How to Stop Dog Barking

Dogs bark. It is an innate and intrinsic part of their communication and behavior. And dogs tend to bark for good reasons; such as when strangers approach their house, the dog is being used for herding duties, or they hear a strange noise.

Sit Stay Fetch is the top solution for stopping your dog from barking. Learn step-by-step techniques to stop this unwanted behavior quickly and easily. In addition to stopping your dog from barking, Sit Stay Fetch will cover virtually every behavioral issue you may have as a dog owner. This resource is the ultimate in dog training online. Click here to learn more about Sit Stay Fetch ...

The interesting thing about dog barking is that most dog owners want this behavior. In fact, they often encourage it. We want our dogs to be watch dogs, to alert us and protect us from unforeseen harm. Unfortunately, however, dogs can bark in inappropriate ways or ways that become a behavior problem for the owner. To decrease this negative behavior, the dog owner first needs to understand why the dog is barking.

Let's take a look at why dogs bark and how to stop them from barking.

Boredom - When dogs are bored they bark more often. Give them something to do other than to bark:

• Provide your dog with an outlet for their energy and more stimulating environment.
• If you do not walk your dog and you are able, walk him.
• Play fetch in the yard.
• Put in a dog door (if your backyard is fenced and secure) so that while you are away the dog can go in and out and burn energy.
• If you only have one dog, consider adding another one to the family. Dogs are pack animals and having another dog around encourages more playing and stimulation than a dog living alone with its owner.
• Leave more toys out for the dog to play with.
• Leave the T.V. on when you leave the house.

Alert/Warning - This, in most dog owner's mind, is a positive behavior. Barking to alert the owner of a stranger outside or at the door or any other unforeseen danger or harm by all accounts is considered a positive behavior by the dog. However, after the dog has alerted the owner and continues to bark, then it can become a problem.

Tips to stop the barking dog.

Use a consistent command. For example, "Enough!". To teach the dog the meaning of this word and command, reward him with treats as you give the command and he stops the barking. If the dog does not stop barking after the owner has said "Enough", place the treat right in front of the nose of the dog but do not give it to him. Repeat "Enough" again. If the dog stops, give him the treat and lots of praise.

This one word command can then become the word you consistently use to command the dog to stop barking. The best part? Over time or maybe very quickly, depending on the dog and your consistency, your pet will understand what you want him to do when you use the command word "Enough."

Startled/Fear - Dogs often bark if they hear an unusual sound or noise or sense a strange movement (whether real or not). Fear barks are different from alert and warning barks. They are usually not as rapid, are at a lower pitch and sometimes are accompanied by a growl.

When a dog is barking out of fear, use your command word you have chosen that the dog knows to associate with stopping barking (in the example above the word is "Enough"). Some dog owners want to go and be with the dog and reassure him that everything is ok. This is only natural. We do not want our dogs to be afraid when there is nothing to be afraid of. We can reassure and praise him, just make sure it is done after the command has been given and the barking has stopped. Otherwise the dog will become confused about the command word and associate owner attention with barking. Again, the owner has to be consistent in behavioral expectations.

Attention Seeking - This type of barking is usually found in puppies. They want the owner's attention. Tip to stop this: Ignore. Ignore. Ignore.

Lonely/Anxious- This type of dog barking is what vets refer to as separation anxiety. This is a tough behavior to control/stop because the dog reinforces his own behavior. The lonelier they are, the more they bark. The more they bark, the more upset they become. The more upset they become, the more they bark. This type of barking is very upsetting to both owner and dog. The owner must work with the dog on the underlying reason for the separation anxiety, with the ultimate goal to get the dog to relax when you leave. Tips to stop dog barking in this case:

• Act as if you are leaving the house but before the dog starts to get nervous and bark, come back in. This way, you are not reinforcing barking but rather silence and relaxation. Do this many times. Next, leave the house, but come right back in. Continue with this for longer periods of time, but be aware that you, as the owner must proceed extremely slow with this behavior modification training.
• Pick up your keys but rather than leaving the house, go sit on the couch and watch T.V.
• Change your leaving routine until your dog does not pay attention anymore.
• Do NOT give your dog a lot of attention when you leave the house. The bigger deal the owner makes out of leaving the house, the more upset the dog will become.
• Leave the T.V. on for the dog when you leave. Make sure the temperature is comfortable, there is light in the house, toys to play with, and one of your old shirts on the floor with your scent on it.
• Upon return, do not give the dog lots of praise. Also, if the dog has done something destructive (chewed up a shoe.) do not punish him. He will then associate punishment with you coming home.
• Lastly, if the dog's separation anxiety is extreme and severe, there are medications available for this condition. Keep in mind it will not solve the problem, it will only treat it. See your vet.

Other Dogs Barking- Once one begins they all begin! If your dog hears another dog barking it is only natural for him to bark back. It's their way of self-identifying themselves to the other barking dog. It's your dog's way of say, "Hello. I am over in this yard!" Use your command word to stop this type of barking or bring the dog to an area out of earshot of the barking dog. However, with dog's sensitive and powerful hearing abilities, using your command word most likely will produce the best effect in controlling this type of barking.

Additional Information on How to Stop a Dog from Barking:

• Bark control collars are available that produce electrical stimulation to the dog when the dog barks. The stimulation produced usually takes the form of an irritating ultrasonic sound or an offensive-to-the-dog smell.
• De-barking is a surgical procedure that removes the vocal chords from the dog. This does not solve the reason for barking-- fear, boredom or anxiousness--and the dog does not become as "silent" dog. He will still make hoarse sounds.
• Prevent future barking problems while your dog is a puppy. It is much easier to teach dog appropriate behaviors from the beginning rather than changing a behavior that has had time to become a bad habit. Yes, puppies are cute but owners must think ahead to avoid potential problems. Control future dog barking through the following tips:

1. Train your puppy to relax and be obedient. Reward him when he is one or the other.
2. Do not give him attention when he is whining.
3. Keep the puppy near to you as much as possible, particularly when sleeping (if crate training, consider moving the crate beside your bed). This helps the puppy feel secure. Security builds trust. Trust in you will decrease the possibility of separation anxiety in the future.

4) Expose your puppy to lots of noises and stimulation. Noisy streets, hair dryers, vacuums, car radios..Reward the puppy when he is quiet and relaxed during these times.

Remember, dogs bark naturally. It is a part of their nature. It can be good. If it is inappropriate barking, you as the owner must practice consistency and patience in controlling and modifying the behavior. If you need help controlling your dog's barking problem, check out the top online dog behavior resource ... Sit Stay Fetch. Click here to learn more about Sit Stay Fetch ...