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High Arousal help
I have a dog on constant high alert. Subtle sounds the owner can’t detect early on set the dog off – this is usually any and all delivery trucks/mail trucks. Makes it hard to catch the trigger and redirect. Once he registers the trigger, there is no stopping the barking and redirect aggression until the trucks takes off. Any suggestions and help would be welcomed.
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2 Replies
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Hi @Brenna , one quick idea, if you’ve not already mentioned this, is to see if a white noise machine, or radio or background TV will help to mask some of the outdoor sounds.
If the dog also has visual access (i.e. through a window) for watching delivery trucks, that can further exacerbate things. If that’s the case, I’d block that with opaque window film or poster board.
Does the dog’s condition of “high alert” translate to a very anxious dog? If so, a discussion with a vet who specializes in behavior meds could be helpful.
No foods, even fresh proteins like steak or roast chicken, will get the dog’s attention? If not, perhaps having a leash dragging on the dog (under supervision) will at least allow the pet parent to move the dog away — on the first bark — to a quieter area of the house so he’s not hearing the trucks and, importantly, not hearing them drive away. I worry about a dog possibly thinking that his barking drives the ‘bad trucks’ away, thus reinforcing the barking.
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Hi Brenna,
Virginia has already given you some great ideas for management, including visual barriers, white noise and a long lead.
Is the dog generally vigilant, everywhere? There can be many reasons for this, including a lack of/too much exercise and an overall enrichment plan. Take a look at the discussions in our community for SEEDs by using the search bar. Is the dog getting a good plan with all of these?
It may help us help you to let us know a bit more about the dog – age, breed, training history, living conditions, etc. We may see some other ideas to tweak, once you’ve had a look at the SEEDs plan.
Sometimes the problem is not really the problem, but just a symptom of the problem. Barking is often a symptom.
Hope this helps you think things through – let us know what you think!
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