Territorial Barking

Your dog will bark to announce visitors or to chase humans or animals out of his territory. The result will be territorial barking. Examples could be: Kids coming home from school, the mailman, the neighbour's dog, the door bell, a car pulling into the driveway or the arrival of visitors. Territorial barking will usually cease as soon as the triggering stimulation stops or leaves. Thus, this barking creates its own reinforcement. Take the case of a pedestrian walking towards your property. Your dog barks, the pedestrian continues on his way. Your dog will believe that he has successfully chased him.

Protective barking

Protective dogs, tries to protect a member of the family. When your dog is protective, he'll position himself between the arriving person and you. Owners will often say the animal is jealous. Protective barking may occur inside as well as outside the dog's territory.

The two types of barking described above aim at the same result: to remove the stimulation, either from a place (territorial) or a person and object (protective).

The purpose of behaviour modification in territorial and protective barking will be to change a negative mental image of certain stimulations into a positive one. Your dog should react calmly to passers-by and, ideally, welcome visitors in a friendly way. He must understand that it is all right to warn you, but that he has to stop when his warning is made.

1- Determine the situations where barking occurs. Choose one situation.

 

2- As soon as your dog starts barking, ask him to "Come" and "Sit". Reward him and play. To successfully achieve this association, we suggest that your repeat this exercise several times.

 

3- The reward should be offered as the person is closer and closer to your dog or his territory. Finally, the intruder himself should offer the reward. This reward will be used every time your dog refrains from barking and accepts the situation without difficulty.

4- To accelerate your dog's training, you should include the command "Stop" each time he barks in your presence. Reward when he stop. Increase time before rewarding. Consult the section on Stop" command and positive reinforcement for further information.

5- When your dog thinks you're absent, and watch him from a distance. Offer a reward after each successful exercise, or when he stops barking. To avoid reinforcing the barking once you return to the room, give your dog a command as "Come - Sit" before offering his reward.