Whether they are barking at strangers or barking because they miss you, a dog that barks excessively is a recipe for disaster.
Stop your Cavoodle from barking safely and effectively, without the use of electric shock collars.
My Cavoodle barks Constantly. What do I do?
For a dog, barking is as natural as breathing. Cavoodles bark to alert their owner of something, or to communicate with other dogs. Barking is also used as a means to say “Hey, heck off. This is my property and you’re too close”. For many dog owners, barking is an everyday occurrence that isn’t too problematic.
However, when the barking is constant at everyone and everything, then it becomes a problem. How does one stop a Cavoodle from barking?
Reasons your Cavoodle might bark
All dogs use barking as a means to communicate with each other, as well as with us to try and relay important information. Your dog could also just be bored. As humans, we can only guess what our dogs mean when they bark. Additionally, when we aren’t around, some dogs might bark because they miss us (this could be indicative of separation anxiety as well).
To really understand why your Cavoodle might be barking, ask yourself if their needs are being met. Are they bored? Do they have enough stimulation? Some dogs will bark if they aren’t getting enough mental stimulation (such as toys or things to do). Cavoodles thrive on activities, so if there’s nothing to do, you may find your Cavoodle acting up.
How to stop your Cavoodle from barking
There are many reasons why your Cavoodle might bark, and each of them has its own solutions. As an owner, you need to figure out what your Cavoodle is lacking in his or her life and address it right away.
Training is incredibly effective. Teach your Cavoodle a “quiet” word; when they begin barking, you can issue the command to get them to stop. This works great for being out on walks, where your Cavoodle might bark at strangers, but it doesn’t do well when you aren’t around.
If your Cavoodle is bored (no toys, nothing to do), that may be another reason why they bark. They’re trying to tell you they are bored out of their mind. Give your Cavoodle something new to learn, like a new trick. You can also buy toys to get their mind working.
In the case that your Cavoodle suffers from separation anxiety, that takes a lot more work. You have to ease your dog into the notion that you’re not abandoning them at home. There are many guides online that go into the finer details of helping separation anxiety, but many say to leave a recently worn item of clothing at home, as well as plenty of fun toys for your dog to preoccupy themselves.
Don’t use a shock collar
A shock collar is a battery-powered collar that delivers a small zap to your dog’s throat whenever they bark. The shock is usually not enough to hurt your dog, but it certainly startles them. These collars don’t work for a variety of reasons: first of all, it doesn’t truly teach your Cavoodle not to bark.
Instead, it punishes them for doing something they feel is entirely natural. Second, your dog may choose to bark at the resulting shock, which will shock them again, causing them to bark again, repeat ad infinitum until either your dog gets tired or your collar runs out of battery.
To get a Cavoodle to stop barking, the best thing to do is make sure their needs are being met.
Training your Cavoodle is a great way to minimise barking, and also ensure that they stay happy!