Norwegian Buhunds, too much barking

The Norwegian Buhund is bred to be a herding and watchdog, so it’s no surprise that these three are inclined to bark. Despite going to thousands of dogs, I have never met a Behund before. Now I have got to know three!

The family lives on a farm surrounded by acres of land and the two dogs in the photo have probably seen a rabbit – or it could have been a pigeon or a duck or they may even just have heard something.

All three are gentle and sweet-natured, with distinctive personalities. The youngest is the most exuberant and does most of the jumping up and pulling on lead, the middle one is the most nervous and has his own funny little ways, and the oldest one is the most troubled by any hint of conflict between the other two, or by anything that might be passing the property signalling potential danger.

The family are very concerned for their neighbours. Telling the dogs to be quiet obviously doesn’t work else barking would no longer now be causing a problem. There needs to be a different way of dealing with barking – in a way that a leader or parent would when being alerted to possible danger.

Always in cases like this there are ways in which the opportunities for dogs to bark can be reduced, even if it means moving things about. Then there is a manageable situation to deal with.

Email to me two weeks later: “… there has been a noticeable improvement in daily life here. B is much more responsive and comes in from the garden when called now – OK maybe not every time but certainly 90% of the time and gets his much coveted treat.   If he doesn’t come I go and get him and he knows what to expect now. M is much less ‘jumpy’ although he still occasionally  jumps at the worktop to see out of the kitchen window. T still seems quite stressed where she seems to think she has to referee between the boys.  This has improved over the last few days so maybe it will just take time.  Food situation has greatly improved”. This will be ‘work in progress’ for quite a while.

I can help you, too, with these problems or any other that you may be having with your dog.