Author: Willie Crawford

Besides boredom and frustration, one of the major reasons dogs bark is territorial. To you, it’s just the mailman, but to your dog, it’s a vicious robber there to attack their master. You can’t stop receiving your mail, but there are lots of things you can do to desensitize your pet and make your home a haven away from negative external stimulus.

Before we dive into the “how” of stopping dog barking, we need to look at the “why” of why they’re barking in the first place. There are lots of reasons dogs might bark from play to defense, but in the case of excessive barking at home it’s most often separation anxiety. If you listen carefully, you can start telling the difference between the various sounds:

If you have a backyard area, even if it is not fenced in, 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.

Understandably, if your dog is barking because he is anxious, this will really add to his problems. Citronella collars require you to buy replacement cartridges frequently, so can be much more expensive than consulting a veterinary behaviorist.

So what is the best method to stop dog barking?; Without doubt it is a bark collar. The reason being it works on a level that is the basis of all dog training: consistency and timing.  The moment the dog barks the collar goes off…every time! No human intervention can match the preciseness of a bark collar. The dog quickly learns that barking results in the correction, so as a result stops barking when the collar is being worn.

A dog barking is completely natural and it is unreasonable for us as owners to expect our dogs to never bark. We as humans don’t always appreciate it but barking is the way our dogs communicate with each other and the world. That, however, does not mean excessive barking is acceptable behavior.

We have had a behaviourist out to him who surmised that his behaviour was nothing to with cocker rage but more fearful dominance and she provided us with some exercises to do with him that, to be fair worked. However, over the past 3 month as his behaviour continued I started him on Kalm Aid after the advice of my vert. Hunter has also had the plug in diffuser and the collar none of which have helped. Recently I went back to the vet with him as I was at my wits end. There had been a situation where I had fed him in the morning and my son was ironing his work gear and I was stood near him, Hunter began growling and snarling and basically I was scared to move. I advised the vet that we had tried everything and that he is walked during the week 3 times a day for around 50 minutes a time and at weekends about 4 times a day sometimes one if his walks if around 6 miles, so it surely cannot be not enough exercise. The vet prescribed some anti anxiety drugs which seemed to be working however he has been on these for 3 weeks and seems loads better but we have had two episodes of the growling and snarling the most recent last night. He was lay on my knee (not in his normal position) and he started growling, I talked to him softly to reassure him and my lads talked to him, I tried to move him from my knee but he growled and snapped at my hand, although I could feel his teeth on my hand he didn’t mark it. This went on in total for around 10 minutes, he was pushed down but in doing so caught my hand, indented it but he has not left a mark. Whilst all this is going on Hunter is still wagging his tail although his body is stiff! Any ideas what more I can do, he is beautiful mostly well behaved and loveable dog but I actually do not know what else to do. Please help me, any hep/comments/advice would be greatly appreciated.

If all else fails and your neighbor is making no attempt to curb the barking, it may be time to file a noise complaint. Talk to your other neighbors and see if they are as bothered by the barking as you are. Urge them to file a similar complaint. Look up your local laws, as different areas have different laws that govern dog barking and noise complaints.

An idle dog can be a bad thing, and one of the best ways to keep your dog out of trouble is simply to keep them busy. Lots of time barking can be a sign of pent-up energy that has no other way to get out. The good news is there are lots of products to help you do this and even DIYs you can make that will engage your dog’s brain and body. Here are a few ideas you can start with without dropping a dime:

It’s really normal for dogs to bark. They bark to warn another dog to stay out of their territory, they bark when happy or at play, thy bark when danger seems near, and they bark when they are about to attack or are afraid. Admittedly, too much barking can be annoying, which is why dog owners really have to take a healthy and practical approach when learning how to stop a dog from barking. Waysandhow.

This behavior is more likely to annoy you than your neighbors, but it’s annoying nonetheless. A demand barker has learned that he can get what he wants – usually attention or treats – by telling you. It often starts as a gentle, adorable little grumble, and can quickly turn into insistent, loud barks – your dog’s way of saying, “I want it, NOW!”

