Barking (Separation anxiety barking)

Food-dispensing toys are one of the best solutions for your dog's barking, whether it be from boredom or separation anxiety.

Before going to work, give your dog such a toy and he can play with it for hours, depending on the toy. A toy like this will provide both mental and physical challenge to you dog and will keep him engaged, so he won't bark and long for you while you're gone.

Here you can get the Our Pets' IQ treat ball, and here you can get the KONG Wobbler toy.

You can even make food dispensing toys by yourself, you can see some interesting ideas here.

If your dog barks out of boredom, maybe it's time for a new member of the family - one more animal that will keep company to your dog.

It can be another dog, but also a cat or another pet - it depends on your dog and how accepting he is with other animals. This way you dog will have somebody to play with when left alone and will have a companion throughout the day.

If you leave your dog alone for 6+ hours it will be good for him(and yourself) if you take him out for a short walk before going to work.

This will also work for dogs that have separation anxiety because you will leave him tired and in a resting mood while you're away, at least for the first couple of hours. This way he will not bark and call for you immediately after you've shut the door.

Behaviour correction sprays are very effective products that stop a dog's bad behaviour and excessive barking. The way they work is through the patented pheromones they contain which provide safe and secure feeling to your dog. You can use them when you're home and your dog is excessively barking, but also when you're away - just spray the area/room where your dog is before you leave (works for dogs who have separation anxiety).

Here you can buy the Sentry Stop That spray and read the reviews.

The behaviour correction collars work just like the behaviour correction sprays - the patented pheromones they contain provide safe and secure feeling to your dog and calm him down. The beauty of the collar is that it can be used in stressful sitations, like going o the vet, or if your dog is not socialized when introducing him to other dogs.

Here you can buy and read more about the Sentry calming collar.

If your dog barks at external sounds (cars, children playing outside, passersby etc.) while alone in the house, it's best if you leave the TV or radio on so that the sounds coming from outside do not distract him. This way your dog will be surrounded with sounds that he's already accustomed to when you're home(works also for dogs who suffer from separation anxiety) and won't bark at every sound he hears.