2021 1 8
If a dog barks around here I want to know why . if to alert me that something is wrong... that is good.
there certainly is an annoying repetitive barking which is done by a lot of dogs who are frustrated because they are kenneled or caged or need something .I think with my current group at least I have eliminated any of that type barking plus the fact that these are all great Danes which are basically quiet and lazy by nature..
they are all fed watered exercised trained and have the best of environment to live in with their upstairs heated living accommodations .. they do have in out capabilities but are noted for not wanting to go outside to pee , poop or bark if it's cold or raining or they don't have any particular reason to even move...
So to try and figure out why they would want to bark...part of the study becomes why do they stop barking . Service dog project does have at least one sometimes 2 staff members here wide awake all night long to take care of any problems that might arise during the night .. it's a perfect paying job 7 to 7 for college students who can study all night long .. Add to that the fact that in 2012 cameras were installed which are monitored by upwards of 500 people all night long . so in the past few years we have one person ---could be in Australia I don't know --who is up all night long monitoring every noise they can hear .. and these microphones are so sensitive that I sometimes have to turn down the volume on my house monitor because of the wind ..
I have many months worth of what we call outside dog reports ... where someone in our camera community watches a cameras all night long and tells me most noises.. chickens, owls hooting or even crickets or rain falling. They also note...when the dogs are outside and if they bark or if they're quiet .
From the many nights I have of these studies the most typical is an individual bark - one bark -- and the next comment within a minute “is all is quiet “ . maybe one or two single “woof” per night.
”The next type would be a barking that lasts for two or three minutes and then all is quiet .. that could be typical situation like a Fisher cat t(hat is the great big cat .. hunting for rats at our barn of which there are a few .) . or coyote just wandering through – or someone’s house cat looking for mice.
We have photographed those plus other wildlife - including owls flying in to catch a rodent .. Hawks flying through ..or about anything else from willowdale state forest which is behind us . that type cause a few minutes of barking which stops when the animal leaves.
but there will be the occasion when it goes on an on for more than 10 minutes ..this might happen once every six or eight weeks .. and last night was one of 'em . besides annoying... it could be very bad.--- from 3 to 4 not only dogs, but roosters, and ---- at 1:44 and 3:02 an airplane flew over.. probably medivac helicopter..
the most the most innocent reason for last night would be that a raccoon was in our feeding room and was trying to get the lid off the dog food garbage can and it continues on until it successfully gets it off and eats up and goes away .. there seems to be an awful lot more raccoons lately ..and I have a feeling that's because people are composting all their kitchen leftovers which is just a raccoon buffet which is basically increase the number of raccoons living around people .. which then become socialized and not easily frightened of people. so that if one of our staff goes down to walk through the kennel typically the barking will stop for a short time and then pick it up again a while later.... I e walking thru did not remove the cause. ---- This was the case last night... probably raccoon.
The worst problem would be a big cat or coyote who does not become frightened and just leave--- because they are not behaving normally... and a wild animal not behaving normally has to be considerted rabid. Since living here we have had several rabid aninmals 2 already dead and one shot by environmental police in my arena.
One of those meant my family ---- and dogs...had to all get rabies boosters because it was found dead so close to the house. All my dogs are very current on their rabies shots... but living so close to a forest where there could be rabies is something our whole area needs to always consider.
When I opened my email this morning... I read this from Virginia T
“Hi all
I think this photo is a coyote and it was in my neighborhood today. I think it’s very sickly. I feel so bad but I wanted to let you all know 1 Please keep an eye on your small pets and children.
the photo attached does look mangey... otherwise walking ..that is the first email/ comment i have ever had about rabies.... why today???
I did call the police to see if there were any rabies reports- and they didn’t know and suggested I call animal control.. which I will do today. If we find a dead wild animal..... or If there is a known case of rabies in the area,, you will see a great flurry of activity as we get opinions on who needs boosting.
