Dear Inquisitive Canine,
Q: My dog barks almost nonstop when in the car. Since I am driving alone, what can I do to eliminate this behavior? Giving a chewy treat does not stop him.
— Susan
A: Hi Susan. Thank you for sharing your doggy dilemma with us. Seems your dog’s voice is not music to your ears.
Fortunately, we can often help curb excessive barking when we figure out the “why” of this behavior and provide for the underlying need.
We might even turn challenging times into moments of deeper connection with our pets when they need it most — when they are striving to communicate with us.
Let’s see if we can come up with a plan for you and your inquisitive canine.
- Behind every behavior is a need. Barking is a normal, common, instinctual way for dogs to communicate. So, begin by determining the “why”’ of your dog’s barking during car rides. Excited? Bored? Scared? Feeling ill? Is he nauseous or anxious? A vet visit might be warranted.
- Set clear goals. Once you either rule out or address any physical reasons for barking, determine what your training goals are. Complete quiet all the time? Is barking at certain times OK? First figure out what it is you want.
- Reward what you want. Sometimes we forget to “catch dogs in the act” of doing what we want. When it comes to excess barking, remember to pay attention and reward your dog when he is being quiet, especially in the car. For safety during training, when you are driving, someone else can deliver rewards.
- Are there specific triggers associated with car rides? Does the car predict going to the vet clinic or the dog park? Is he reacting to other vehicles? Pedestrians? No matter the current conditioned response he’s developed — fear or excitement — you’ll still want to teach him what it is you want, and if there’s an underlying fear, you’ll want to change his emotional state to a more positive one through counterconditioning and desensitization. A behavior consultation with a certified professional trainer might be warranted.
- Shape his behavior. Introduce and reinforce each step one at a time: Sitting in a parked car, then maybe starting the engine while in park, then moving a few feet, backing up, parking, turning the engine off, getting out of the car as if you’ve arrived at your location, then repeating the process. Continue to shape his behavior a little at a time, rather than expecting a quiet ride before Fido has developed the skills.
- Avoid common mistakes that can make barking worse. Sometimes I hear from clients, “I’m always yelling at my dog, ‘No! Stop it!’ but he keeps barking.” If your dog is barking and you bark back, “No!” and he keeps barking, you might be inadvertently reinforcing this behavior. Instead, spend time teaching and rewarding your dog for quiet.
- Avoid equipment designed to punish, shock or startle a barking dog (or any dog). These devices might be intended to suppress unwanted behavior, but there’s a risk of not only increasing the behavior but the development of fear and aggression as well. Aversive training tools can also cause physical harm to your pet and nothing is worth that risk.
Humane, force-free training motivates dogs, helps keep them engaged, and allows them to learn to trust their people.
By promoting the human-canine bond while avoiding adding to fear and anxiety, soon you’ll have an easier time when out together for an R-I-D-E in the C-A-R … a total win-win for all!