posted 12-05-2003 09:05 AM         

She has done this to our dryer squeaking in the basement (the first time she heard it), a distant train whistle heard while in the house, my husband raking leaves in the front yard (again, Nala was inside the house), and other similar things. Usually once she has heard a noise, she will ignore it the next time. She seemed very sensitive to loud noises (and afraid of them) when we first got her, but they don't bother her much now.

Sometimes she gets alerted by something that I can't discern. I am always nervous when she does it in the evening when it is dark and my husband is not home, and she goes to a window or the back door and barks.

I always take her very seriously, because she is not a barker otherwise. I figure the times I can't find anything, it is just something beyond my hearing or sense of smell (probably a squirrel or stray cat or a neighbor over the fence or something). I respond to her and ask her what it is and follow her if she wants to lead me somewhere. If I have investigated and found it to be nothing alarming, I thank her and tell her to be quiet. Naturally, she doesn't always listen right away, but I consistently tell her to hush and try to distract her with a chew toy or something. She usually only barks a few times after I do this.