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Fears and Phobias

Your dog's barking may be a response to something he's afraid of if:

• The barking occurs when he's exposed to loud noises, such as thunderstorms, firecrackers or construction equipment.
• Your dog's posture indicates fear — ears back, tail held low.

Recommendations:

• Identify what's frightening your dog and desensitize him to it. You may need professional help with the desensitization process. Check with your veterinarian about anti-anxiety medication while you work on behavior modification.
• Mute noise from outside by leaving your dog in a basement or windowless bathroom and leave on a television, radio or loud fan. Block off your dog's access to outdoor views that might be causing a fear response, by closing curtains or doors to certain rooms.

Separation Anxiety

Your dog may be barking due to separation anxiety if:

• The barking occurs only when you're gone and starts as soon as, or shortly after, you leave.
• Your dog displays other behaviors that reflect a strong attachment to you, such as following you from room to room, frantic greetings or reacting anxiously to your preparations to leave.
• Your dog has recently experienced: a change in the family's schedule that results in his being left alone more often; a move to a new house; the death or loss of a family member or another family pet; or a period at an animal shelter or boarding kennel.

Recommendations:

• Separation anxiety can be resolved using counter-conditioning and desensitization techniques.

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