Dog barking training help STEP 2: Management before training
The first advice I am going to give you is about controlling your pets environment in order to decrease the number of triggers that make your canine friend bark.
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The Thunder Shirt is a tight vest often used to calm dogs during thunderstorms or fireworks displays. But these vests calm your dog in any situation and sometimes can help you manage the excitement. For example, you can use them to go out for walks or when you have guests at home. |
Sometimes, the most straightforward solutions work. For dogs who have established barking as a leisure-time activity, though, a simple solution does not always work. Luckily, there are several recommendations trainers and dog behaviorists offer for dealing with your dog’s barking.
Many dogs will bark to get your attention, ask for food, or to tell you to open the door or let them out of the crate. Don’t respond. Wait until your dog is quiet to give them what they want. And be sure to recognize the behavior you want i.e. provide positive reinforcement to your dog when he’s lying down quietly.
A common suggestion by trainers for dogs who bark when owners are gone is to leave the dog with some familiar sounds, such as a radio or television program. The idea is that these approximate the household sounds when the owner is present. Additional steps, such as closing the blinds before you leave the house, can help by removing your dog’s opportunity to see things, such as squirrels or the mailman, that will tempt them to bark.
The AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program is the gold standard of how dogs should behave. Not only does CGC provide great foundational training for your dog, it is also a good stepping-stone to other dog sports. Find a dog trainer near your location and take the Canine Good Citizen test with your dog.
When looking for a permanent solution, keep in mind that it is important for you, as the dog’s owner, to find the source of the behavior. If your dog is barking because of boredom, providing your pet with something to do may be the answer. However, if separation anxiety issues are the trigger, this may require a completely different approach.
Take an obedience class. An obedience class will incorporate socialization with other dogs, learning training methods for the owner and interaction time between the hound dog and owner. An owner can learn new techniques from experts in the field.
Socialize the dog. Hound dogs are pack animals and enjoy playing in groups. When excessive barking becomes a problem, one source is loneliness. Scheduling activities with other dogs such as outings to a dog park, walks in the neighborhood or a trip to a friends home assists with socialization and can decrease restlessness.
Rotate toys. Toys will avoid boredom and allow a hound dog to focus on a specific task. By rotating toys, a dog will always have a new item to focus on. Use toys that can be filled with treats where the dog must work to remove the treat as a reward.
Hound dogs communicate through barking. Barking is a natural reaction for dogs to different situations, and not always a negative attribute. A hound dogs bark is easily recognizable due to the “baying” characteristic. Hound dogs, a working-class dog, were bred to howl during hunting expeditions. When the dog trapped or cornered prey, a loud howling sound or baying was a common reaction. Yet, excessive barking can become disturbing, and is a common reason for noise complaints with hound dog owners (and neighbors) today.
Julie Hampton has worked as a professional freelance writer since 1999 for various newspapers and websites including “The Florida Sun” and “Pensacola News Journal.” She served in the U.S. Army as a combat medic and nurse for over six years and recently worked as the Community Relations Director for a health center. Hampton studied journalism and communications at the University of West Florida.
How to Stop Dog Barking! (Cesar911 Shorts)
Heres a list of six techniques that can help reduce your dog or puppy’s barking. While all can be successful, you shouldnt expect miraculous results overnight and what might work for your pup may not work for another. The longer your dog has been practicing the barking behavior, the longer it will take for them to develop other means of communication or to become desensitized to the things that cause their barking now. Understanding why your dog barks is critical to choosing techniques that may work best for your particular situation.
Whether youve just adopted a new adult dog or it’s your first week with a new puppy, keeping your dog busy and exercised will help reduce barking and prevent them from practicing it. Notice what your dog or puppy barks at and use the tips below to reduce the frequency of barking. Barking is normal dog behavior and puppies won’t grow out of it, but you can take positive steps to reduce it and teach your dog alternative ways to communicate. Barking can be a really important tool to learn what scares your dog or makes them uncomfortable. Remember, your job as a pet parent is to advocate for your dog, which means not putting them in situations that make them overly stressed. If your dog is barking incessantly, they’re trying to tell you they have an unmet need or need to be removed from a scary or overwhelming situation.
Your dog gets some kind of reward when they bark. Otherwise, they wouldnt do it. Figure out what they get out of barking and work to remove it.