The barking startles you at midnight and all you can think is "Wasn't this supposed to be a silent night? Who knew my dog was such a Pawvarotti?" Let's face it, not all of your dog's night time barking will result in some burglar running away from your home, like any hyper-sensitive alarm system, your dog can use some fine tuning.
First of all, why do dogs bark at night? Being those sound and smell savants they are, dogs catch sensations that we don't have a hope of ever understanding, and especially at night when the throng of human activity goes down, the strangest noises and aromas come alive in your dog's senses: a stray cat roaming the trash cans, a neighbor's snore or another dog's vocalizations while dreaming of a valley full of game to hunt.
Or maybe your dog is new to this neighborhood and what was a normal sleep in your old house becomes haunted with sounds that have no face.
Or the echo in this house sounds really cool when everyone is sleeping. And if he gets to wake you up to give him some overnight company, much better.
Whatever the reason, there is a lot that can be done training-wise. Let's try the PHAB system: Place, Habits and Alternative Behaviors.
PLACE: Limit your dog's access to the house or yard until his behavior improves. No, this is not punishment we are talking about but strategy. If you know your dog might bark during the night, keep him in a place that you have easy and fast access to, so you can interrupt the excessive barking. Usually, dogs bark through windows, doors or fences, so keep your dog in a place where he won't have access to the windows or doors that lead to the outside, the street, where most noises and smells will come from. Maybe the bathroom, the laundry room, or a crate near your bed.
HABITS: Create a habit that you can use to control your dog's behavior that both of you enjoy and that is incompatible with barking. Some people might find it useful to teach their dogs to lie down on a rug or dog bed gnawing on a bone while the owner is reading, watching tv or taking a nap. This is some activity you can practice during the day, that you can implement cue and reward. Here is an example: If it's your reading time, take your book, a hard bone that you only use for those moments, your dog's day bed and go to your reading corner. Set the bed next to your chair, put the bone down and tell your dog "Park It" as you point your index finger to the bone on the bed. Your dog will go to the bed, lie down and munch on the bone. Do this every time you need a quiet moment during the day.
Your dog will learn that Park It means to take a moment of quiet enjoyment on his bed.
ALTERNATIVE BEHAVIOR: As the nightly barking operetta starts, go to your dog, stand up firmly in front of him, extend your arm and do a STOP signal like a traffic cop would do. Once you get your dog's quiet attention for a second, walk with him to the bed and, only if he is still in silence, give him the command to park it. Once he does, reward him peacefully for a few seconds. You are using an already learned and pleasant behavior as an alternative. Everyone happy.
Steady and consistent training should give you and your neighbors a much better sleep.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
Comments