Teach your dog the quiet command. The best way to quell alarm barking is by teaching your dog to be quiet on command. Like any training, this will most likely be a time-consuming process that requires patience and consistency. But if you’re willing to put in the time and effort, even the most territorial dog will learn to behave better.[47]

Studies have shown that the collars that make a noise do not work with most dogs. One study compared the citronella spray collar and the electronic shock collar and found they are equally effective for eliminating barking. Some collars use a microphone to hear the dog’s bark. If you have more than one dog, the second one could set off the collar with his barking. Anti-bark collars are not designed to be left on all the time and your dog may learn not to bark when the collar is on, and then resume the barking when the collar is off.

So if it is agreed that the most common motivations for dog barking (Separation and Defensive/Territorial) can or do occur when you are not there, what methods will stop dog barking more effectively than others? Chastising and physical punishment are obviously impossible when you are not there.

My Pet Warehouse is an Australian based pet retailer that stocks a huge range of pet supplies and accessories online and in-store. Our online store offers one of the largest selections of pet food in Australia, including veterinary and prescription lines. Make My Pet Warehouse your pets’ first choice!

Correct your dog when they bark by giving them a stern look, making a loud, sharp sound, or physically touching your dog to distract them. Keep correcting if the dog starts barking again and do this consistently and repeatedly until they stop.

White noise machine: (helpful for alarm barkers and territorial barkers) the machine’s steady unchanging sound is an easy way to cover incidental noises from outside like delivery trucks or people passing by that might trigger an alarm barker.

It’s always important to consider the alternatives to no-bark collars, such as traditional disciplinary measures, or other means which avoid inflicting physical or emotional pain or stress on the dog. If it’s possible, it’s best to discipline dogs in this way, as we’re sure you’ve seen on various episodes of the Dog Whisperer, rather than to cause any unnecessary suffering by using a no-bark dog collar.

Uncontrolled barking might be triggered by a noise or object that catches their attention and startles them. This can happen anywhere and not just at home. If it does happen at home it could possibly be part of territorial or protective barking.

Demand barking is easiest to extinguish early. The longer a dog successfully demands stuff, the more persistent he’ll be if you try to ignore him. However, ignoring him is the best answer to this behavior. No treats, no attention – not even eye contact. The instant the demand behavior starts, utter a cheerful “Oops!” and turn your back on your dog. When he’s quiet, say, “Quiet, yes!” and return your attention – and treat – to him.

As your dog gets comfortable with you being out of her sight, try closing a door to block her access to you, and gradually extend the duration of time that you are out of the room or behind a closed door.[30]

If your dog only barks to let you know he has to go potty, you need to change the behavior. Train him to ring a bell hung on the back door, or install a dog door which allows him to go when he pleases. However you go about it, changing behavior is much tougher than preventing it in the first place. With a puppy, start off on the right foot and don’t encourage or reward barking behaviors.

I have tried one of the white triangular anti-bark collars that say they use ultra sound. It was the biggest waste of money. (and it was only $3 on e-bay) It has a high pitched tone when the dog barks (can be heard by humans) and another Ultra-sonic sound (that can also be heard by humans.)

My 4 yr old neutered Bischon/ Maltese never stops barking unless he is eating or sleeping. I have 6 different collars to ” stop him from barking ” but none of them work !!! He is making me very stressed !!! I live across from my Superintendent.

