Dogs and Barking: Getting Lava, Hela & Lajka to Stop

Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two crossbreed dogs, Lava and Hela.

Ever since I remember, we’ve always had at least one dog who liked to bark. Lava is generally a barker, but only when there is some excitement going on or someone’s come to visit. She will also bark at other dogs, particularly if she can’t get close to them, as a sign of frustration and reactivity. And after living with Lava for almost two years, Hela has taken on some of her more annoying characteristics, as well as perfected her own barking skills. Lajka seems to be a category of her own, to my surprise.

Someone Needs to Keep Watch, Right?

Lava and Hela are true protectors. That is if I needed protection from passing cars, people, dogs, wildlife, and birds high up in the skies. They take their job pretty seriously. And they work in shifts. If one is inside, the other one is barking for both of them. And if they are both outside, it’s a competition to see who will be the loudest. Now, Lava used to be a moderate barker, but in the last two years, living in the countryside with lots of things happening all the time and wild animals passing by, she progressed to a proper barker. Now Hela takes it a step further. With her unique experience of living in Greece, she is very reactive to loud noises made by cars, trucks, tractors, and any kind of machinery. She also learned from Lava that large predator birds should not be flying above our land and makes it her mission to get them to leave our airspace immediately. When it comes to the newest addition, Lajka, I had higher hopes for her barking, but now I see that I underestimated her.

It All Seemed Fine to Begin With

For those of you who don't know, Lajka joined our family at the end of last year, and she's been living with us for almost three full months now. She settled in very well, accepted the two dogs and the three cats, and actually very quickly started to behave as if she'd always lived here. She will not roam far from the house, and I can just let her explore on her own terms. She doesn't like to be on the lead, which I respect, and I let her off the lead as I know she's always paying attention to where I am, never getting too far away from the front door. But one thing I didn't think of was her barking. Despite being the smallest dog in the house, she certainly wins the title of the loudest and most penetrating barker. Or in her eyes, the most fierce protector of the realm.

Well, initially she barked at the cats, which took a few days to stop when she realized they weren’t that scary. And then we had a good first month of silence. Then she started barking mainly when she got very excited and happy, just before mealtimes. But in the last few weeks, her barking has become very frequent. She's obviously had a serious talk with Lava and Hela and realized she needs to step up.

There’s a But

Barking is all fine, if directed towards an actual threat, like a scary bird up high in the skies, that can barely be made out without a spying glass. But what is becoming more frustrating is her barking at Lava. When Lava is on a very long lead, it’s as if Lajka doesn't seem to approve. She even grabs the lead, pulls her around, and does the same to Hela. But with Hela, she's developed a more affectionate relationship, and the two of them will play constantly and even sleep next to one another. With Lava, it's a little bit different because Lava is more of an independent, scary, and grumpy character. She likes me and she tolerates the two dogs and the cats, but she prefers her privacy. So whether Lava is exhibiting body language that Lajka doesn't understand or that confuses her or even scares her, I'm not entirely sure. But, it’s becoming a nuisance, and it’s a very high-pitched sound that resonates.

Patience and Time

Thinking back, maybe this was one of the reasons why Lajka’s previous owner may have abandoned her. It could have been her inadequate hunting instincts or a very loud bark that may have scared away the game. At this time, I have decided to try distracting her from barking, and rewarding her with my attention and praise when she doesn’t bark at all. If she barks, I do my best to ignore it, and try and get all the dogs walking, because as soon as we’re on the move, the barking ceases. Part of it must also be excitement that she doesn’t yet know how to contain. Luckily, we live in the middle of nowhere, so nobody minds the noise. But it’s difficult when they’re barking to know if it’s all just for fun or if there is actually something going on. I also need to keep reminding myself that Lajka has only been here a few months and is yet to fully settle, so I am hopeful this behavior will reduce further with time.