My Pet World: Training your dog to relax and not bark at guests

Cathy M. Rosenthal, Tribune Content Agency on Nov 30, 2022

Second, teach your husky to "leave it." Leave-it training is often associated with food or toys. But asking your dog to "leave it" with people or animals is helpful too. Follow the steps above to train her to leave food and toys when asked. Then train her to "leave it" as she approached someone in those neutral locations, you mentioned.

A good recall (coming when called) is important as well, especially when your dog is off-leash. Follow up by saying “thanks, I got this," to let your dog know you don't need her help or protection. Then position yourself between your dog and your guest. Never let your dog be between you and your guests as this positioning often triggers their protective nature and contributes to their anxiety and barking. If needed, keep her on a leash, and make sure she stands or sits behind you when guests are around. If she knows you “got this,” she will be more likely to relax.

Finally, provide a pheromone collar or pheromone plug-ins for the home, or give her some of the over-the-counter hemp anxiety chews to ease some of the anxiety, especially during training. A relaxed dog is much easier to train than a tense and anxious one.

Be patient. It may take a few weeks or even months to change this behavior.

Dear Cathy,

I read your column in the Wisconsin State Journal about the man with feral cats. I appreciated all of your ideas regarding them, but was disappointed that you did not mention "TNR" programs (spaying/neutering) and barn cat programs, especially given the damage they do due to small animals, especially migratory birds.

— Janet, Madison, Wisconsin

Dear Janet,

I don't think the letter writer complaining about feral cats around his pool will likely trap them for their TNR (trap-neuter-return) surgeries and return them to the neighborhood to care for them for the remainder of their lives. But, if there is a barn cat program in his area, he can inquire as to whether he can trap the cats and bring them to the organization operating the program. If there is no such program, then TNR is the best option for managing feral cat populations in a neighborhood.

Thanks for writing.

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)