Dogs tend to bark for one of three reasons excitement, boredom, or as a warning to intruders. Any of these reasons can become problematic. If the dog’s barking becomes too crazy, it can lead to neighborhood disputes and even the removal of the animal by law enforcement. Keep reading to discover how to stop dogs from constantly barking. As the dog owner, you have a big responsibility on your hands.
How to Stop Dog Barking in It’s Tracks
If your dog is barking like crazy, it may be time to do something about it. If you’ve tried dog treats, bark collars, and dog training and nothing is working, then it’s time to try something else.
What is Excited Barking?
According to Pet Education, a dog that has become over excited during play may start to bark excitedly using short, sharp yapping barks. This is normal behavior, especially for young dogs and puppies which are more prone to over excitement.
If the behavior becomes an irritation for either humans or other dogs, the offending pup should be removed. As soon as the dog begins to bark, simply take it away from the cause of the excitement until it has calmed down; then return it.
The dog will quickly learn that barking means being taken away from the action and will learn to be quiet even when excited.
What is Boredom Barking?
Dogs are naturally high-energy pack animals which need mental and physical stimulation to live contentedly. Is your dog attention seeking? This being the case, when dogs are left alone in a confined area for long periods, they become bored and seek to release their pent-up energy.
Barking can become something of a hobby for bored dogs as it relieves their frustration and gives them something to do. Providing a barking dog with extra stimulation reduces its need to bark.
This stimulation can come from toys with food hidden in them, chewing toys, a warm safe place to sleep, and plentiful supply of fresh water.
How to Stop Boredom Barking
The old saying “a tired dog is a good dog” can certainly be applied to preventing problem barking. A dog, which feels the need to rest and sleep, will not want to waste energy barking.
Taking a dog for a long walk or giving the dog plenty of high-energy exercise, such as playing fetch, before it is left alone will burn away its excess energy. This is a good way to block your dog from barking.
The length of the walk will depend on the dog’s breed and how long it will be alone for. Some very high-energy breeds, such as collies, may need to be walked for as long as two hours before being left, and this must be given serious consideration before acquiring such a dog.
What is Warning Barking?
Guard dogs have been bred for centuries to let their owners know if anything is approaching their territory. This can be extremely useful and is one of the traits which attracts people to breeds such as rottweilers.
However, excessive barking can become a nuisance. Training a guard dog to only bark for short periods and to be quiet on command can be used to control this behavior.
How to Stop Barking Within Dog Boundaries
Some dogs bark excessively, it’s just what they do. However, you can teach your dog to shop barking within dog boundaries. To do this training, begin by tempting the dog to start barking by doing something like knocking at the door.
Step One: Once the dog has barked twice, give a command such as “enough” or “quiet” in a firm but calm voice.
Step Two: When the dog stops barking, give it lots of praise and attention and a high-value treat such as cheese.
Step Three: The dog will quickly learn to stop barking on command and eventually it will become a habit for the dog to only bark for short periods.
Dogs are vocal animals and barking is a natural part of their behavior. Attempting to punish a dog for barking, will only serve to aggravate the problem and you will lose its trust. This will make the dog difficult to train in the future.
Understanding your dog’s needs and working with them is far more likely to give you the results you want. These tips might work for a dog suffering from separation anxiety or a dog who does compulsive barking. Just make sure you reward your dog when possible.