Woof! Woof! How do I stop that dog from barking?!
The barking dog is the bane of neighbors everywhere. Forget the crazy kid parties, and the motorcycles without a muffler, it is the barking dog that causes the most number of neighborhood arguments, and noise complaints.
So why do dogs bark, and how can you stop dogs from barking?
Why do dogs bark, and how can you stop dogs from barking?
Why Do Dogs Bark?
Why Do Dogs Bark?
- Warning. Dogs may bark sometimes to indicate to others that some resource (toy, food, area) belongs to them and to stay away.
- Alert. Guard dogs commonly vocalize to let their pack members know that there is activity that may be dangerous. For example, my Shiba Inu will bark whenever he sees or hears something unexpected. He stops once I come over to check things out.
- Defensive. Dogs may also bark to scare away something that they view as a possible threat.
- Boredom/Frustration. Dogs that are left alone for long periods of time may bark because they are bored and frustrated. If dogs have a lot of pent up energy, that they are unable to release otherwise, they may release it by barking and charging at the fence. This may also lead to barrier frustration, and other behavioral problems.
- Stress. Dogs sometimes bark when they are under stress. For example, some dogs may bark and lunge because they are fearful of other dogs. Dogs that have separation anxiety may also bark and otherwise vocalize when their owners leave, because of stress.
- Excitement. Dogs often bark when they are excited. This usually occurs when they are greeting people, or new dogs.
- Attention. Finally dogs will also bark to get attention. Many owners give attention or affection to their dogs when they bark. This becomes a reward to the dog which causes him to bark even more.
Stop Dog Barking - Only reward your dog with your attention when he is showing a good behavior and NOT when he is barking.
Stop Dog Barking Method 1
Dog Obedience Training.
When dealing with a barking dog, remember that barking is often a symptom of some other problem.
Contrary to common belief, dogs do not bark just to bark or just to annoy our neighbors.
Dogs bark for one of the reasons listed above.
The best way to stop dog barking is by first identifying the root of the barking problem. Once we deal with the root of the problem, the “woof, woof” symptom will disappear.
To stop dog barking, we need to be around to observe our dog. We want to identify what starts the dog barking (e.g. the postman coming), why the dog barks (e.g. to protect his territory), and whether the dog is rewarded for barking (e.g. the postman leaves).
During the retraining process, do not leave your dog alone where he can practice and be rewarded for his barking behavior. When the bark trigger occurs, you must be there to supervise.
Here are some training techniques to stop dog barking:
a) Teach your dog the “Quiet” command.
When your dog starts barking, bring out a really high priority treat, say Quiet, and give the appropriate hand gesture in front of his face.
The smell of the treat will engage your dog’s nose, and the hand gesture will briefly startle and distract him. This will probably cause him to stop barking briefly. As soon as he stops, mark the behavior (Yes) and treat him.
Keep practicing this until your dog understands the command, then you can slowly increase the duration of the Quiet command, before treating.
You can hasten the training process by initiating the bark trigger yourself, for example, by ringing the doorbell, squeaking a toy, or playing the recording of sirens.
Stop Dog Barking Technique 1 - Dog Obedience Training.
Stop Dog Barking - Ask for an alternative command, e.g. Down.
Stop Dog Barking - Ask for an alternative command, e.g. Go to Your Mat.
b) Ask for an alternative command.
In addition to the Quiet command, you can also ask for an alternative command that is inconsistent with barking.
For example, you may ask for a Down command, because dogs do not normally bark when they are lying down.
In fact, it is best to ask for the Go to Your Mat command, which gets your dog to move to his bed and lie down. In this way, your dog moves away from the trigger object, to a location where he feels comfortable and safe in; into a down position where he feels more relaxed and less likely to bark.
Stop Dog Barking - Distract your dog.
c) Distract your dog.
If the previous steps are insufficient to stop dog barking, you can further distract your dog by engaging him in an alternative activity. For example, you can play a game of tug with him, or give him a food toy to play with so that he is not focused on the bark trigger.
If you consistently establish a routine for your dog every time he starts to bark; you will ultimately retrain him so that when the bark trigger occurs, he will go to his bed and play with his food toys.
Note: For retraining to work, it is crucial not to let your dog practice his barking behavior when you are not around. If he practices unsupervised barking, and is inadvertently rewarded for it (e.g. by the postman leaving), he will keep repeating that behavior. With more practice it will become more and more difficult to stop your dog from barking.
When you are not around to supervise, crate your dog in a quiet section of the house. Put the radio or television on to mask the noise from outside. Only do this for short periods of time (< 3 hours). If you will be away for longer than that, then consider the other options below.
