If you have ever owned a dog, then you know what it is like to deal with the barking. But, not all dogs bark all the time. Some dogs are worse than others. If you own a dog and it barks often, it’s best to try to stop the habit as quickly as possible. I will discuss some techniques that I have used before to stop my dogs barking.
Find out why your dog is barking. If you are gone all day and your neighbors have told you that your dog barks all day. Then your dog may feel lonely while you are away. Your dog may also just bark when it hears a noise or other people near by. If your dog is barking while you are gone you can try leaving toys out for it to play with. This may help keep your dog from becoming bored while you are away. You may also consider getting another dog so your dog will have company when you are not home.
Train your dog. Teach your dog to stop barking when you say “quiet” or “stop”. As soon as your dog stops barking be sure to praise them for stopping. With repetition, your dog should learn to “quiet” command quickly. I like the “quiet” command because I want my dog to bark when a stranger is knocking on my door, but I want to be able to make him stop when I tell him to.
Ignore your dogs barks for attention. If your dog is barking at you for attention or to get you to look at him or her, ignore them. I once had a dog that would sit down near me and bark until I payed attention to her. I found that if she started to bark for my attention, I wouldn’t make eye contact and I would walk away if I could. I found that if I gave her what she wanted when she barked then she would continue to do it to get what she wants.
Consider alternative methods such as a bark collar. I would only recommend this as a last resort and I have never actually used this method before. However, I have had friends who have used this method before and say it worked for their dogs. I personally consider bark collars a form of mild torture but for some people this may be the only thing that works besides giving the dog away.
Those tips should be a good starting point to help you stop your dogs barking habits. But, if it’s not you may consider contacting a local dog trainer to see what they can recommend. A dog is supposed to be mans best friend, but nobody likes a loud annoying best friend.
