Help! I'm Barking and I Can't Be Quiet: A pet parenting guide

by Daniel Q. Estep, Suzanne Hetts

Excessive barking is a real problem for dog owners, neighbors, the community and for dogs. This book explains why dogs bark, and why analyzing a barking problem is the first step in resolving it. Learn how to determine if your dog is barking for territorial, fearful, aggressive, anxious, attention-getting or other reasons, and what steps you can take to change these very different behaviors. Includes helpful charts and diagrams.

85 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2004

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Visit www.barkinghelp.com or www.animalbehaviorassociates.com and consider a telephone or email consultation with us" is the most common phrase you'll find in this relatively short book. I counted it no fewer than six times, which makes me think the book is really just a marketing document for the authors' private practice (other sales pitches for their site abound as well). I found a few useful nuggets in here, but I was extremely disappointed that it actually recommends anti-bark collars, shock collars and even debarking surgery for certain circumstances. (Even more surprised that, given that, a respected canine behaviorist actually recommends this book!) I did get a few useful nuggets to help my barker, but overall it just restated the obvious (if your dog barks from boredom, give her a toy! Thanks! I would never have thought of that!). The worksheets might have been helpful if they weren't so difficult to piece together. One day, I'll find a useful training book but for now, this one wasn't it.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent introductory material for dog owners to understand their dog's motivations for excessive noise-making, and guidance on the best individual approach(es) to help them resolve the problem barking and underlying issues.