How To Keep Dogs From Barking At The Fence

My dog never met anyone (dog or person) he didn't like. So it was perplexing when a new neighbor moved in next door and suddenly there was a growling, barking, snarling fence fight going on.

If your dog has an ongoing fence-line war with a neighboring dog, you know what I'm talking nearly. Whenever the two are exterior at the same time, they run to the debate line to pick upward where the war left off.

Fortunately for my neighbor and their dog, my canis familiaris has a loftier recollect and an overwhelming desire to please so he knows the fence-line war is a giant no-no, and steps abroad quickly when he wanders shut enough to engage in debate-line fight club.

In Partnership with

*Domestic dog friendly rental filter applied to results

But many domestic dog owners have a tougher time with the debate line.

Why Doesn't My Dog Like My Neighbor'due south Dog?

"Luckily for most owners, 'fence wars' are just habits that can exist broken or even prevented through proper training," says Nicole Ellis, a certified professional domestic dog trainer.

She says that the first thing to understand is why dogs bark at each other when they're both outside in their own yards at the same fourth dimension—it's virtually likely because they're being territorial.

In fact, it'southward not uncommon for dogs struggling with fence aggression to exist perfectly fine with each other when independent in the aforementioned yard, only to go admittedly ballistic the second they're divided by a argue.

How to Aid Manage the Pup War

There are a few means to get about changing this behavior, but basic obedience training will exist the nigh helpful.

"If your dog tends to bark at the doorbell or when a stranger approaches, they might be barking at their neighbor dog to let them know that this is their territory," says Ellis. When the barking turns to growling and snarling, information technology'southward because they are highly protective of their territory and family unit.

Like all instinctual behaviors, barrier frustration tin be diluted, channeled, and redirected to a certain caste. Changes that focus on the environs may be more effective—at least while you're in the process of training.

Here are some ways to put a halt to fence line fights.

1. Work on Commands

"Basic commands tin be your all-time friend when information technology comes to managing your dog in the one thousand," says Ellis. Fundamentals such equally sit, stay, come when chosen (recall), and settle are especially of import and can be used whenever your dog heads for the argue or is engaging with the other dog negatively.

You may exist able to redirect the domestic dog'southward focus towards a new job or activity. This could be something as simple every bit engaging them in play with an interactive toy or throwing a ball or stick. The more proactive and quickly you lot redirect, and the improve their recollect training, the more likely this approach is to work. If your dog is already worked upwards into a frenzy, it volition exist more difficult to redirect him.

iii. Teach "Go out Information technology"

Usually, this control is reserved for something yucky like a nutrient wrapper constitute on a walk that you don't want your domestic dog to touch or something you've dropped in the house that he shouldn't have. "If your dog is the i that is barking, you lot tin can train them to get out the domestic dog alone," says Sara Ochoa, DVM. Use the "leave it" control and bring them inside. Reward your dog whenever they leave the neighbour domestic dog alone.

4. Join Forces for a Walk

Next time you take your dog for a walk, enquire your neighbor if they would like to join you. I of the best ways to go dogs to become friendly is past going on a walk together. For this to work, you should take a expert relationship with your neighbor—if you dislike them, your canis familiaris instinctively will also. The hope is that by desensitizing the dogs to each other during walks, it may cut downward on their antics one time back inside their own yards.

five. Build a Better Contend

If you accept open-type fencing where the dogs tin can actually encounter each other, you might consider roofing it or building a barrier in front of it to try to reduce the dog'southward ability to see and really engage with their curvation enemy. That said, fifty-fifty dogs between stockade and stone wall fencing sense, hear, and smell each other despite not existence able to see. Some people try to build an airlock space of six to 12 inches, and so if you accept room to build some other fence in forepart of the electric current i, you tin put a layer of air between the two. Y'all might also consider some sort of garden, or installing plants that buffer your dog from getting up to the fence.

6. Speak to Your Neighbor

Finally, speak to your neighbor to sympathise their schedule and try to piece of work together to either avoid having the dogs outside at the aforementioned time or supervise your dog the entire time they are outside. This isn't ideal or always possible merely can help head off a fence fight before information technology happens.

With consistent training and environmental precautions, you can put an finish to the debate line dog wars.

Source: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-stop-dog-fence-fighting/

Share this post