Is your dog constantly barking? Maybe he just barks in all the inappropriate places and at the inappropriate times. Believe it or not, there is a strong possibility that it is your fault that the dog barks right now. Trying to punish him or using one of those horrible barking collars is something that you should never consider. Instead, here’s how to get your dog to stop barking the RIGHT way.
The trick in getting the dog to stop barking is assessing the cause. This practically means that you have to identify why your dog barks in the first place and then see what you can do. We cannot tell you why your dog is barking. You want to try to do your best to identify the problem. If you cannot, it is time to contact a dog trainer as he can easily tell you why the dog barks.
Before you call the trainer though, based on the situation you are in, there are some pretty simple things that you can try. The fact that the dog barks too loud or too often may be a sign that he wants you to understand something. It is really important that you do all that you can to identify the cause.
Below you will see 13 ways to get your dog to stop barking. They are pretty effective. In most situations the tips will help you to stop this behavior. However, you want to use due diligence. Make sure that you always focus on the cause of the barking, not trying to just stop it.
Talk To Your Dog
Most people try this but they make a crucial mistake. They yell at the dog or simply use a tone of voice that is really bad. The main thing to remember here is that you want to show the dog that what he is doing is wrong. You do not do this by shouting. In fact, when the dog hears you shout, he might become even more impatient and may end up barking even louder.
Dogs feel the owner’s energy. If the owner is mad, the dog will get mad. If the dog owner is calm, he will end up calming himself. Whenever trying to talk to the dog in order to get him to stop barking, you have to be calm and assertive. This is easier said than done but if you manage to tell your dog a simple command like “Quiet” in a calm voice tone, he will understand that something is wrong.
Offer him a treat when he stops barking. This creates a connection between the action done and the treat. In time, he can learn the command Quiet and whenever he hears it, he will just stop barking because he knows that this is what you want the dog to do.
Let the Dog Play
One of the most common reasons why a dog barks is that he is bored or wants to play. If you identify boredom as a reason for the barking, the solution is incredibly simple. All that you have to do is use a toy. Hand the dog that favorite toy. Alternatively, take him out for a walk.
Dogs that are bored have no way to release their energy. You want to be sure that the dog has different ways to let off some steam and have fun. You might think that the dog is getting enough exercise and plays enough but according to the dog, this may be incorrect. Every single dog has his own personality. You want to learn what your dog wants to do. If there is a need to offer more entertainment, you need to take steps to do that.
Dogs that are not bored will rarely bark without a serious reason. The next time you see the dog barking in the living room and running around agitated, it may be because he is really bored. Take him out for a walk. Then, try to find more entertainment options for him for other days so that the situation does not repeat itself.
Don’t Let Them Look Out The Window
Some dogs end up being distracted in just a few seconds. It is so common to see them look outside the window and then stop barking. That is because they saw something that made them enthusiastic. Such a situation is really common with the large or medium sized breeds that have a strong hunting instinct. They will see a sparrow out the window and will want to chase it. Since they cannot do that, they start barking at the sparrow.
The solution in this case is really simple. All that you have to do is block the window view. This does not mean that you want to stop light from coming into your home. It just means that you have to find creative ways to stop the dog from seeing what is there. That will stop the triggers and he will no longer bark. It is normal for dogs to bark at other animals and what is naturally perceived as prey. Does your dog often look out the window? Does he randomly start barking and you have no idea why? It might be because he saw something that got him really excited.
Mask Outside Sounds
As already mentioned, dogs are easily distracted. It is normal for them to hear sounds outside and start barking. What is interesting and is rarely understood is that the dog can hear sounds that you do not because of how well the sense is developed in these animals. In the event that you live in a small apartment, the dog hearing something outside is something that is quite common. Combine this with the fact that he might not have enough space to play and it is a certainty that he will start barking.
You want to try to block the dog from hearing the sounds. Since you obviously cannot sound proof your entire apartment, a great solution is to buy a fan and leave it on. In most cases this is more than enough to distract the dog and the sound made will stop him from hearing what happens on the outside. If this fails, you can turn on your radio and leave it like that when you are not home. The dog will be intrigued and can often remain near the radio and listen to what is said there, with zero focus to the outdoors.
Dealing With Greeting Barking
Will the dog go into a barking frenzy for half an hour when you get back home from work? Your neighbors will know that you are home and they will surely not enjoy that barking. The problem in this case is that the dog is simply too excited. He loves that you are home and is simply expressing joy. Many pet owners will try to force the dog to stop barking in this case or will try to correct the behavior while being mad. This is a really bad idea.
What you have to do is make it clear that he will not be able to play with you and that you will not acknowledge him until he stops barking. Use a trigger word and establish it. You want to be calm and simply not acknowledge your dog until he stops barking. Then, offer a treat and start playing with him. If he starts barking again and acting hectic, stop playing and repeat the process. Your dog will then figure out that his excessive barking is the problem and the reason why you are not happy to see him.
Give Him Plenty to Do
A dog that is tired is actually a dog that is really happy. This is something that many dog owners do not understand. We need to know that dogs are active. They simply want to do something. Above we said that dogs that are bored will start barking. You can take care of that by giving the dog many activities that he can do. Since he does not stay and always does something, he will be happy. Eventually he will get tired and the tired dog will always be really quiet.
