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Quick Summary
- When training your dog to stop barking excessively, avoid yelling at your dog in an attempt to stop him, figure out what sets them off, and never reward them for barking just to get them to stop.
- It is important to address barking based on the cause behind it.
- Professional trainers recommend positive reinforcements when trying to curb a dog’s undesirable behavior, rather than punishment.
Dogs are excellent communicators, but sometimes they communicate a lot more than they need to. Barking and growling are the primary way they communicate, which doesn’t always work out well for their human family members. Although a dog barking as an alert is one of the traits that benefited our early ancestors the most in hunter-gatherer societies, it doesn’t work as well in modern urban settings. In this blog post, we will discuss tips and tricks on how to get your dog to stop barking!
When dogs bark excessively at almost everything, mainly because of anxious behavior, it is very disruptive to our households and our neighbors. Dogs today have too many things going on that can trigger barking fits, often when we least need to deal with all the noise.
You’ll need to consider two main things when you’re figuring out what makes your dog bark so much. One, think about how you can teach your dog to realize that being on alert all the time is unnecessary, and two, what you can do to discourage excessive barking. Once you have made decisions about these two points, you can make plans on how to get your dog to stop nuisance barking.
Why Does Your Dog Bark Continuously?
Finding out what’s causing your dog to bark when it does is key to addressing this behavior. What’s going on when your dog tends to start barking? Is there anything making your dog repeat this type of behavior? Consider having your dog sit and then rewarding it with a favorite dog toy or treats when it settles down and stops barking.
When you train your dog through treats or praises, his behavior is easier to control especially when he is particularly hyper and seldom settles down. You’ll be able to fulfill two goals by discouraging lousy behavior and helping the dog associate good behavior with your chosen reward. A certified professional dog trainer would likely recommend reward-based training methods, rather than methods that rely on punishment.
Addressing Barking Based on Situations
Even though it might seem as though some dogs bark “at anything and everything,” there are different triggers behind most barking behavior. You’ll need to address the behavior differently depending on what the motivation is. By keeping the circumstances in mind, you can deal with the unwanted behavior more effectively.
Many dog owners find good results in using the best bark collars in the market if other means of training won’t work to eliminate nuisance barking. However, the truth is that the more you know about why your dog misbehaves, the faster you can take a proactive approach. The good news is that training your dog not to bark is not something that will take hours of your time daily. You can spend a relatively short time to stop it when a dog barks excessively, but you must be consistent.
Barking Every Time Someone Comes to the Door
How to get dog to stop barking at door? Although many dogs bark when someone comes to the door, you are probably very grateful if they know when to stop. There are ways you can encourage your dog to be a little more polite with invited visitors. Interactions between your dog and guests will be better for all involved when the dog knows enough to stay calm.
Your dog will need to learn to associate a ringing doorbell or knock at the door with getting toys or treats. One way you can do this is by enlisting the help of a friend or family member in working with your dog. When you take this route, one will perform the action that triggers barking, while the other focuses on the reward part of the training.
When the doorbell rings or someone knocks, give your dog a toy. Barking will be impossible if the dog has something in its mouth. Accompany the ringing doorbell or knock with “Who’s there?” or something similar before you open the door, so your dog gets used to the routine.
Instead of using a toy, you might opt for treats. You will want to make sure the dog has the treats before your guest comes in, so the dog doesn’t get wound up associating your company with getting treats. If your dog acts hyper around your guests, you may need to consider keeping the dog elsewhere during the visit—a dog crate should do the trick.
Sometimes, dogs only start barking once your guests are inside. When this scenario occurs, your dog may have anxiety issues with strangers. Putting your dog in another area of the house while your guests are there may help prevent problems that include possible biting.
Barking Because It Wants Something from You
Dogs understand that barking and similar behavior get a response from you. Think about your reaction whenever the dog barks. Even if you correct your dog with stern words, this is a form of attention, as is trying to soothe the dog. The sooner you know why your dog is barking to get your attention, the sooner you can start discouraging barking.
Taking control of the situation when your dog barks to make demands is essential. Being ready with a reward before your dog starts barking will help you become better prepared. Leaving the dog for a few seconds, then coming back after it has quieted with a treat or toy is an excellent way to respond to this attention-seeking behavior. Offer enough interaction so that your dog associates being quiet with being rewarded. When dogs equate being quiet with rewards, they are less likely to demand-bark.
