The Dog Blog: One barker in the family

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

One barker in the family

BUDDY, NOT BARKING HERE

Years ago, a neighbor looked at Lady (who is no longer with us) and asked if that was the dog that barked all the time and disturbed the neighborhood.

I got the hint (shut your dog up), but I ignored it. I told her that Buddy was the barker in our family, and I hadn't figured out what to do about it. Lady, I said, was a quiet dog. "Have you ever heard her bark while I've been walking her?" I asked. She didn't answer.

Buddy was the barker of the family. He was territorial and, and he constantly aggravated our neighbors (as well as Holly and me). Katie only barked when she went outside and another dog barked. Then she'd bark, bark, bark, and one of us would have to tell her to shut up. And she would.

Scottie was mostly an inside dog and rarely barked, even when he was outside.

Dixie rarely barks, which has surprised Holly. I wanted a beagle, but Holly feared that a beagle might be a barker. So far, so good (except when she's chasing another dog away from me at the dog park; that's one of the reasons we haven't gone to the dog park in a good while).

We have one dog in the family nowadays (Dixie), and no one has complained about any barking. At least not from OUR yard.