Training a Dog to not Bark

There are some occasions where it is expected or possibly even helpful for your dog to bark, such as an uninvited intruder in your home. However, a dog’s bark can quickly change from being helpful to just being stressful or bothersome. Especially troublesome for owners who live in an apartment or condominium building and have been the unfortunate recipient of neighbor complaints. Fortunately, it isn’t too hard to get a dog to stop barking with proper training.

First off it’s important to realize that many dog’s barking stems from his boredom. Dogs need daily exercise - to be walked or played with. Even negative attention is better for some dogs than being continuously ignored, and barking gets people’s attention quickly. Beyond making sure your dog is getting enough daily exercise correct training is helpful to get him to stop barking.

The last thing you want to do when teaching a dog not to bark is give him positive reinforcement.  When chastising a dog, address it in a clear, authoritative voice, and after you’ve made it clear they’re doing something wrong, don’t go on to give him or her positive attention. Another tactic is similar to this by immediately addressing the dog, but don’t say anything, simply spray a bit of water on the dog - this may have to be repeated before the dog gets the point. Behavior training is always helpful when owning a dog and this issue can be addressed in class.

Anti-barking products can also help break your dog of their bad barking habits. Electronic collars, citronella collars, sound-emitting collars, remote sound-emitters, medication, muzzles, and debarking surgery might all be appropriate, depending on the situation. Some of these items can also be used in conjunction with training to help make sure the dog gets the message. Some trainers or kennels offer overnight training and will incorporate the owner into the training, so he can uphold the trainer’s ground work.

Taylor writes on a variety of other subjects, including how to select a large dog bed.