Step 3 – Desensitize triggers
Chances are your dog is barking because of specific objects in the home, such as vacuums. You can desensitize your dog to these objects by having the object in the same room and rewarding your dog with treats for remaining in the room without barking. Then remove the object and stop giving treats, so your dog starts to associate rewards with remaining quiet around those specific objects.
Over time you can move the object closer to your dog. Eventually, your dog will stop barking and will only associate the object with positive consequences.
Step 2 – Redirect their attention
You don’t want your dog to make a habit of continuing to bark at the same things. If your dog barks when your neighbour walks by every day, try redirecting their attention either by playing with them or using a noise, such as a frequency only dogs can hear, so they focus on you instead.
Compared to dogs, humans have a fairly narrow range of audible frequencies. We can hear sounds in the approximate range of 64 to 23,000 hertz, while dogs can hear sounds in the approximate range of 67 to 45,000 hertz. This greater range explains why you may notice your dog barking without being able to hear what hes barking at. Dogs frequently pick up ultrasonic frequencies that scare them and cause them to bark or howl.
The type of barking that dogs typically engage in when they hear an unpleasant sound is alarm barking, which they do because they are concerned about an unfamiliar stimulus. If your dog is barking excessively at external stimuli, you should try to find the source of the noise and eliminate it if possible. If it is not possible, train your dog not to bark by calmly and clearly saying “quiet” whenever he starts, then holding his muzzle until he stops. Then ask him to sit and reward him with a treat. Continue with this reward system over a period of time until he no longer barks excessively.
Some of the high frequency noises that are audible to dogs and may cause them to bark include dog whistles, anti-barking remotes that neighbors sometimes buy in an attempt to quiet a vocal dog, and even some phone apps designed specifically to emit ultrasonic noise. Dogs also pick up on ultrasonic noise pollution from household items like your TV, dryer and washing machine. Too much noise at a high frequency can stress your dog out and cause her to bark.
Juliana Weiss-Roessler has been writing since 2000. She worked as the head of the Web content department for the star of an Emmy-nominated reality series. Her ghostwriting has appeared in “PARADE” and “People.” Weiss-Roessler is a blogger for Resumark and an editor for Pink Raygun. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Florida.
Dogs’ anatomy gives them an advantage over humans when it comes to hearing. They have large external ears, and many breeds are able to adjust the shape and direction of their ears in order to better transmit high frequency sounds to their ear drums. Furthermore, a dog’s cochlea, situated in the inner ear, has 3 1/4 turns in comparison to a human’s 2 1/2, which likely provides room for more sound sensory cells.