Oh look. Another scathing note on your door from an angry neighbor. And it's only Tuesday! Don't sweat it. By properly implementing these tips, you can curb the problem and get back in the good graces of those living around you. Just remember, all obstacles take a little bit of work.

1. Keep the dog in the quietest part of the house. A dog with behavior problems has not earned “the run of the house”.

2. Keep curtains and/or shades drawn. If you don’t have adequate window coverage, get some; hang a sheet or blanket across the window. A darker environment has a calming effect on most dogs. Additionally, there is no visual stimuli to provoke the territorial or bored dog. Curtains muffle sounds from the outdoors for alarm barkers.

3. Leave a radio or TV on as white noise. In many households, the stereo/TV/radio is on from morning ’til night as long as someone is home. Imagine how “loud” the silence is when everyone is gone and the sound system is turned off! Beyond masking outside noises, leaving the stereo/TV/radio on gives the aural appearance of your presence.

4. As you leave, give the dog an “only-when-I’m-gone” chew toy with your scent imparted on it. This toy should be something spectacular – a sterilized beef bone stuffed deeply and thoroughly with canned dog food or cheese spread (served frozen or chilled), a flavorful beef-basted knotted rawhide bone, or a stuffed KongTM. Give it to the dog upon leaving; rub it between your palms several times before you go. Not only is this a diversion tactic, it actually makes being left alone not so bad, as this is the only time the “most-wonderful-thing-in-the-world” appears!

If you are able to come home during your lunch break during the week, this can also help your dog feel as though they have more human contact. After all, when you are gone, they miss you! So taking the time to come home and take them outside for a quick walk, or even to stay in and play with a toy will make them feel special and less lonely. If this is not an option for you due to your work commute, you can also look into having a dog walker. This is a great way to introduce your pooch to an activity that breaks up the monotony of their day and keep the barking at bay.

A special thanks for these awesome tips listed above from Pet Finder. For even more helpful information, visit them here.

Did You Overcome Dog Barking?

If you found  a way to curb your pooch from barking when you're not home, we'd love to hear from you! Whether its a training technique, a simple method you picked up or something more, we wanna know. Share your thoughts and feedback on this topic in the comments section below.