h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi nim

Are you still having a problem with your barking dog?

I have dogs. One is a mega barker. She enjoys barking. I have to tell her to stop - then she stops. The problem with dogs that enjoy barking is that, if there's nobody to tell them not to, they can keep it up for hours.

Dogs are pack animals. They hate to be alone and shouldn't be left on their own for hours on end. Left to it's own devices a dog will follow its instincts. Your dog's instincts have to be accommodated to some extent and modified to some extent, by training. It takes time and effort and, depending on the dog (how old, how intelligent etc), it can take quite a long time. If there are no good dog training facilities where you live, then get a good book on the subject. I recently found a one called "Why Does My Dog . . . ?" . It explains why dogs exhibit this or that type of behaviour and how you train them not to do the things that distress you.

Good luck. Dogs are fabulous animals and well worth the effort. For some reason, almost all of them adore humans.

Thanks for dropping by, Salamander!

Leo stopped crying (not *barking*) a short time after that posting. Either he got used to the new surroundings, or it has something to do with my mother yelling at him (more the latter I think).
Then he tried to get into the house at night and did it because we have no fly-screens yet, only bamboo curtains in front of the terrace doors. So we let one door completely open, and he started to make rounds during the night. Last night at 2 am he sat down in the middle of the hall and started to cry because nobody would get up and play with him!

He is a sweetpie, and we are trying to find somebody who is completely nuts about dogs and has more time than us to take care of him.

nim

Good luck with your endeavours nim. Your dog sounds like a real character. I hope you find him a good home.