Question:
We live in a very quiet area of New York. We own a purebred pit bull dog, which we believe has a barking problem.I have never seen a dog that barks so much at everything. She barks at ants, butterflies, squirrels, people, cars and flies -- everything that moves. It is so annoying. What can we do?.
A.M., Chestnut Ridge, NY Jan 09, 2005
Answer:
Joyful and curious young dogs, excited by novel things from butterflies to bicycles, will bark and jump and often yelp in boundless enthusiasm -- generally a sign of a good-natured temperament in later life.To stop her barking you must get your dog's attention. Distract and re-motivate her by calling her name and giving her a treat when she comes to you. Then make her sit and be still. Alternatively, distract her from barking by using a training clicker or by shaking a can of nuts and bolts or pebbles. If she doesn't respond to your voice unless she sees you beckoning her to come, have her hearing tested. Deafness is not an uncommon hereditary problem in all-white English bull terriers, and that breed's genes contribute to the American pit bull's makeup.
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