So let me tell you how many times these tools SAVES dogs lives. Every hunting season! Citronella is a training tool, just as much as a choker chain on leash. You know a very slight “nic” that lasts 1/100 of a second is safer than putting an enormous amount of pressure on a dogs trachea. Back to the hunting season. Being the Dog lover you are, I am sure you know that Game Dogs such a labarabor retriever LOVE to waterfowl hunt and retrive game. They live for it, it’s in their blood. They get so excited just seeing you grab your gear or even your jacket. Talk about mean, when I grab mine in the off season just to put on, it’s like teasing them. Anyway, when they hit the 38 degree water after being sent to retrieve, the only control you have is the E-Collar. You have a whistle but because they are off lead, there still is NO control. Now when that bird turns out to be not fully deceased or there is a strong current and the bird continues to move further away from the shore, you get a bit on edge. You whistle however the dog is SO FOCUSED on what they love to do, it continues going further and further out and I whistle and whistle and he keeps going knowing that if I don’t get him back right now, he may not make it back and either drown or succumb to conditions. Now remember, they love the water, warm and COLD. They don’t care, they are built for this. Well that’s where the E-Collar comes into play, I can instantly and safely “nic” him which will get his attention and he quickly spins around and heads to shore. We all go home safe and sound. Also, if you educated yourself about E-Collars, you will also learn that the best training in the world is instant correction. It’s the only way they understand because they don’t think and remember like we do when they are being trained. That’s why rubbing their nose in their own urine while your away doesn’t house break a dog. Instant correction and consistency works every time. So I’d ask that instead of making a broad and unfounded opinion, maybe it will help to understand the way it works. Just to make you feel better, the collars are high tech, cost hundreds of dollars and can reach out to a mile. They also come with 28 settings, from the slightest “nik” that the human hand can barely feel to more powerful for those that have a real thick coat and may need a little more power. I’ve never heard a dog yelp or cry out in pain. Thanks for listening.

California and General Disclaimer: We do not make any claims regarding DoodyCalls bags in terms of “biodegradable” or “degradable” or “compostable” or in any way imply that the bags will break down in a landfill. In addition, DoodyCalls bags do not meet the California ASTM D6400 standard for biodegradable plastic bags.

Say “Go to your spot,” show your dog a treat, and then throw the treat onto the spot where you’d like your dog to go. Repeat this sequence 10 to 20 times. By the tenth time, try pretending to throw the treat so that your dog begins to move toward the spot on his own. As soon as he’s standing on his spot or rug, throw him the treat. As your dog catches on, you can stop making the fake throwing motion with your arm and just give him the cue, “Go to your spot.” Then wait until he does and reward him.

If she’s not receptive, or if your neighbor is such a threatening presence from the dark side that you’re not comfortable contacting her, you can file a complaint with the animal authorities in your community. Most will not disclose the identity of a complainant, but you should double-check with them to be sure. You may need to make follow-up complaints if their initial contact with the dog owner doesn’t effect an adequate change in behavior.

about dog behavioural issue confronting dog owners. Yelling at the dog, hiring expensive trainers, physical punishment, distractions and bark collars are all methods that have been tried by dog owners, some with mixed results.

Give her more exercise. Exercise is a great way to curb problem behavior, including excessive barking. Whether your dog is anxious, territorial, or simply bored, getting a good workout will probably help reduce the frequency and intensity of her problem barking.[71]

Dogs often bark when they find themselves excited but thwarted, or frustrated, from getting to something they want. For example, a frustrated dog might bark in his yard because he wants to get out and play with children he hears in the street. A frustrated dog might bark and run the fence line with the dog next door, or bark by the patio door while watching a cat or squirrel frolicking in his yard. Some dogs bark at other dogs on walks because they want to greet and play, or they bark at their caretakers to get them to move faster when preparing to go for walks. The most effective means for discouraging excitement or frustration barking is to teach a frustrated dog to control his impulses through obedience training. You can teach your dog to wait, sit and stay before gaining access to fun activities like walks, playing with other dogs or chasing squirrels. This can be a daunting task, so you may need the assistance of a Certified Professional Dog Trainer to help you. Please see our article, Finding Professional Behavior Help, for information about finding a CPDT in your area. You can also discourage the presence of cats and other animals in your yard by using motion-activated devices to startle intruders.

My boxer is one yeAr old and came from a good home where there was a doggy door. Here he is supposed to stay outside and he sits and whines all day and night. He does bark but 90% of the time it’s whining

This point is a biggie that even Cesar Millan can get behind. Barrack says that if your dog spends all day at home alone while you’re at work and has just a few hours of freedom before bed, it only makes sense that it’s restless at night. “They have pent up energy, are excited to see you and just want some attention. Exercise is the best solution for this cause of barking. One option is sending your dog to doggie day care where they can have a tiring day, running around and playing all day with other dogs. Alternatively, you and your dog can exercise together. A long walk or run will help tire both of you out before bedtime,” she explains.

