How To Train Your Dog To Stop Barking
Maybe your dog starts barking when he sees another dog on his walk. Or when a stranger comes to the house, you hear barking or a low grumble from your dog.
Remember, the first step to change your dog’s behavior is to identify the reason behind his bark. Then you can work on training your dog to stop barking. Improvement will come with time and practice.
Demand barking is a learned behavior.
If your dog has learned that barking at you gets him things, then he’ll continue to bark at you to get things.
It’s a pretty simple concept. He’s learned that it works.
When I see demand barking, it tells me the dog isn’t getting everything he needs. If a dog feels the need to ask for attention, he needs more attention … and probably more exercise too!
This doesn’t mean you should give your dog attention when he’s barking. Instead, increase the attention you give your dog and the activities you do with him.
Once you’ve increased the attention, games and activities for your dog … you’ll then ignore any barking he does to get your attention.
All barking for attention now equals an invisible dog. When he barks at you, don’t look at him, don’t give him anything, don’t yell at him . Nothing.
Ignore him 100%. Any attention just rewards him for barking.
At first he will likely intensify his barking a bit. He learned in the past that barking works. But you’ve changed the rules. Now it’ll take him a little time to learn the new ones.
Separation anxiety is a longer term problem. You’ll need to teach your dog new emotions and relieve his anxiety when he’s left alone.
You don’t want to teach him not to feel, but rather how to feel.
When you leave, you want your dog to feel …
This is not a behavior that you can cure right away. It can take a long time and be a challenge.
If this sounds like your dog, it’s a good idea to seek professional help. Meanwhile, here are a few tips to get you started:
Once again your invisible dog can come into play during this training.
If your over-excited dog starts barking when you’re about to throw the ball … stop. Stand still. Wait. Don’t say a word. As soon as your dog stops barking, toss the ball.
Your timing needs to be dead-on here.
Repeat this every time you play. If you only practice some of the time, your dog will never get what you expect of him. Over time, not barking will be the norm during play.
As he gets better and better, wait one second after he stops barking before you toss the ball. Then increase the wait to two seconds, then three, four, and so on.
To work with over-aroused dogs, you need a lot of patience. It’s definitely time to call upon your inner Zen.
For a lot of dogs, when you put on their leash for a walk can be quite exciting and might prompt some barking. But you can teach your dog to be quiet during this routine. And it’s actually pretty easy.
First, don’t get your dog all excited about his walk.
Casually pick up his leash. If picking up his leash makes him bark … stop in your tracks. Don’t say anything, don’t move.
Wait for him to be silent, and as soon as he is, start to walk towards him with his leash in your hand.
If he starts to bark again – and he likely will – immediately stop again. No words, no yelling. You’ll only walk towards your dog when he is quiet, as soon as he barks, you stop.
It’s a pretty simple process and works really well but … if you want your dog to show patience, you must be patient too.
Anxiety Or Arousal Around People Or Other Dogs
Dogs are emotional and complex creatures. Your dog may bark at people or other dogs for a variety of reasons. These can include …
Other Problems That Can Cause Barking
Illness or Injury Dogs sometimes bark in response to pain or a painful condition. Before attempting to resolve your dog’s barking problem, please have your dog examined by a veterinarian to rule out medical causes.
Separation-Anxiety Barking Excessive barking due to separation anxiety occurs only when a dog’s caretaker is gone or when the dog is left alone. You’ll usually see at least one other separation anxiety symptom as well, like pacing, destruction, elimination, depression or other signs of distress. For more information about this problem, please see our article, Separation Anxiety.