Humans talk. Birds sing. Dogs bark. Communication is natural and isn’t something we can or should try to stop… but inappropriate barking can be a real bugbear for dog moms! Unwanted barking is a complaint almost every dog owner can relate to. But what is actually going on when your best friend starts speaking at something strange? And what can we do to manage ourselves and our dogs in these situations? Dogs have different reasons and motivations for barking. In this episode Kathy will help you identify the root cause of your dog’s barking, guide you through the eight steps of her Bark Busting Protocol, and give you some examples from her experiences with her own dogs. And if you want to understand why our four-legged friends act in certain ways, how we can get closer to them so everyone thrives, and create a stronger bond with your dog, Kathy has an amazing offer on her Partnership Starter Kit 2.0. Get this exclusive offer here.  In this episode: A reminder that barking is normal and natural – but that doesn’t mean it is never problematic Why the first step in overcoming unwanted barking is a shift in our own perspective How to manage unwanted barking and understanding why dogs do it What the four main categories of unwanted, over-the-top barking are How to model the right behavior for our dogs and stop unwanted barking before it begins, plus how to end a habit that’s already been formed using the eight step Bark Busting Protocol How changing a dog’s habits is a lot quicker than you might think Examples of the Bark Busting Protocol in action from Kathy’s experiences with her own dogs Quotes: “Dogs bark – that’s what they do – and we love that about them, it’s their way of expressing. Now that doesn’t mean that we have to love their crazy, over-the-top aroused and inappropriate barking.” “In one to three times of doing something, we already have the start of a new habit forming.” “What’s cute at three or four months old is really annoying at four years old.” “Be a positive role model that communicates to your dog how we would want to behave in any given situation.” “Avoid raising your voice because, from our dog's perspective, that is barking. If we yell at them because they're barking, it could very well be interpreted as agreement and encouragement.” Want More of Kathy? Brilliant Partners Academy Dancing Hearts Dog Academy Website Facebook Community To read the blog post on this topic and to explore other episodes, click here.