If the neighbor called to complain about your barking dog, try not to get too frustrated with your pal. A dog's bark reflects a variety of emotions, including alarm, frustration and separation anxiety. There are several ways to deal with your dog's barking behavior, including using homemade citronella bark spray.
-
Bark Collars, Good and Bad
-
If you want to use citronella spray to curb your dog's barking behavior, you've chosen an effective way to deal with nuisance barking. According to a study by the Animal Behavior Clinic at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, citronella spray collars are more effective at stopping nuisance barking than electric shock collars. Your dog has a sensitive sense of smell, and researchers assume the pain of shock is tolerated better than the unusual citronella scent from a bark collar. The problem with a bark collar is sometimes it picks up sounds that don't come from your dog, correcting him for something that he hasn't done -- a no-no when it comes to dog behavior modification.
Homemade Citronella Spray
-
You can use homemade citronella spray as part of your dog's barking behavior modification program. Mix 4 ounces of distilled water and 4 ounces of witch hazel together with 30 drops of citronella oil in a spray bottle. When your dog gets riled up and begins to bark, send a light mist of citronella spray in his direction to stop his barking. Never spray a stream of the mixture at him, nor should you spray him if he's barking from fear, stress or anxiety. The ASPCA does not recommend bark collars or punishment as a means to control barking behavior. Instead, the organization endorses ignoring bad behavior and praising and rewarding appropriate behavior.
-