Workers like the Postman and Delivery Driver's are constantly being barked at throughout their day.
Your dog perceives these type of people as intruders or a threat to their territory. The dog then barks and every time he barks he is rewarded, as the intruder goes away. Your dog is then very pleased that he has averted this threat, which leads him to do it again and again. His behavior is reinforced and therefore this can be a difficult problem to turn around.
- If possible, you could try to block your dogs vision or access to the area where these people pass by.
- Dog obedience training is the best solution to this type of excessive barking. Once you have your dog properly obedience trained, you will be able to communicate to him that this is unacceptable behavior. To learn how to train your dog at home with the latest cutting edge techniques
- If your dog consistently barks at a particular person, you may need to use this person to help modify your dogs behavior. Just say your dog gets really agitated each time the postman arrives. Have a chat to your postman and give him some of your dogs very favorite treats. Each time he delivers to your house, he can also deliver a tasty treat to your dog. In your dogs mind the postman goes from being a threat, to a welcome guest.
I have a soft spot for my dogs yelping when I come home. I know my neighbours hate me for it, but what can I do- this is his way of expressing himself!