Constant yapping at anything and everything is one of the most annoying and treatable of the obsessive compulsive dog behaviors. In our series of articles addressing problem bad dog behavior, these obnoxious barking dog problems are among those which are unnecessarily exacerbated by unspent, pent up energy, yet so frequently overlooked by overly protective owners. Especially with the smaller breeds… And they drive the owners and neighbors bonkers! That is what this little ear-splitter did.
This day the small Yorkshire Terrier was barking so loudly I could not hear his very frustrated owner clearly. “Quiet!” she commanded loudly in exasperation.
I had a spontaneous “Ouch!” escape from me, because the woman had forgotten that I was on the other end of the phone. I shook my head for inner ear equilibrium.
“I am so sorry,” she said. It was genuine. The poor thing was near tears, I could tell. “He just won’t be quiet. He barks and barks and barks -at EVERYTHING! Even if it is a simple noise with which he is familiar.”
The little Yorkshire Terrier was still yapping despite her desperate plea. He refused to stop … that incessant yapping that goes right through you until you want to scream.
So I went straight over to the distraught owner’s home. The little dog, Jake, came charging out, barking furiously and in such a high pitched tone that it was very hard on the ears.
I corrected Jake with a firm “Hey!” and a stare down. He understood my body language and surrendered immediately.
“I have had this dog for seven years!” the owner exclaimed. “The only time he has been this quiet is when he was sleeping.” Then she added, only half kidding: “Can’t he sleep all the time?”
She said she had tried numerous medications and some exercise to soothe Jake’s excitement, but nothing had worked. I then learned that Jake was walked for only fifteen minutes a day, and was allowed to do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted.
“Jake becomes excited before the walk,” I said. “He must learn that the leash means for him to calm down. Second, he must be behind or beside you on the walk, unless you have decided to give him free time. You are dealing with a very obsessive dog, and your not giving him leadership is intensifying this bad dog behavior.”
Jake screamed and was like a bucking bronco on the leash as I made him walk behind me. For less than two minutes, this typical tantrum kept up. Expect a tantrum of some form. It always happens.
However, upon seeing that he could not manipulate me, Jake relaxed and started trotting along like the ideal little dog. It is all about leadership and control. We took a good long walk. Warn out by the time I brought him home, Jack took a short nap right away.
I showed the owner what to do, step by step, and how to correct Jake. She worked with him diligently every day, and within three weeks Jake was no longer obsessive in any way. Seven long years of obsessive compulsive dog behavior with this excessive dog barking behavior problem — cured in three weeks of proper exercise and dog obedience training. Ahhhh … Nice and quiet …