NO-Bark Collars

A safer method than a barking problem in a dog is training. Most dogs bark because they are anxious, especially small dogs. Shocking them when they bark is not going to resolve the anxiety. In fact, it will make it worse. Thus, you may eventually stop the barking, but you have not helped the underlying problem. Those anxious feelings will show themselves in other ways such as chewing, inappropriate elimination or even aggression.

If your dog is barking at a window or in the yard etc, do not give them access to that area when you are gone. Give them a quiet room with a comfortable bed, treats and bones. Don't let your dog practice the behavior all day. When you are home, teach a no bark command. Play with him in a way that will make him bark. Then say "quiet" when he stops. Reward with good treats. Practice this until he responds every time.

Can dogs watch TV?

Many claim that their dogs watch TV. A lot of these dogs will actually follow the movement of objects moving around the screen and may also bark. However, the dog does not interpret the television the same way we do. The dog can’t determine what any object on the screen actually is. For example, if we can see a video of a dog running around a field, your dog will see a dark object moving around the screen and this may grab his attention and make him "watch". The sounds of the television are also likely to gain the attention of the dog, and because they can pinpoint the directional origin of any sound they hear, they will naturally look at the TV. Most dogs, however, will differentiate between the sounds of, a dog barking on TV and a real dog barking. Although unapparent to us, there will be a distinct difference which will render the TV version unimportant to your dog. A dog's most important sense, smell, is not present in television and may affect his reaction to stimuli such as the TV that is lacking scents.

Going Barking Mad

We have a street very close to my house, which is not so affectionately called “Bark Lane” We call it this because every single home on this street has a dog, and every dog barks very loudly. When someone unknown or strange or interesting walks down the street, a chain reaction is started. Starting at one end of the street, a cascade a barking ensues, and before long the entire street in one big barking chorus of dogs. There something interesting about how the bark of one dog sets off the bark of another and another etc. Luckily, I don’t actually live on this street. But I can imagine it must be terribly frustrating when you’re trying to sleep or looking for peace and quiet. Dogs are amazing: I love them to bits. But when they start barking like mad it can drive you barking mad.

Breed Profile: Poodle

Next to the Border Collie, the Poodle is considered the next most intelligent dog. Like Border Collies, Poodles hate to be left alone and love being around people as much as possible. Poodles generally have a long life expectancy, from thirteen to fifteen years. While they don’t have enormous exercise requirements (certainly nothing compared to the Border Collie), Poodles need company and companionship. They are moderately friendly with other pets, and are very amiable to strangers. Later on in life, many Poodles can suffer from disorders of the eyes, skin and heart. It should be noted that there are some small differences between the Toy Poodle and the standard Poodle. Generally, Toy Poodles require less exercise and are slightly more affectionate. But both can be trained just as easily, and both are considered to be equally as intelligent.

Sam, the dog next door

A reader wrote to us about the issue he has with his neighbours’ dog. As Sam, the aforementioned dog, howls incessantly whenever his master leaves the house.
The reader complained of a sense of hopelessness as he understands that the owners have no control over their pets’ vocal chords, yet he still agonises for the loss of his peaceful Sunday afternoons. What to do?

Unfortunately, many people struggle with this and unfortunately there is no solution, save moving house (either party), shock collars or even voice-box removal - not much of an option!

Despite the negative attention these animals receive from sleep deprived neighbours, the reason they are howling is because they grieve and miss their owners' attention and presence and not because they really hellhounds, punishing you for some evil past deed.

Another comment on the barking dog bylaw & POLL RESULTS

Hello again,

Alright, I promised a follow up! The POLL RESULTS are as follows:

How many dogs should you be allowed to keep in your home?

53% say that you should be allowed to have FOUR dogs
38% say TWO
7% say that you should be allowed to keep as many as you like

The truth of the matter is that you are only allowed to have two dogs on your property unless you are a breeder residing on agricultural property. If you want more then you have to apply at your local municipality. This applies to your local vet nurse, adoption agency or dog breeder too. This has, apparently, been the law for quite some time, but as a result of the barking dog fiasco, it is going to start getting enforced.

Upset residents who are disturbed by barking dogs say that the lack of regulation as to the number of dogs kept on a residential property is the direct cause of their worries. Adoption agencies are pro this law because it is going to save a lot of animals that are otherwise neglected. In this light, the law makes complete sense.

Of course it is when you consider that there are mean neighbours out there that might report your little yapping sausage dog that everything falls out of perspective. It really boils down to this law having a postive side and a negative side.

There are a number of processes set in place that these doggy police will go through when your dog is reported (to protect you against those nasty neighbours), but it seems that a lot of dog owners are going to be slapped with a hefty fine. This can be up to R20,000! Not the kind of pocket change that a lot of us have lying around.

A lot of people are suggesting that you take your yapping dog to your local vet nurse for a special no-bark procedure, but I can think of nothing worse! Of course, if it a choice between no barking or no living, there's not much to say.

Please send me your comments!

