Dog Barking Solution

A dog that barks is trying to be heard. That is what makes finding a dog barking solution so difficult. Any reaction you have to a barking dog is a response to the barking. Whether you ignore your dog, yell at them, or comfort them. It is a tricky business to get them to stop, but persistence can and will pay off.

Caveat: You cannot train your dog to stop barking while you are away.

1. Don't Bark Back Yelling is not a dog barking solution. If you yell loud enough, your dog might stop for a minute or two, but they will start back up again fairly quickly. And if you yell every time they bark your dog is getting a response from you.

2. Most Dogs Can Hear Very Well One thing to keep in mind is that dogs usually have great hearing. An older dog can be the exception to this. Regardless, you should not have to yell at your dog to stop barking. Now, you may have already started this trend with yelling, but you can stop it.

How?

Just stop yelling when your dog barks. You have to change your behavior before you can change theirs. You will need to substitute your yelling with something. Try putting your dog in a crate (don't say a word) when the barking happens. Try NOT to be angry. Just walk up to your dog, gently (as gently as a barking dog will allow) escort them to the crate. Here's the kicker...have a treat or favorite toy in the crate ready to go so your dog thinks the crate gets him more than barking does.

3. Barking is Self Serving Barking is like junk food to a dog, the more they bark the more they need to bark. And, just like junk food, it is hard to give up! So owners need a little help at first ...buy some earplugs

What?

If you think about it, you probably feel stressed when your dog barks, and it is hard not to! So putting in earplugs will help relieve your stress first. That way you can work on your dog barking solution from a better frame of mind.

4. Let Them Bark You have to give you dog a place to bark so they can get rid of the stress that is making them bark in the first place. This is where a dog daycare is invaluable. Consider taking your dog to a dog daycare as an investment. The money spent at the daycare will help relieve your dogs stress, give them a place to bark, and satisfy neighbors that complain about your barking dog.

5. Teach The Word No This might be your most valuable dog barking solution. The goal is to get your dog to stop what they are doing when you use the word NO. If you have been lacksidasical on this, it is time to get serious.

When you say the word NO you are averting your dogs attention with your voice. Remember: Teaching your dog the word NO has nothing to do with scaring him. The word NO tells your dog to stop what he is doing. When your dog gives you his attention, and stops what he was doing, reward him. You will most likely repeat this exercise several times a day.

6. Teach Them To Bark If you teach your dog TO bark, you can teach them NOT to bark. Sounds simple right? Well, this does not come as overnight success. If you say speak, while your dog is barking then praise them with a treat he will acknowledge you for the treat. When he speaks when you don't want him to, say the word NO. Don't use No Speak because No and Speak are two separate commands so don't use them together. Timing is everything in this training method. The downside to this technique is they may start barking for a treat. Remember, you are training them not the other way around!

7. Believe Your Dog If you acknowledge your dogs barking you can get them to stop. This works better than screaming shut up from the other room. When your dog barks go find out why, you will become a better care giver for your dog if you acknowledge why they are barking. How do you do this? When they bark, stop what you are doing and go find out why. Open the door they are barking at, look out a window, and then say thank you and let them know everything is okay. Again, don't expect miracles, real dog barking solutions take time.

8. Be More Fun Than Barking When your dog barks find something you can do that they love more than barking. Throw a ball, grab the leash and walk around the block. Teach your dog that you are more fun than whatever he is barking at.

9. Exercise What does exercise have to do with barking? Everything! You see, most dogs bark due to stress of some sort and we all know exercise relieves stress. It works in dogs too. Exercise is probably the best and easiest dog barking solution. Have you been giving your dog enough walks? Or have you been spending time at the office or busy being a chauffeur for your kids? All dogs need 1 hour of exercise a day minimum. This could be as simple as throwing a ball in your living room until your dog gets tired.

10. Get A Trainer We all need motivation, sometimes a dog trainer can provide a dog barking solution that works specifically for your situation. It is worth investigating!

Keep in mind that barking is stressful for everyone involved...including the dog. Healthy dogs do not bark all day long. If your dog is barking on a continuous basis something needs to change. There is a dog barking solution even for breeds known for to bark.

More Training and Behavior Articles

I've been there. There is a dog that constantly barks living next door (and the neighbor doesn't care that you are trying to write your thesis or put the kids down for a nap). There are products for that. They are not very nice to the dog if they aren't used properly. Just remember it's not the dog's fault, it's the only language he's got, and it's meant to be heard. Try to talk to your neighbor before you pull out the big guns.

Turid Rugaas does it again with her book Barking. A simple guide to understanding your dog's language.