually learn to be quiet on command without receiving a treat. However, it would help if you still gave him verbal praise when he stops barking.
- When your Brittany grasps the quiet command during training, you must apply it to real-world situations. You can do this by asking a friend to approach your front door to see how your dog reacts. Be sure to have a treat whenever a visitor comes to the door. Ask a visitor to pretend to be a mail carrier and not leave the porch until your Brittany is quiet.
3. MANAGING ATTENTION-SEEKING BARKING
This kind of barking is also known as request barking, and it is a common issue for many dog owners. Firstly, you must stop giving your dog whatever he wants every time he barks. This may take a long time, particularly if you always gave in to him whenever he barked.
It would help if you distinguished between a valid reason for the barking, like needing the bathroom, and barking over a minor him. Understand that any concession to your dog’s bark will undo any progress made.
Keep in mind that it is best to ignore request barking and reward your dog when he obeys the quiet command rather than punish.
Suppose your dog barks: avoid yelling (that is giving him attention), petting him, or giving him what he wants. It’s best not to even look at him. If you find it hard to ignore your dog, try to distract yourself by reading a book or washing the dishes.
When your dog ceases to bark, it’s essential to give him praise and reward him for being quiet. In time, your buddy will learn that being obedient and quiet achieves better results than being noisy.
Reducing Overall Barking
Unnecessary barking can be distressing for a dedicated Brittany owner. So naturally, you will want to do all you can to help your companion feel happy and stress-free in your home. The following are ways to minimize overall barking:
- It’s essential to meet all of your dog’s practical needs. For example, feed your dog appropriate meals, give him plenty of clean water to drink, and make sure that he is generally comfortable inside your home.
- Sometimes barking can be a sign of ill health or injury, so take your Brittany to the veterinarian to rule out any illness or injury.
- Training your dog to obey the quiet command is useful for many kinds of problem barking. Make sure that you can determine necessary barking from unnecessary barking.
- Brittanys are exceptionally energetic and need vigorous exercise to curb problem behaviors, and it tires them out.
- If your Brittany barks every time he sees or hears something outside, you must block his access to those triggers. If your dog barks at the window, put up curtains or blinds to block the sight of animals or people.
- Consult an expert dog trainer if you have exhausted every action with your Brittany to little or no success.
Final Thoughts
Brittanys are not the worst offenders regarding barking. It also helps that they are trainable and eager to please. Ensure to meet all of your dog’s basic needs so that he has little reason to bark.
However, if he barks a lot for a specific reason, be sure to determine what that is to begin taking steps to prevent unnecessary noise.
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