Pet care: My son's boxer is barking his head off

Q: My son has a boxer, 4 years old, who is barking constantly since they moved into a new home. He’s already received one citation from animal control. They need to stop the barking! They both work and have to leave the dogs every day.

Dr. Nichol: Barking is actually a normal part of canine communication, but this pupster is way too effusive, indicating a quality of life problem. Frustration with a fence that prevents social interaction with other dogs is a common reason, but so is anxiety from crowding in a small yard, driving a good dog #%&@ crazy! Moving to a new house was another stress. Physical pain could be a factor.

This isn’t about boredom. These nonhuman creatures have a strong requirement for interaction with others of their ilk, off-territory is best. Your son’s boxer needs canine activities. He has to do dog stuff; he won’t jump rope, play hopscotch, or sky dive, so those don’t count.

Aversive punishment is the first go-to solution for many exasperated dog parents who’ve been hounded relentlessly by neighbors pleading for peace and sanity. Electric shock and citronella anti-bark collars are often seen as a quick fix for jolting a nervous wreck into silence. But getting no treatment for the underlying cause, these pets may act out in other ways, like attempting to escape or even self-mutilating. Some just hunker down and bear it, having fallen victim to “learned helplessness.” Nobody wants that.

A simple way for your son to care for his boxer’s innate needs would be to drop him off for doggy day care at a good kennel like K9 Resort. He’ll run, play, sniff a few rear ends, read the bulletin boards and post messages. At home, breakfast and dinner can be served in challenging food-dispensing toys like a Twist ’n Treat, bringing out his inner scavenger. It won’t be quite the same as ripping flesh off carrion in the woods, but, being desperate for a natural life, he can work like a dog to survive. A rough approximation will serve the purpose.

• For help with behavior problems, you can sign up for a Zoom Group Conference on my website, drjeffnichol.com.