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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | MARCH 2018 53 HOW TO CALM A DOG THAT BARKS In last month's post we talked about why dogs bark. This month we will talk about how to calm a barking dog. Although a barking dog can warn of impending peril or danger and serve a useful purpose, a barking dog can quickly become annoying, especially to neighbors, if done excessively. Here are some tips to quiet a barking dog. 1. Shouting at a barking dog only stimulates them. Speak quietly and calmly to quiet them. 2. Use the word "quiet" as the cue word to silence your dog. Speak in a calm, firm voice. Hold a finger to your lips to give a visual cue as well as the spoken cue. 3. Reward your dog with a treat or play as soon as they respond to your command. 4. A tired dog is a quiet dog. Take your dog for a walk or vigorous play in your yard before you leave the house for an extended period of time if you know your dog may bark while you are away. 5. Address a barking issue immediately. The longer barking is allowed to continue, the more difficult it is to correct. 6. Talk to your dog's vet to see if there is some physical or health related problem that may cause your dog to bark. 7. If away from home for extended periods, confine the dog indoors in a single windowless room. This prevents your dog from being motivated by exterior stimulation. 8. If a dog is barking because they are demanding food, water, or attention, never reward the bad behavior. Ignore them until they remain quiet for a few minutes and then reward them. 9. Never scold a dog for barking. Confine them in a room and ignore them until the desired response is achieved. 10. Redirect a barking dog's attention. Give them something more interesting to do than what they are barking at. Usually this means some sort of play with a favorite toy. 11. Never use a "shock collar" or "bark collar." Frequently these devices result in increased barking reactivity. Consult with your vet before using this type of device on your dog. Patience with your dog is always key in correcting inappropriate or undesirable behavior. Pack Walks: all dogs are welcome and we practice techniques to calm barking dogs: • Saturday morning, 8 am, meet at the Spa parking lot • Wednesday afternoon, 4 pm, meet at the Summit parking lot (please, no retractable leashes) Dog Owners Group, Patrick and his dog, Ricky Ricardo: dog_owners@yahoo.com. ~ Patrick Gerety D.O.G. Tails & Trails - All Pets CAN YOU FOSTER? "Rescues rescue, but fosters save lives." Our community is filled with loving hearts. Many Four Seasons residents adopt, donate, volunteer, rescue, and foster animals in dire need. All are essential but fostering saves lives in a very profound way. Fostering clears scarce shelter and rescue space, enabling more animals to find comforting refuge from the perils of abandonment, neglect, and a life filled with fear and pain. When we foster, we enhance at least four lives: the pet we foster; the pet who took their space in a shelter or rescue; the human family who will eventually adopt that furry foster kid; and our own. For those who cannot make the lifetime commitment required for adoption, fostering is a great way to save many lives. It also has little to no cost to the foster family. Most rescue agencies cover the costs of food and medical needs, especially for animals who have required surgery or treatment for illness. Recovery in a loving home is vastly preferable to recovering in a shelter. Traumatized animals who previously felt and looked the worse for wear can get their "shine" back under foster care. Fosters come to know the personalities and habits of their furry charges and have information to share with prospective adopters. While rescue and shelter workers get to know the animals, there is nothing better than the insight that can be gained from observing these pets in a home environment. Saying 'goodbye' to our foster pets is as much a celebration as it is a farewell – because WE helped an animal find a forever family. Or… some may enjoy the paradox of becoming a 'foster failure,' which means you just can't say 'goodbye' to that furry nugget and want him all to yourself! Where else can you fail and still feel like you just won the lottery? Foster families must be fully screened by a qualified agency like one of our rescue partner organizations. To be considered as a foster home here in Four Seasons, our Tails & Trails group can connect you with trusted rescue partners. Both short- and long-term foster households are needed. Please contact us at (951) 295-7209 and we will put you in touch. Our next Tails & Trails meeting will be Wednesday, March 28 in the RCN. Contact us at marthabaumgarten@hotmail.com. ~ Martha Baumgarten

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