Steps to Reduce Dog Barking

A key component in training your dog to bark less is understanding the reasons for the barking. Over time you will learn to understand what your dog is trying to communicate through barking. Sometimes your dog will bark for the right reasons, when it needs to go to the toilet or when something is wrong. Remember, some barking is good!. Nothing is worse than a neighbor with a barking dog: you are responsible for training your dog about appropriate barking behavior. You are in control and your dog will look to you for instruction about when to and when not to bark.

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Maybe your dog is bored, lonely or anxious?

The most common cause of unwanted barking is a dog who feel lonely or anxious. Are your dogs days spent almost entirely alone? To accomodate being left alone so long you will need to make sure your dog is getting 1-1 1/2 hours of exercise per day, depending on breed. A walk before or after work is highly recommended. Consider hiring someone to walk your dog in the mornings and/or evenings if it’s too difficult to arrange. Your dog will be much happier having received this attention. When you are out, try your dog with one of the many dog toys available on the market. Try buying your dog a bone to chew or a ball to play with. If you have a few dog toys, try rotating them weekly to help your dog “rediscover” a toy.

Dogs who spend too much time alone will often become nuisance barkers. . It is important that you spend a lot of time playing with your dog and showing it affection. Dogs need this to thrive. Include your dog in family activities when you are at home. Dogs who are loved are happy. A dog that has its other needs met is also less likely to show other problem behaviors and you won’t need to Stop Your Dog Chewing.

Is it playtime for your dog?

Do not give in to a demanding, barking dog. If you do give in you will reinfoce this bad habit. Your dog does not respect you if it is harassing you in this way. You will need to ignore this behaviour if you don’t want your dog to demand your attention in this way. Moving away and turning your back towards your dog is a way to demonstrate this effectively. Your dog is not used to this and will be confused to begin with. Dogs are persistent and since this has worked before, perhaps if it barks for a little longer you will get the message. Do not give in! You will need strength. Almost certainly the barking will get worse before it gets better. When your dog has realized the barking isn’t working remember to praise it. Positive reinforcement is the key and your dog wants to please you. After a short time of consistent work your dog will re-learn this behavior and stop barking to attract your attention.

Being consistent is very important in all aspects of dog training. All pack animals of which dogs are one, need to know who is in charge. A dog has to respect your leadership to be happy, well-adjusted and well-behaved. Remember, quiet does not always mean good. Your dog will learn from your clear instruction about the right times to bark.

To discover more about training for your barking dog take a look at Dog Barking Problems.