Does your dog bark incessantly when you have visitors? Do you think you will likely have visitors during the holiday season? If you answered yes to these two questions “read on.”

Have you gotten around to training your dog yet? If not, I daresay, you will not get the job done by Christmas and needless to say, by Thanksgiving is out of the question. You feel your only option is to resign yourself to endless barking when your guests arrive and continuing throughout their visit. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Dogs do not multitask. They do not bark and do something else at the same time. If you want your dog to stop barking, you need to re-channel his mouthing activities. Giving him a treat would busy him for only a short period. You need something to totally engross him while you entertain.

Why not try the “Kong” toy? It is a short, oval, tube-like plaything to be filled with food. It will take your dog a long time to completely remove all of the food.

You can fill it with peanut butter, liver worst or creamy cheese. Anything soft and gooey would be best, as this increases the time needed for him to totally retrieve the food.

Other uses for Kong:

• Because it bounces, it can be used as a toy or thrown for fetching.

• You may give it to your pooch as an alternative to chewing your slippers. It is made of strong rubber and is guaranteed to last a long time.

• Use it to relieve separation anxiety when you leave home.

• Save it for special times when doggy has been exceptionally good. Fill it with his favorite hard treat.

Kongs are made in different sizes and therefore can be used for dogs of all breeds. Squirt cans pre-filled with liver or peanut butter are available to help you effortlessly fill the Kong.

For the long run, you should train your dog to stop barking (as opposed to manipulating him into silence). This subject is beyond the scope of this article. When I get my dogs “trained” to stop barking, I’ll let you know how I did it. But right now, I have a lot of shopping to do, so I will use the Kong toy to get me through the season. For my upcoming new year’s resolution, as I have done for the last 3 years, I will yet again, vow to train my dogs.