Stop Dog Barking - When you are not around to supervise, crate your dog in a quiet section of the house.
Stop Dog Barking Method 2
Stop Dog Barking Technique 2 - Dog Daycare or Hire a Dog Walker.
Dog Daycare or Hire a Dog Walker.
To properly retrain your dog to stop barking may require a fair amount of supervision and time commitment. In most cases, dog owners may not have the time to do this themselves because they are too busy working to put kibble in the dog bowl.
If that is the case, then a good way to stop dog barking is to put your dog in dog daycare or to hire a pet sitter to take him on a group dog walk in the park. Both these activities will keep your dog engaged, well-exercised, and prevent him from practicing his barking behavior.
Stop Dog Barking - Daycare or a dog walker does not train your dog to stop barking.
Note that daycare or a dog walker does not train your dog to stop barking.
It just removes him from the bark triggers, and gives him other activities to keep him engaged. If you stop daycare or dog walking, your dog will likely go back to his barking behavior. However, daycare or a dog walker is a good way to prevent your dog from bark practice in the interim.
While it does not retrain your dog, it at least keeps the problem from getting worse.
Stop Dog Barking - Daycare or a dog walker will keep your dog engaged, well-exercised, and prevent him from practicing his barking behavior.
Stop Dog Barking Method 3
Premier Spray Sense Anti-Bark Dog Collar.
From Amazon.com
Anti-Bark Collars.
A popular method to stop dogs from barking is to use anti-bark collars. These collars work by delivering an unpleasant sensation when the dog barks. The strength of the unpleasant stimulus is increased if the dog escalates his barking.
There are two types of anti-bark collars, a spray collar and a shock collar.
The spray collar automatically sprays the dog’s face with citronella when he barks. If the dog escalates his barking, a stronger spray is delivered.
The shock collar automatically delivers an electric shock (sometimes referred to as stimulation by people who want to make a quick sale) to the dog’s neck when he barks. The more he barks, the stronger the shock or so called stimulation.
All anti-bark collars work by punishing the dog for barking.
They do not address the root of the problem; instead, they simply try to suppress the barking behavior through the delivery of an aversive stimulus. As with all other aversive dog training, these collars run the risk of causing aggression in dogs, or other behavioral issues.
For example, your dog may bark every time the postman arrives, which would in turn cause an electric shock to his neck. He may associate the electric shock to the postman rather than to his barking behavior and this may ultimately cause him to become aggressive towards the postman.
If you decide to use an anti-bark collar, only use the spray collars or citronella collars. Shock collars do not work any better than the spray collars, and they have a much greater likelihood of encouraging aggression in dogs.
Shock collars are commonly used by dog veterans, under close supervision, and solely for distance work (e.g. distance recall). Leaving a anti-bark shock collar on your dog, unsupervised, is dangerous, and will likely result in causing him physical or mental harm.
Stop Dog Barking - Make sure to monitor your dog closely when you use an anti-bark collar.
Make sure to monitor your dog closely when you use an anti-bark collar.
Watch out for signs of increased aggression, stress, fear, or other dog behavioral issues. Set up a web-cam to record your dog so that you may observe how he responds to the collar when he barks. Some dogs become extremely stress or frustrated, and may even escalate their barking behavior.
Remember that anti-bark collars work by suppressing the barking behavior and does not address the root of the barking problem. Even though it may stop dog barking for a short period of time; your dog may start barking again once he gets habituated to the spray or electric shock.
Stop Dog Barking - Remember that anti-bark collars work by suppressing the barking behavior and does not address the root of the barking problem.
Stop Dog Barking Method 4
Surgical Debarking.
Surgical debarking, debarking, or bark softening is a surgical procedure where tissue is removed from a dog’s vocal chords to reduce the loudness of his barks.
Most debarking procedures do not completely remove a dog’s vocalizations. Dogs that are debarked commonly have a husky bark, that is much softer, and can only be heard at close range.
Surgical debarking is a controversial subject, and many consider it to be inhumane.
As with the anti-bark collars, surgical debarking does not address the root of the barking issues. Instead, it may add stress to the dog because he is now silenced. The dog may feel more vulnerable, and may be more likely to use his bite, since his bark is no longer available.
Because of these reasons, surgical debarking should only be considered as a last resort option (i.e. when it is the only alternative to euthanasia). Take the temperament of your dog into account, and consider how this process may affect his quality of life.
Debarking is illegal in the UK. In the US, debarking laws are determined on a state by state basis. Currently, it is only illegal in Ohio.
Stop Dog Barking - A tired dog is a good dog.
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Nice information! I also find that if I come see what my guard dog is barking about and praise him for being a good watch-dog, he also stops barking pretty much right away.