Large scent hounds such as bloodhounds typically have gentle, laid-back dispositions and can make excellent family pets. Being a hound, however, makes them prone to howling, especially if left alone for long periods of time. Howling also can be triggered in dogs by high-pitched sounds such as sirens. There several avenues you can investigate to mitigate your bloodhound̵7;s howling.
Things You'll Need
- Ultrasonic bark control unit
- Treat-dispenser toys
- Citronella anti-bark collar
- Shock collar
Instructions
Exercise your bloodhound regularly. Bored dogs are much more prone to barking and howling. Bloodhounds are active dogs and require regular exercise and activity to keep them healthy and happy.
Distract your dog when you are away from home. Lonely dogs are unhappy dogs and they will often howl or display other unwanted behaviors when left alone too often. Leave treat-dispensing toys in your absence to keep the dog occupied.
If you are gone for long periods of time and are getting complaints about dog howling, you might want to consider taking your dog to a doggy day care facility or hire a dog-sitter to keep your dog company.
Dogs are pack animals and are generally not happy being left alone for long periods of time. If your schedule takes you away for extended periods, you might consider bringing another dog into the home to keep your bloodhound company. There is, however, no guarantee the new dog won̵7;t pick up the bloodhound̵7;s howling habit.
Fit your bloodhound with a citronella anti-bark collar. This type of collar is designed to squirt a spray of strong-scented citronella oil at the dog̵7;s nose when it barks or howls. These collars are less cruel than shock collars and are particularly suited to scent hounds because they are extremely sensitive to smell.
Neuter your bloodhound. Most dogs are less likely to display bad behavior when they̵7;ve been neutered.
Sometimes a dog will howl to get your attention. You will reinforce the behavior if you pay attention to them when they are making noise. Turn away from your dog and don̵7;t speak to it when it uses howling in this way. Reward the dog with praise and treats as soon as it is quiet.
Well-trained dogs are less likely to display howling behavior. If you don̵7;t have a lot of experience with dogs, consider getting professional training for your bloodhound.
If all else fails, you can try a shock collar to curb your bloodhound̵7;s excessive howling. Try the collar on the dog when you are present to watch its reaction to the correction collar. Some dogs become extremely upset when trained in this manner and a shock collar could cause more problems than it solves.