Your Dog May be Trying to Tell You Something

April 25, 2017 Joy Freedman

Q: My fiancé and I adopted a dog — a small lab mix — about six months ago. He is crated during the day and has a dog walker come by in the middle of the day. Recently, Bo has started barking in the afternoon. The neighbors are complaining, and we just don’t know what to do. We did set up a camera, and nothing seems to be triggering the barking. — Ellen, Fells Point

Barking can mean a lot of things to a dog. It’s their only way to signal to humans that they need something, or they want to warn us, or it can be because he is lonely and calling the pack. Since the behavior is relatively new, my guess is that he may be lonely or want more activity.

Here are some tips on how to deal with the barking. Have the walker come a little later in the day. This may help orient Bo to a different schedule. Leave a frozen peanut butter or sweet potato kong, or some other hollow stuffed bone, for the walker to put in the crate when he/she leaves.

Always keep the radio/TV on when you leave, preferably talk radio or children’s programming, as it is more soothing. Try moving the crate to another location. There may have been something minor, like work in the apartment below, that could have triggered the barking initially. When you are home during the weekend, put him in the crate while you are there. We want the crate to represent something ordinary, not just a place he goes when humans leave. Lastly, try covering the crate. For some dogs, this creates a cave-like environment that is very comforting.

Q: Zsa Zsa is our Maltese Yorkie mix. She goes everywhere with us. We are in Florida during the winter and Baltimore in the summer. My husband insists that she sit on his lap the entire trip down. Even when she gets restless, he does not want to put her in a crate in the back seat. He says it will “crush her spirit.” Can you help me? — Roberta, Pikesville

There are numerous reasons why dogs should NEVER be in the front seat of a car, the first being risk of severe injury. If an airbag were to deploy as the result of an accident, most dogs would sustain instant death or life-threatening injuries.

Maryland law requires all children under 8 years old to ride in the back seat due to their average height and weight, which is approximately 4 feet and 58 to 74 pounds. This was determined by the possible injuries caused by the force of an airbag.

Now think about a 10- or even 20-pound dog in the front seat? Small dogs also can become projectiles if not restrained. Not long ago this happened on Greenspring Avenue in Owings Mills. A dachshund was flung out of the window when a vehicle was rear-ended. The dog ran into the woods and was spotted a few times by neighbors. Fortunately, after three weeks, the dog was caught in a trap that was set for it. She did lose a leg as a result of her injuries.

When driving with your dog, they should either be restrained by seatbelt and harness in the back seat or in a small crate. If your husband insists on holding her, perhaps they can both sit in the back seat with their seatbelts.

Joy Freedman is a dog behaviorist and obedience instructor. She can be reached at joy@4pawspetservices.com or
www.joyfreedman.com.