You surely know what your dog loves to do and what makes him tired. Make sure that you offer more of that. In many cases the problem is that the dog has too much energy so the solution to stop him from barking can be as simple as taking him for walks more often than you do right now. See if this helps. If not, it might be because he is bored at home. Buy more toys and make sure that he has a space where he can play. Eventually, you will see him tired and going to sleep. As the dog is busy, he will stop barking.
Make Sure There’s No Medical Problems
Are you irritated when you have some medical problems that cause pain and discomfort? Do you find yourself shouting without being able to control it as that happens? The dog can have a similar problem. There are various different medical conditions that lead to excessive barking. The really common examples of that are bee stings and gum problems.
Medical problems that lead towards excessive barking are more common in the older dog. Canine senility can lead towards excessive vocalization. You want to take the dog to a vet and simply get him checked out. You might be faced with a case in which you want to deal with the barking and you use all the wrong techniques as the dog simply has a medical problem. He is telling you that he needs help in his very own way. Dogs cannot speak so they will bark. You want to really listen to the dog and you will need to take him to that routine checkup.
Try a Daycare Center
That constant barking that you hear might be due to boredom or simply the need to interact with people and other animals. A solution for that barking problem may be as simple as dropping the pet at a dog daycare centre. You can do this around 3 days per week.
What is interesting with the dog care or daycare centres is that they are really beneficial for the dog in many more ways than you may think. The dog will increase his agility, will become more obedient and will be able to get rid of that high amount of energy that he has.
Keep in mind that not all the dog daycare centers out there are really good. You want to meet with the people that will take care of him and fully understand what happens there. After all, you are leaving the dog with strangers. You want to be sure that the dog feels great and is treated as he should be treated. If you notice that the dog is not happy and does not enjoy his time at the center, do not force him to keep going!
Obedience Training and Mental Challenges
Dogs want to and need to be busy. They have to be mentally challenged. Unfortunately, this is so much easier said than done. When he barks too much, it might be because he is bored and one way to solve this is to go for obedience training. The great thing about it is that he will also learn that Quiet command that you might have difficulties in training him. At the same time, training will help the both of you to establish a much stronger relationship as you will end up understanding each other at a whole new level.
Most dogs out there cannot simply stay and do nothing. They need to solve puzzles, learn new things and have their minds challenged. So many games exist for this and you can find them with a simple Google Search. You want to be sure that the dog gets the attention he needs. If you cannot offer that attention, you want to arrange someone stepping in so that the dog receives the attention. You can even hire a dog sitter if this is something that will keep the mind of the dog active.
The Shock Collar
Unfortunately, this is one of the most used methods to get dogs to stop barking. In case you are not aware of this, a shock dog collar is a special collar that includes a remote. You use the remote to practically shock the dog when he does something wrong. Some people use it to correct barking. The problem is that this is not going to work. The dog will not actually understand why he is shocked and will only know that he has something around the neck that is hurting him.
Obedience collars will assess the effect of a problem and not its cause. If you really want to stop the dog from barking, you need to stop the cause or do something to fix the problem that exists. We have to add that it has been proven that shock collars are not as effective as they are advertised. Modern dog trainers see this method as something that should never be tolerated. You do not want to hurt the dog in order to get him to do something for you. He loves you and will want to please you. He might not really love you anymore when he realizes that you abuse him.
Get A Second Dog
Dogs that are lonely and that cannot have fun can end up barking way too much because of boredom. We already established that. If you often find yourself away from home because of work or different commitments, you can consider getting another dog. Most pet owners stay away from getting the second one because they are emotionally attached to the one that they have now. While this is completely understandable, we have to think about his well-being and his desires.
Getting a new dog means that the other dog has someone to play with. The only problem is that you want to be sure that you get the dogs to like each other. You want to talk with your vet or with a trainer and get some help with that. A great idea is to get another dog of the same breed but when this is not possible, you want to make sure that the old dog does not feel threatened. In some situations the owners will start to favor a dog and that can hurt the relationship with the other one. Make sure that you can offer equal love if you decide to get a second dog.
Teach Him The Quiet Command
This is really simple and every single dog owner can teach the dog how to be quiet. If not, a trainer can easily come to your home and help you out with that. The great thing about it is that teaching the dog to be quiet actually reinforces the bond between the owner and the animal.
What you want to do is first focus on teaching your dog the “Speak” command. This is really easy as the dog will react to you. Make sure that you practice this when the dog is not barking. After the command is learned, you want to teach the “Quiet” command. Use any trigger word that you feel comfortable with. When the dog barks, you signal him by putting your fingers to your lips and saying the trigger word. A dog naturally picks up physical signals much faster than a voice command. That is why the gesture helps. After some practice and after you hand out treats as the dog does what he is supposed to, all you need to do is calmly say the trigger word when the dog starts barking and barking will stop.
Build A Play Area
Especially with the larger breeds, there is this necessity to be active at all times. If there is not much space available indoors, the dog will become frustrated. The same thing happens when he is not allowed to play. What you want to do is create an area where the dog can play. This is where you put all his favorite toys and you let him do whatever he wants.
If you have a backyard area, even if it is not fenced in, you can create the play area. This is actually recommended. Whenever the dog is bored and starts barking uncontrollably, all you have to do is let him play.
It is not difficult to build an area for the dog. All that is needed is a way to separate that area from other areas of the home or the backyard. You can use wood, furniture and special items that are found in pet stores. When the dog has his own play area, he can have his time and consume the energy that makes him want to keep barking.
