As much as we love our canine companions, a dog that is incessantly barking or whining can sour the the best relationship between the dog, hie owner and the people that live in their vicinity. While it is normal for some barking, even in a well behaved dog, what do you do when your dog is overtly vocal?

1. Become familiar with the different tones of voice of your dog. Dogs will have a range of variations of their bark and their whine. Remember, a dog will never bark or whine without a reason. Your job is to find out what the reason is.Does your dog want food? Has someone invaded his territory? Perhaps another animal or a person?

2. Whining is a distinct sign that your dog is in distress. Many alert owners have saved their dogs from harm by investigating when their dog was whining.

3. Dogs also whine when they feel lonely. Canines are social animals, living in packs in the wild. Being alone all day while you work can make him whine when you get home. Setting aside the first 10-15 minutes to play with and interact with your dog, scratching a belly, throwing a ball, shower him with affection is a surefire way to stop the whining in it’s tracks. It is also a wonderful stress relief for yourself after a day at the office.

4. having your dog locked out in the back yard is a surefire way to make him whine, and to make your neighbors hate you. Your dog wants to be with you and misses your companionship which is had inside the house. Your dog may be whining until you take him in whether that happens within the next 10 minutes or 10 hours. For the sake of your dog and your neighbors, leave your dog inside the house when you are away.

5. Should you discipline a dog that is whining? No, whining is always a sign of distress and punishing a dog that is stressed can make the behavior even worse. Hitting your dog or putting him outside as punishment is the wrong course of action.

More articles to get your dog more well behaved such as Training walking a dog on a leash and how to housebreak a puppy can be found on our site, catsdogsandpets.com