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how to stop a dog from barking

‘NORMAL’ OR EXCESSIVE DOG BARKING? If you feel that you’ve had

enough of the incessant, untimely barking, relax.  But how to stop dog barking?  There are actually many techniques you can use. For you to be able to start controlling this behavioral issue, the first thing you must do is understand why dogs bark and just what kind of dog barking you can really control.  Understanding the root cause is crucial for alldog training to be effective.

‘NORMAL’ OR EXCESSIVE DOG BARKING?

There are numerous reasons why dogs bark.  They bark when they are angry, excited, or scared.  The causes are many: territorial barking, alarm barking, attention-seeking, greeting, frustration, compulsive barking and injury or illness-related barking are just some of the different reasons why dogs bark.  Because of this there is no one size fits all solution on how to stop a dog from barking until you know the real reason behind it.

‘NORMAL’ OR EXCESSIVE DOG BARKING? Obviously, barking is a

huge part of your dog’s behavioral makeup.  As you’ve probably noticed, it’s pretty near impossible to completely stop your dog from barking. They will still want to express themselves at times despite how many times you train them to get rid of that behavior.  So the question now becomes, ‘How do I stop my dog from barking too much or at all the wrong moments?’

‘NORMAL’ OR EXCESSIVE DOG BARKING?

First, you have to figure out if your dog’s barking is actually reasonable or excessive.  Statistically, nine times out of ten, your dog is barking too much, but this can be minimized.  So if you really think that your dog’s barking can and should be controlled, asking yourself these three questions is a crucial first step.

1.            When does your dog bark? 2.            What is your dog barking at? 3.            What specifically triggers the

barking?

SAMPLE STRATEGIES FOR HOW TO STOP A DOG FROM BARKING If you have concluded that your

dog’s barking is related to territorial issues, for example, do not yell at your dog to make it stop.  In your quest on how to stop dog barking, resist this temptation as it will not solve the problem, and especially not in the long run!  If you do this, one of two things will probably happen.  One, your dog may bark more out of the frustration from not understanding what exactly it is you want from it; or two, this negative treatment would only lead to the further development of aggressive behavior and possibly even escalate it into more aggressive behavior such as biting.

SAMPLE STRATEGIES FOR HOW TO STOP A DOG FROM BARKING Your dog may temporarily stop barking if you yell at him,

but this does not guarantee that you have made your message clear.  In fact nothing has really changed – the territorial issues are still there.  On the other hand, you should not give your dog loving attention either when they bark since this will lead them to believe that they were right to bark in the first place.  You must instead create a situation wherein your dog will not feel threatened and therefore will not feel that territorial urge to defend themselves.

Start by establishing control over your household and your dog.  Show your dog that you are the leader and that you are the one responsible for protecting their territory.  You can also cut your dog’s access to see approaching “threats” by drawing your blinds closed and getting an opaque fence so that its ability to see would be limited within your yard.

SAMPLE STRATEGIES FOR HOW TO STOP A DOG FROM BARKING If your dog has anxiety issues, their barking means that they are

trying to reach you.  One of the worst parts is when you leave for the day and your dog would bark and bark non-stop until you return.  This might be because you have tolerated this kind of behavior before and even gave them rewards for it.  Most probably, you always gave them a great deal of attention immediately upon arriving home.  To disassociate your arrival from attention, you have to practice ignoring them for 10-15 minutes to disassociate your arrival from attention.  This is an effective way to stop an attention-seeking dog from continuous barking.

And lastly, teach your dog how to follow basic commands such as ‘Quiet’.  Having your dog attend dog training classes can really help with how to stop dog barking for good.  Creating and having your dog follow a command will allow you to better control their behavior.  In time, your dog will learn not to bark unless necessary, and at the same time, of course, ideally still alert you to danger, such as when an intruder tries to get into your home.