ArcaMax

Fourth, manage your dog's environment, such as using curtains or barriers to block visual stimuli that trigger barking, or keeping your dog indoors during high activity or noise outside.

Next, minimize environmental triggers that may provoke barking, such as loud noises, unfamiliar people or animals, or changes in routine. Provide a safe and comfortable space for your dog to retreat when they feel anxious or overwhelmed, like a dog bed or a kennel.

Gradually expose your dog to triggering stimuli in a controlled manner, pairing it with positive experiences, such as treats or play, to change their emotional response. This can help reduce anxiety and reactivity, leading to less barking over time.

Finally, expose your dog to various people, animals, and environments to help them become more confident and less reactive. Proper socialization can reduce fear-based barking and promote positive interactions with others.

These suggestions will help you address your dog's excessive barking safely and effectively.

Dear Cathy,

Your column about picking up an elderly dog without causing pain prompted me to write to you. My 18-year-old Maltese mix had spinal surgery when he was 10. His pain was so bad that it was either put him down or do the surgery. We opted for the surgery. It was a smashing success. He has been mostly pain-free ever since.

When visiting him in the vet hospital after his surgery, the nurse brought him to see us on his bed instead of hand-lifting and carrying him. We've been doing that at home ever since. It was very easy to train him to walk onto his bed when he wanted to get up on the couch or on the bed at bedtime. He then looks at us to pick him up, which we do by picking up the bed instead. In the last eight years, I have only picked him up to go to the vet's office.

I hope this suggestion helps others. It has worked wonderfully for us and him.

— Tom, Las Vegas, Nevada

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