Problem: Article: All dogs bark sometimes.  But if your dog barks constantly, it could be unwanted.  Listen for barking that has a clear reason.  For instance, perhaps your dog is barking because someone knocked on the door, or because they hear another dog barking outside.  But if your dog starts barking without any apparent cause and continues to do so for many minutes on end, take corrective action. Sometimes dogs bark because they have pain or some medical condition that causes them to vocalize.  Take careful notes about your dog’s nuisance barking to help your vet make an accurate diagnosis regarding your dog’s health and the reason behind its barking. For instance, you should note when your dog barks, where it barks, how long it barks, the tone of the bark (high and piercing?  low and groaning?), and any related details pertaining to the period in which your dog engaged in nuisance barking (for instance, perhaps your dog was running around the house while barking). If your dog barks because it sees other animals or people outside, find ways to limit your dog’s visual and auditory access to high-traffic areas.  For instance, if your dog frequently starts barking when perched on a sofa near a window, move the sofa to a location where the dog cannot jump on it. If necessary, you could also use baby gates to prevent your dog from accessing parts of the house that often receive the most noise from without. It is hard to completely isolate your dog from seeing or hearing others, and eventually your dog will end up barking even when you wish it didn’t.  Sometimes the best way to correct unwanted barking is to allow your dog to bark two or three times, then say, “Quiet.”  Walk over to your dog and hold its muzzle.  Repeat “Quiet” again.  Then, release your dog, walk away from the window or door, and call your dog over to you.  Have your dog sit and give it a treat. If your dog remains quiet while sitting for about thirty seconds, give it another treat.  As long as your dog continues to sit quietly, feed it treats every thirty seconds for the next several minutes. If your dog starts barking again after you’ve put the treats away, repeat the “Quiet” command and the other steps above. If your dog does not respond to other techniques, you could try focusing your dog’s attention elsewhere.  Sometimes unwanted barking can be stopped if you do something surprising or extraordinary.  For instance, if your dog starts barking, say, “Quiet” and then start shaking your keys or a bottle full of pennies.  The noise should end your dog’s barking and draw it away from the window or door where it is likely located.  Once your dog’s attention is focused on you and away from the sound or sight that inspired its unwanted barking, order your dog to sit. Give your dog a treat every thirty seconds for several minutes. If your dog starts barking again, distract it with another loud noise or surprising behavior, and start giving it treats again. If your dog engages in unwanted barking while out and about, you can equip it with a head halter.  A head halter is a sort of strap that wraps around your dog’s nose and connects to another strap on the neck.  A dog in a head halter might be more relaxed and restrained, and thus, less likely to bark. Never let your dog wear a head halter unsupervised. Some dog owners like to wind their dogs up for amusement by asking leading questions like “Who’s there?” when they and their dog hear a noise.  Other owners train their dogs to "speak" for food, or bark when they want to go out.  These behaviors can encourage unwanted barking in other circumstances and should be avoided. If a dog is allowed or encouraged to bark, whine, scratch, or beg for one kind of attention (to be let out, for instance), they will not be able to understand why it is not acceptable other times. Some dogs engage in unwanted barking as a way to amuse or stimulate themselves.  In other words, they bark because they are bored.  This compulsive barking is best cured by providing your dog with more opportunities for play and interaction.  If you spend large stretches of the day out of the house, have a friend or neighbor visit your dog to let them out and play with them. Compulsive barking of this sort might be accompanied by other behaviors like spinning or jumping while barking. Dogs might also bark regularly out of separation anxiety, a problem which is often relieved through some combination of spending more time with your dog, the use of training aids like thunder wraps, reinforcing good behaviors and anti-anxiety medications prescribed by a vet.
Summary: Look for excessive barking. Take your dog to a vet. Limit your dog’s ability to see others. Teach your dog to be quiet. Distract your dog. Use a head halter. Do not encourage your dog to bark. Give your dog more exercise and attention.

Problem: Article: Bringing other drivers into the mix may be a stressor for both of you, but if you and your teen have been practicing in a parking lot, you will be well-prepared. However, more people on the road means more things to be aware of.  Review right of way laws with your teen. These may vary depending on where you live. Now more than ever, emphasize that signaling is important. After your teen has the hang of driving on fairly quiet roads, take them to a busier location to handle more drivers. If possible, practice in a place your teen is already familiar with.  Remind your teen that city driving requires not only patience for a lot of starting and stopping, but heightened awareness for pedestrians. Plan a route through the city with your teen in advance. This will be less stressful than being surprised by an "obstacle course." Highway driving is really fast, so it might feel intimidating for your child. The good news is that it's usually a straight shot and there are no pedestrians or bikers to worry about.  Acceleration and deceleration lanes can be stressful. Emphasize the importance of smoothly increasing and decreasing speed. Remind your teen that cars on the highway should be more widely spaced than they should be on a regular street. Tell them to try the three-second rule: start counting when the car in front of them passes a certain landmark (like a road sign). They should pass the sign three seconds after the car in front of them. Once your teen feels safe driving in different situations, take them out to drive in rain, snow, and the dark.  In many places, drivers are obligated to turn on their headlights if there is rain heavy enough to necessitate windshield wipers. Even if this isn't legally required in your area, it's good sense.  Rain, ice, and snow can cause skidding. Make sure your teen knows to turn the wheel in the direction of a skid, no matter how counterintuitive this may sound! Several times a week is ideal. Driving depends partly on muscle memory, like playing a sport. Even if your teen has been performing splendidly while you drive together, they have to keep reinforcing what they've learned until it sticks. Safety concerns are important, but as they prepare to take the test, family boundaries are too. If all goes well, you'll have another licensed driver in the house soon; it's important to figure out how what areas your teen can be independent in, and which areas still need guidance.  How will car-sharing work? Do you plan to buy your child a new car? Will you share the family car? Will your teen have a curfew if they're out driving? (Note: in many states, drivers with provisional licenses already have a curfew in place.) Will you limit the number of friends in the car? Are there certain places your teen will not be permitted to drive? Consider making a written contract for your family's specific rules. There are templates available online. Here's one from the Car Talk hosts.
Summary:
Start on easy roads. Try city driving. Drive on the highway. Become familiar with extreme conditions. Practice as often as you can. Before your teen gets their license, discuss driving rules.