For dogs that tend to bark to alert you of new people or objects outside, try ignoring their barking and giving them chew bones or puzzle toys as a distraction. Incorporating daily exercise and training sessions may also help keep them engaged.
Start desensitizing dogs who bark as a result of fear, territorial or alarm barking by allowing them to bark twice or three times before saying “Quiet” and making a loud startling noise such as shaking keys or making loud sounds such as clicking your fingers together.
Let’s dive into how to make a dog stop barking!
Understand Why Your Dog Is Barking
First step to overcoming barking issues with your dog is understanding why they’re barking. Different dogs bark for different reasons – some dogs may bark when they hear someone outside – known as demand barking; these barks typically consist of single loud barks followed by short pauses between barks; during demand barking the body language will likely show excitement and activity such as tail wagging or ears forward and up.
Attention seeking barking occurs when dogs try to communicate something to their humans through barking. It’s a subtler form of barking as the dog attempts to get attention while barking – perhaps they feel abandoned for long periods, bored, or don’t have anything else to occupy themselves with while you are gone? Although more difficult to control than other forms of canine behaviours such as growling and growling at each other when left alone for too long! This type of canine behaviour may result from long periods alone or boredom while waiting while their human is gone – perhaps something they try harder or even doing while barking?
Finally, some dogs bark out of fear or anxiety. They could be scared of something like the mail carrier coming through the mail slot or noises coming from neighboring houses – if this is happening to your pup then find ways to help calm him/her down so they feel more at ease and less anxious.
No matter the reason, consistency and patience will be essential when working to eradicate your dog’s barking habits. While it will require hard work and practice, eventually your pup should stop. Never yell at them while they’re barking; teach them instead how to be quiet on command before providing attention (playtime, petting or treats) when they remain quiet.
Train Your Dog
Barking is a natural part of a dog’s communication, but excessive barking can become an issue. Excessive barking may be due to pent-up energy that needs to be released; therefore it’s essential for pet parents to find ways to challenge their pup physically and mentally – adding more playtime with interactive toys or training your pup in obedience games can help relieve boredom or anxiety and decrease unwanted barking behavior.
Keep a keen eye out to determine why your dog is barking; if they appear stressed out or afraid, your job as their leader should be to protect and remove them from the environment that makes them so anxious – maybe closing windows, moving to another room or taking them on an exercise walk through a nearby park before returning home again may all help them feel more at ease.
If your dog is barking for attention, teach them alternative means of asking for what they need. For instance, if they are repeatedly barking when going outside or coming inside, teach them how to ring a bell tied to the door handle by placing it in their mouth or paw – this will stop them barking at it and provide control over when they can come inside.
If you can catch your dog barking, interrupt and say, in a calm voice: “Quiet”. Shouting will only scare them further and make learning the correct response more difficult. After they stop barking, reward them with treats and praise as soon as they have quietened themselves on command – until eventually, this becomes automatic for both of you!
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Distract Your Dog
No matter if it’s at home or while walking your pup, distracing them from triggers that make them bark can be particularly effective. For instance, if someone comes knocking at the door and they usually bark when greeting guests, teach them a quiet cue like sit or down that rewards them when they stop barking; gradually increase how long before giving a reward is due – especially effective if your dog already possesses foundational training skills such as recall or “watch me.”
Some dogs bark because they’re seeking attention. Unwitting pet parents may unintentionally reinforce this behavior by giving their pups attention when they bark – whether that be talking to, touching or yelling at them when they do so! Doing this only reinforces more barking – rather, try ignoring your pup when they bark; although difficult, this will show them that barking won’t get them what they want!
Crate or gated room to keep them away from people, places and objects that make them bark; use puzzle toys and get lots of physical exercise for optimal behavior and helping your pup expend energy that would otherwise go into barking.
Some dogs bark to defend their territory from strangers or animals that may pose threats, which often leads them to bark more frequently than necessary. Such dogs usually benefit from desensitization techniques administered by professionals – which will teach them that not everyone and everything should be seen as threats. If you decide to desensitize your pup, make sure your trainer is certified in whatever behavior modification methods you employ.
Distract Your Neighbors
Distracting dogs that bark for attention with treats or their favorite puzzle toys may help reduce the frequency of unwanted barking behavior. If anxiety or fear are the source, increased exercise, new toys, training or other positive distractions will likely also provide benefits.
If your dog’s barking is being caused by people entering your yard, limiting their view may be an effective solution. This may involve installing fencing, privacy screens or hedges to block their view; alternatively you could consider asking the neighbor to meet you so your dog doesn’t perceive them as threats.
There are also devices that emit high-frequency noise when barking is detected; these may be effective for some dogs but should never replace traditional dog training or isolation techniques.
Use a dog whistle to interrupt their barking; initially this may elicit more barking, but over time the animal will associate barking with negative consequences and stop in order to avoid making noise.
If your dog’s barking continues to cause issues in your neighborhood, don’t be intimidated into filing a noise complaint. Most municipalities and homeowner associations have rules against excessive barking. Be sure to communicate calmly but firmly; shouting will only serve to stimulate them into barking more! Alternatively, offer to give your neighbor training resources or advice for quieter devices; they might not even realize they have an overly barking dog!
Give Your Dog Attention
Your dog barking gives them something, whether that be attention, excitement or anxiety relief. To stop their behavior and curb this form of communication between themselves and you, identify what they’re getting out of it and find ways to take away that reward – for instance if they’re barking at people or dogs on walks they could learn how to jingle a bell instead of barking as people pass by so they come to recognize that people passing are no cause of alarm.
If your pet is barking excessively due to boredom or anxiety, provide additional toys, exercise and challenging walks (with treats) in order to stimulate their brains and exhaust them – this should decrease their need to bark!
Do not yell at them to quiet down as this will only increase their barking. Instead, use a calm but firm voice when telling them to be quiet and follow through with consequences if necessary (such as placing them back into their crate or gated room if they continue barking). Once they are quiet again, praise and reward with treats to teach your pup to remain still on command. Repeat this process as necessary for training them how to be quiet on command.
If they are barking for no discernible reason, consider completely ignoring them (if safe to do so). Do not interact with or talk to them until they stop barking – although this may initially prove challenging, this step can establish that such behaviors are unacceptable and once stopped can help introduce things which trigger barking into their lives that eventually teach them not to associate these triggers with being loud.
