Stop Your Dog Barking
Barking is a natural part of dog behavior, while it would be unrealistic to expect you dog not to bark at all, it is necessary to stop your dog barking for both own and your neighbors peace & quiet.
The best place to start on a barking problem is to work out what is making your dog bark excessively. Then you can train your dog when to bark at appropriate times. If you pay close attention to the tone and what’s happening when your dog barks, you will be able to identify the triggers.
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Why Dogs Bark
1. Dogs bark to warn or alert you about some type of treat, most owner like this.
2. They bark from anxiety or fear, this type of barking it usually high pitched and may include whining.
3. Playful and excited barking is most common in puppies or when playing with other dogs. It will be a happy upbeat sound.
4. Attention seeking most owner will be familiar with this type of barking at some time. It is important not to reward this type of barking or you will make the barking problem worse.
5. Boredom barking. This is very common in dogs who do not get enough exercise, attention or affection. Also common in dog left alone for long periods
6. Barking in response to other dogs, one dog in the neighborhood starts baking and the rest of the the dogs join in.
Once you have worked out what’s making your dog bark, it’s time to start the training to stop your dog barking. Do what you can to reduce or get rid of the triggers.
Make sure you dog gets plenty of exercise preferably out of your yard. Walking your dog around your neighborhood is not just good exercise for you both but familiarizes your dog with the usual sights and sounds he can can only glimpse from your yard.
Never reward your dog with attention, comfort or food when they are barking inappropriately . If barking gets what your dog wants (food or your attention) you will only be encouraging your dog to bark.
Training to stop your dog barking
Ironically one of the best ways to stop your dog barking all the time is to teach him or her to bark on command. Once your dog has mastered “speak”, then it’s time to teach the “stop” barking command.
The easiest way to teach your dog to “speak” is using a food reward and his natural barking tendency. Hold a small piece of his favorite reward where he can see it and say “speak”.
As your dog is prone to barking, he will probably bark to ask for the treat. Each time he barks after you give the “speak” command, reward him with both a treat and praise. You will need to use both as over time you’ll withdraw the food rewards and rely only on praise.
If your dog barks without the command, no reward is given and the bark is ignored. Practice this command daily until your dog understands the “speak” command.
Then begin to the training to stop your dog barking with the “quiet” command. Begin by asking your dog to “speak” then allowing him to bark until you give the “quiet’ command. As soon he stops barking (initially after some prompting from you) give him a treat.
Treat him as soon as he stops barking, even if he stops only to draw breath. Gradually work on extending time between when your dog stops barking and treating or reward.
Practice “speak and “quiet” once or twice a day for no longer than 10 minutes. You are both learning so it will take some consistent practice. The more often you practice the faster you will stop your dog barking.
If you practice every day you should begin to see results in about a week and feel confident in your dogs response in a couple of weeks.
Now you can use the “quiet” command to stop your dog barking inappropriately. Don’t over use the command as a substitute for working on the cause of the barking
It is also important to reward your dog for not barking at inappropriate times. This not always effortless as it is easy to ignore good behavior.
Pay attention to the times when you dog would normally have barked and is now no longer barking. Make the effort to reward you now quiet dog with you attention and some fun and games.