Dachshund Barks only at Husband

Question:

My dachshund is very calm with woman and most men, but always is barking at my husband. I can do anything to this dog, from cutting his toe nails to putting on his hoody. But the dog just insists on barking at my husband. He will even go looking for my husband to "instigate" a show down. When I'm not home, the dog is pretty mellow with my husband, although he the dog does not seek out attention from him. If my husband offers the dog a treat the dog will take it ever so daintily, but then after he finishes will go right back and bark at my husband. Is there a trick to at least getting the dog to stop barking at my husband?? We have tried many different approaches and it might last for a day, but then it's back to non stop barking?

- Lisa

Answer:

Lisa,
Barking dogs can be very frustrating to deal with, especially if they are barking at their owner. Your husband can begin to establish dominance over your dog by taking him on daily leash walks. This will help put him in "calm-submissive" mode. If he is sitting in your lap when he does this barking, he might think that he "owns" you. When he begins this behavior you should immediately put him on the ground and ignore him. If this does not work, you should snap your fingers to distract him and interrupt the behavior and immediately put him in his kennel.

Another thing that may help is to have your husband be the only one to feed and water him. If he is being babied by you at all, you need to stop immediately and "treat him like a dog". Dogs are pack animals and respect the hierarchy. If he sees you as Alpha and himself as the next in line, this needs to be remedied as soon as possible. Do not let him on the furniture or in the bed until this behavior is resolved. If he knows tricks, your husband can put him through the motions daily. If he does not, he can begin to teach him tricks to help him establish dominance. The dog should not be rewarded at all for this behavior, mainly including attention from you. If he becomes anxious or dominant at any point, he should be isolated immediately.

I know how frustrating behavior problems can be, but I encourage you to be persistent and "think like a dog". If you do not back down to him, he will learn his place in the hierarchy and hopefully become a more pleasant member of your household.

Good luck!
Sara F. Jennen DVM