Barking When Left Alone
One of the most significant reasons for dogs to bark when they are left alone is separation anxiety. However, dogs also do a lot of barking or howling when left alone due to outside stimuli or boredom. You can take a simple step to find out which scenario is the most likely.
Invest in a dog camera that you keep turned on when your dog is home alone. Taking note of how your dog acts will help you decide how to respond. Dogs with separation anxiety show different behavior from dogs being territorial or acting out of boredom. You will need to know what the cause is to ensure that you use the best method for the circumstances.
Stress-based behavior includes drooling and pacing. Howling and whining are more typical of dogs with separation anxiety. When a dog has severe enough separation anxiety issues, it might end up getting destructive in an attempt to get out of the house looking for you. As a pet owner, calming canine stress and anxiety should be something you know. Giving them plenty of exercise also helps—remember that a tired dog is a happy dog.
If you must leave the dog alone and it has severe separation anxiety, anti-anxiety or calming medications and remedies may help. Sometimes, leaving a TV on with the volume low also helps. Your best chance of resolving the anxiety-based barking is by gradually getting the dog used to being alone.
Stop dog barking
You may try getting the dog acclimated by leaving the house for a few minutes. Wait until your dog has slowed the barking and howling down for a few minutes. When you return, reward your dog using a toy or treats while the dog is staying calm.
When your dog barks at the doors or windows, the problem is probably due to a noise outside or sensing other dogs or people nearby. A dog’s barking because other people or animals are around means he’s being territorial. Your dog needs to learn that not everything that gets near your home is a threat.
You may want to consider confining your dog to an area of the house where it does not have easy access to the doors and windows in question. If your dog is already crate-trained, keep your dog confined to the crate when you will not be home. Even if you are home but in bed or otherwise don’t need disruptions from barking, consider keeping your dog away from the doors and windows during this time as well.
Bored dogs usually have shorter, more repetitious barks. Another dog for company can help alleviate a lot of issues with boredom. Interactive puzzle-style games and the best indestructible dog toys for mental stimulation are also helpful for dogs left alone.
You may want to consider toys good for chewing or otherwise keeping your dog busy when you aren’t home. This is especially important if your dog has a chewing problem as well. However, make sure they are not inclined to break or tear in a way that your dog could swallow the pieces easily. Another alternative is using a video channel designed to hold your dog’s attention.
Barking at People, Other Animals, and Objects
When dogs bark at people, other animals, or objects, one of two issues are usually at work. The dog might be distrustful or fearful, or many be acting territorial. In many cases, a combination of both is at work.
Dogs will bark at the object of their attention to make it leave or defend its territory against the perceived threat. Owners will need to decide whether avoidance or acceptance is best for discouraging this behavior. Your dog’s breed, temperament, and barking triggers will help determine which of these options you ought to consider [1].
Puppy Barks
Avoidance is best in settings where whatever makes your dog bark is not something or someone it must interact with on a regular basis. For example, avoidance can be taught if the trigger is an unfamiliar cat walking through the yard. However, the mail carrier or a delivery driver is someone the dog should learn to accept.
Start rewarding your dog with treats each time it stays quiet when exposed to something that usually causes barking. Once a dog starts to associate keeping quiet with getting treats, you are likely to see fewer barking fits. Some dogs thrive on attention, even negativity, that comes from the chaos their barking causes, and denying them an outlet makes a difference.
FAQ
1. How do you stop nuisance barking?
One of the first steps to take is finding out what makes your dog bark. Dogs who bark over a perceived intruder need to be broken of their bad behavior differently from dogs who bark because of separation anxiety. When you have found out why your dog barks so much, you need to work on a plan to get your dog to stop barking. Your dog needs to be able to associate being quiet with getting treats. If necessary, you may need to make sure your dog is not exposed to things that serve as triggers.
2. How do you shut up a barking dog?
The quickest way to shut up a barking dog is to distract it. Only give the dog a toy or treat after it has quieted down. Use a word that your dog will associate with calming down and quieting, like “Quiet” or “Stop.” Avoid giving your dog attention until the noise has stopped. Another thing you want to avoid is shouting or screaming, which will encourage more of the behavior.
3. Why does my dog bark so much for no reason?
In many cases, there is no single reason dogs bark so much. Even if it seems as though there is no reason, there possibly is a reason that you are not aware of at the time. Sometimes, the dog sees or hears something that it thinks is a threat. Your dog might be barking out of boredom. You will want to get to the bottom of the barking so you can do something about it.
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