Q. My dog barks at other dogs, and I was told to just let her bark it out since she’s fearful. Will barking it out help her?
A. There is some validity to the theory of letting a dog bark it out, in that it’s a better alternative to two of the more common reactions to this behavior. The natural tendency for many pet owners when their dog starts barking at other dogs is to either use some form of punishment or to rescue their dog from the situation. A barking dog can be embarrassing for pet parents, and they may start jerking the leash and scolding the dog in order to stop the out-of-control behavior. Another common reaction, especially for small dogs, is for the pet parent to rescue her from the situation, either by picking the barking dog up or immediately turning and moving away from the other dog.
About De-Barking Surgery
“Debarking,” or cordectomy is an elective surgical procedure involving partial removal of a dogs vocal cords. Debarking does not take away the dogs ability to bark, it just makes it sound quieter and raspy (which is actually considered annoying by some).
In almost all cases, debarking surgery is unnecessary and unfair to the dog. Surgery and anesthesia are always risks, so any procedure that is purely for human convenience and does not medically benefit the patient or animal community should be avoided.
In addition, excessive barking indicates an underlying issue that is usually behavioral. Surgery takes the noise away, but the anxiety, fear, or similar problem remains unaddressed.
How to Stop Excessive Barking
The best way to prevent barking in the first place is to try and remove any potential sources of the behavior. You should also avoid inadvertently encouraging the barking and give your dog better things to do.
To be a good canine citizen, your dog needs to know when to bark and when to be quiet. Part of your job as a dog owner means teaching this to your canine. Start working on problem barking as soon as you can. The longer you wait, the harder it gets to curb the behavior.
Its a good idea to teach your dog the Speak/Quiet Commands, although this may be easier said than done. The goal of these commands is to teach your dog to bark on command and to be quiet on command. It may take weeks for some dogs, so continue the training or work with an expert for extra help. If your dog has been trained and continues to bark too much at certain times, youll need to understand the cause of this behavior.
How to Stop Dog Barking! (Cesar911 Shorts)
Do you have a dog who just won’t stop barking? Perhaps you’re an annoyed neighbor who has simply had enough of a local mutt constantly barking and keeping you awake at night.
Either way, I am sure the thought has crossed your mind whether it’s possible for a dog to get a sore throat from barking or damage their vocal cords. If dogs do get sore throats, it could mean you will get some respite from the noise at some point.
This very same question came up last week in a social media conversation, so I decided to investigate whether dogs can get sore throats, and if barking too much is a factor.
Do dogs get sore throats from barking? Dogs can get sore throats from barking too much. Excessive barking over a prolonged period of time can result in damage to the dog’s vocal cords, resulting in laryngitis where the larynx inflames and becomes sore, plus a hoarse bark.
So, there you have it; dogs can damage their vocal cords by barking excessively, which they will often do to communicate with each other.