A follow up to the barking dog bylaw

Last week I appealed to our readers to provide us with information regarding the new barking dog bylaw. It turns out that this law was proposed in last week’s Saturday Argus. I got hold of a copy of this week’s Argus and read the follow up article.

The gist of the article set out that there had been a mixed bag of responses from the public regarding this new law. On the one hand, there was a huge amount of hate mail from the kind of dog owners that were deeply concerned about dog health issues and the fact that their dogs’ lives were at stake. On the other hand, there were a number of organizations that supported the law so as to prevent cruelty to animals as there are a vast number of animals being put down daily due to the excess of numbers.

In response, the powers that be have decided to reconsider their idea of impounding barking dogs, and have instead favored the idea of providing barking dog owners with a hefty fine. So what are you supposed to do? There are a number of awful devices that you can use to silence your barking dogs through electronic pulses, but these seem to be unnaturally cruel to the very nature of your dog being a dog.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to get all of the mothers out there to put their screaming babies outside when it comes to supper time, or just-can’t-go-to-sleep time and see if there is a new screaming baby bylaw. Seriously though, when dog health is at stake, it is no laughing matter. There is another aspect to this law, covered in this week’s poll, regarding the number of dogs that are allowed to be kept in any one property. I shall address this issue tomorrow.

Please feel free to send me your comments or opinions.

An animal safety issue

I have, in the last two days, heard everywhere that there is a shocking new law in South Africa regarding animal safety. After searching high and low through online newspaper archives and talk radio logs, I can't find much mention of it. Please, if you know anything about this, email us and tell us!! The only article I have found is posted after this account.

The 'new' law is as follows: BARKING DOGS

If a neighbour of yours complains to the police about your barking dog, the police will come and give you a warning.
If there is a second complaint, your dog will be TAKEN AWAY from you, and the police have the right to have it put down.

This is the most inhumane, revolting and awful law that I have ever heard of. Is it real? Can a neighbour really cause the death of your beloved pet? I have received emails telling me that there are institutions and processes in place to prevent you from being the victim of a nasty neighbour, but I am unconvinced.

When it is animal safety at stake, I am no quiet voice. Is there anyone out there who can comment on this? I have a sausage dog and he yaps all the time! Our neighbours once sent us a nasty letter telling us that we must be abusing the small dog and they are going to report us to the SPCA. Worried and scared, we phoned the SPCA and they just laughed - 'dogs bark!' they said. What if these neighbours call the police?

There must be something in place to ensure animal safety - do the complaints need to be from different neighbours? What if everyone else in your neighbourhood doesn't mind your barking dog? Please leave your comments and email me any information.

Here is one mention of the new law, found at http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=vn20070919073103643C678671

Don't get me wrong. Incessant dog-barking would drive me right up the garden wall were it not for the five strands of electrified wire on top.And it's usually my own dog, imagining there's a burglar on the other side of it, that provokes me into conducting an exasperated conversation with a canine.Often Stan himself doesn't truly believe he's warding off burglars. While I am working he tends to signal his general boredom with life by going out on the front lawn, if we let him, and barking at the sky."For heaven's sake, Stan," I shout, rushing out, "give me a break. Stoppit, come inside, for crying out loud."He's always pleased to get this sort of attention, and wags his tail.At least we don't let him stand at the front gate, like the neighbourhood dogs are allowed to do.

While walking Stan and Kali round a single block we pass two Staffies, two black Labradors, two Jack Russells, a German shepherd, a Rottweiler and two very stupid boxers, one of which immediately throws himself up and around in anti-clockwise circles.All of them express their noisy annoyance at our daring to walk past their gates with our own dogs.Amid the uproar I remark to my wife: "I'm glad we don't live round here." Then she reminds me we do.But I would never want them to be seized and impounded, merely because they were doing their doggy best to protect their owners' properties.Yet that is what could happen under the new by-laws being considered by the City of Cape Town.

They would enable people to spy on their neighbours and report to dog police, who can then pounce on offending pets.The maximum penalty will be a fine of R20 000 (for the owner) and death (for the dog). At this stage no executions are planned for the owners, as well, which comes as a relief.

If it is a disappointment to some, they should realise that even Beijing, whose clothes we now all wear and on whom we increasingly model ourselves, hasn't got to this stage. That city has also passed new laws to control dogs, and stipulates that no household may have more than one, like babies, whereas Cape Town will still allow us two.Some Beijing admirer in City Hall is behind the times.In addition, Beijing has ruled that dogs may be no taller than 35 centimetres. This is something that Cape Town hasn't thought of, either, which is good news for all local pooches above ankle height.

Nor has the city yet urged neighbours to inform on each other, though no doubt this will happen in due course.If barking dogs are banned, can crying babies be far behind?It will help to take our minds off crime. Dogs are much easier to nail than drug dealers, and no one's going to arrest you for knocking on a dog-owner's door.We might even end up eating our dogs, which is one way to stop them barking.As the Beijing gourmets say, you can't have your dog and eat it.johnvscott@mweb.co.za