By Sam Mazzota
King Syndicate
DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My 6-month-old toy poodle, “Jenks,” is incredibly cute, but he has a sharp, loud bark for such a little guy — and he barks almost nonstop when we’re home. I know anxiety is an issue with many small breeds, and I’m wondering how I can best address this. — John, via email
DEAR JOHN: It’s worth looking into. Contact Jenks’ veterinarian to discuss the issue, as I’m sure you’ll get a number of different suggestions ranging from behavior training to antianxiety medication.
Jenks is still pretty young. How much time does he spend alone at home? If you have to be out for eight hours or more, you may want to have someone — a friend or a pet sitter — come in to check on him, take him out to pee and play a little bit.
You also should establish a routine that he can count on, one that includes plenty of time spent with him either playing or training. Both of these are times when he’s getting your full attention and positive reinforcement, as well as a way to work off some of that puppy energy that’s also behind the barking.
As your puppy matures into an adult, he may mellow out somewhat. But in the meantime, it’s up to you to provide structure and training to reinforce the behavior you want in Jenks. If these efforts don’t seem to improve the constant barking, talk with your vet about addressing his anxiety with medication.
Send your tips, comments or questions to ask@pawscorner.com.
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