Dog’s nighttime barking leaves family sleepless in El Sobrante
Dog could be learning how to get his humans to give him some attention. Plus, spread some Valentine's Day love to pets everywhere with a donation to rescue groups and public shelters.
DEAR JOAN: We all need a good night’s sleep, so I purposely got up each time in the middle of last night when our dog would bark at smells and noises and run downstairs.
From upstairs, I told him “leave it” and then “come,” and made him lie back down on his bed. I repeated this each time he barked or started to, and gave him a good scratch while saying “good, leave it” when he stopped.
None of us got a good night’s sleep in hopes that in the future we could. Did I do the right thing? My husband thinks maybe if we close him into an empty bedroom at night that that will discipline him. I don’t think we could put him in a crate at night because he had to come over from Taiwan in one for 18 hours when he was a pup. He is terrified of tight spaces.
Mary Biasotti, El Sobrante
DEAR MARY: I think you’re doing a great job and that your dog will eventually — probably quicker than you think — learn to settle down at night and give everyone a peaceful rest.
However, he could be training you instead of you training him. While he might legitimately hear something disturbing to him and want to check it out, he could just be looking for attention from you. He barks and runs downstairs, you call to him, offer praise and give him some welcome ear scratches. Good human, good human.
The time to train him not to bark is in the daytime when he reacts to certain noises. That’s when you tell him to leave it and praise and reward him when he does.
At night, it’s best to ignore him completely. Once he knows he’s not going to get your attention, he should mostly stop the activity. You still want him to alert you of real issues, of course, but a cat visiting the backyard is not something you need to know at 2 a.m. Letting him bark without reacting is the key.
Punishing or discipling him for barking is pointless. He won’t understand what it is he’s doing wrong and, while parents hope a child will spend their time-out contemplating the error of their ways, a dog isn’t that deep a thinker. Putting him alone in a room will likely only make the barking worse and could lead to anxiety-fueled reactions such as scratching and chewing at the door or furniture.
Things you can try to make it more likely your dog will sleep through the night is to give him lots of playtime and attention in the hours before bedtime. If he enjoys a walk, take an extra long one in the evening.
Make sure his sleeping spot is nice and cozy and that he has some toys nearby in case he feels bored. Listen to the voice of experience — don’t put squeaky toys in the bed with him.
Sweet dreams.
Happy Valentine’s Day
Want to do something sweet for pets? Make life better for all pets, especially those who don’t have homes, by donating $14 to a hard-working rescue group. Don’t forget the public shelters, either. They’re under-funded and often overwhelmed.
In Contra Costa County alone, there is an estimated 450,000 cats, and many of them are not neutered. If you donate to a public shelter, make sure they know the money should go to their spay-neuter program.
Have a question for Joan?
Use this form to submit questions. Photos should be mailed separately to jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.