I've recently acquired a rescue dog and quite simply he's driving me nuts with his constant barking. There's barely a moment of the day when I'm thinking of anything else but how to quiet my barking dog. Everything seems to spook him and I'm getting desperate to know what to do - I feel I can't cope much longer but I don't want to hand him back either because that's already happened to him a couple of times and he deserves better than that.

Have you ever felt like this about your pet?

You're not alone. Lots of dog owners either choose the wrong breed for themselves and find they can't cope with the particular needs of that dog or they rescue dogs from a shelter without really knowing much about any behavioral issues they may have and find themselves saddled with a noisy, boisterous dog that is driving them and their neighbors up the wall.

The number one cause for unwanted barking (as in repetitive barking that seems to be aimed at nothing) is nervous, agitated energy that stems from not having enough exercise. Most dogs perform at their best on about one and a half hours exercise per day, but this obviously varies from dog to dog depending on breed type, age and general state of health. You may think you are giving your dog enough exercise, but if his barking is coupled with agitated behavior (fidgeting, restlessness and sometimes destructiveness - sometimes even aggressive behavior) then obviously he needs more. In this case how to quiet your barking dog is fairly simple - get up earlier in the morning and take him for a longer walk than normal. If you can't manage this you may have to consider the services of a dog walker, who can do this for you.

The second biggest factor when it comes to barking dogs is that they don't like being left alone. Dogs are very social creatures and like to interact with their owners or even other pets. Obviously you can't become a prisoner in your home, but if your dog is having real problems with you leaving him then you are going to have to have a lot of patience and spend a considerable amount of time training him to be quiet for certain periods of time.

Dogs that bark when they are left alone can sometimes be suffering from anxiety separation, and if this is the case, then you may need to seek professional help.

I used to have a noisy dog that liked to try and play on my emotions with barking and whining whenever I set foot outside of my door but I learned how to quiet my barking dog with the help of some professional advice and a lot of patience. His methods worked for me and I'm confident they will work for you and your dog too. Why not give them a try - you've nothing to lose and everything to gain! Find out what I did at www.petproductz.com