#Middlebury
DEAR PAW’S CORNER: Help! Our 13-year-old dog Doofie has decided that the best way to get his supper is to bark nonstop, starting at 2 p.m. He doesn’t stop until he is fed at 5. After dinner, he is quiet for a few minutes and then starts barking again until 8 p.m. when he gets his pill in some peanut butter. He’s the oldest of five dogs and the others don’t do this. We’ve tried changing his feeding times, adding a little snack between meals, but nothing seems to help. We’re pulling out our hair from his high-pitched barking. What else can we do? – Pammie R., via email
DEAR PAMMIE: I feel ya! Nonstop barking can be very stressful for everyone. My initial thinking is that Doofie is suffering from separation anxiety; the evening meal is comforting, as is his treat. His fixation on those specific feeding times is interesting, though.
Because he’s a senior dog, something else may be contributing to the barking. I think there’s anxiety at work here, but its source is something you’ll need to try and figure out. Take him in for a checkup with the vet and explain what’s happening. Before the visit, keep a log of his behavior for a few days – sometimes this can reveal patterns you hadn’t noticed. The vet may recommend medication to calm him during the afternoon.
Keep his feeding and pill time the same and spend plenty of active time with Doofie between 2 and 5. Take him outside, run through a few training exercises, play tug of war with his favorite toy – whatever it takes to work off some of his energy and just be there with him.
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