This barking response is also known as alarm barking. It can be in response to people coming to the door, people or animals walking by your house, or other sights and sounds that alert the dog to the presence of someone or something crossing their territory. Territory can be your house, your yard, or even your car while you are driving.

Very often we push things too fast and do not realise that our dogs are struggling with the speed that we are progressing. Then things fall apart and we all get stressed. By slowing the training down, dogs relax more and start to succeed!

Eventually your dog will learn to be quiet on command without getting a treat. Even after you’ve reached this stage of training, however, you should still give your dog verbal praise when she stops barking.[52]

You may want to share your findings with your neighbor to give him or her one last chance to change before you call the authorities. If you’re pretty sure it won’t work, move straight to the next step.

Another thing you can try is recording sounds that trigger the barking and playing these back to your dog – very quietly at first, and gradually increasing the volume – while rewarding them with food. This is a process known as desensitising and counter conditioning.

With the ultrasonic bark collar the mechanism that sits against the dog’s throat sends out a very high pitched and unpleasant sound which is intended to deter nuisance barking. Bark collars can be a particularly difficult thing to fit to individual dogs and it is recommended that you discuss which bark collar is right for you with your veterinarian.

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.

Literally THOUSANDS of you have requested this video! Unwanted barking is the reason so many people give up on a dog. Share this video so that more people know how to handle this easy to correct issue.

Leave distractions for your dog. In addition to exercise, leaving distractions around the house is a great way to inhibit problem behaviors like boredom barking. You can use a puzzle toy stuffed with peanut butter, or simply toss a handful of treats in various places around the room. You can also leave a radio or television on for the dog so the sound will distract her.[65]

Don’t punish your dog if the barking is due to fright or separation anxiety. You may have the opposite effect of increasing his anxiety, and therefore, his barking. A Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist or Veterinary Behaviorist can give you specific directions for correcting this behavior.

If your dog likes to play fetching games, try teaching them to retrieve a toy or other item when the situation occurs that sets them off. Asking them to “go to bed” is also something you could try as this removes them from the area that the trigger is coming from and asks them to concentrate on a neutral task that they are already familiar with.

Before we get into how to eliminate excessive yapping, remember that you don’t want to correct all barking. After all, if someone knocks at your front door when you’re not home, wouldn’t you rather your dog bark to deter a break in?

Make helpful suggestions. It’s possible your neighbor is well aware of the issue, but isn’t sure how to get the dog to stop barking. If you’re pretty sure you know what the problem is, there’s nothing wrong with making suggestions. This is especially effective if you’re a dog owner, too. You can commiserate over how tough it can be to get a dog to stop barking. Here are a few common problems you might consider bringing up:

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.

When your dog sees or hears something in an area your dog considers his/her territory, excessive barking will often be triggered. Your dog will look alert and even aggressive during this type of barking and the barking will often get louder as the threat gets closer. It is good to note that this type of barking is often motivated by fear or a perceived threat to their territory and people.

Try to agree on a concrete solution. Rather than expecting your neighbor to put a stop to all barking, it might be more feasible to agree on a practical solution that works for both of you. Here are a few solutions that might apply; you can adapt them to your situation as necessary:[3]

Remember, to a dog barking is often an escalation of other forms of communication. Therefore, just like you don’t want to reward a puppy for barking to get your attention, you also don’t want to reward them for lesser forms of negative noises like whining or growling.

I notice that the halti or other head collars were not mentioned. I have a breed that is just made to pull and I have finally found a head collar that works for us although I would love to modify the part that goes over the nose. (I actually have purchased two of similar design and a mix of the two would be ideal) The person who makes the one I am using is a bit of an um, interesting character on the fb page and on the web but thus far the apparatus works really well for control. I really don’t want my dog at heel for the whole walk, but as the article says, the dog’s idea of walking right along and mine are pretty different, particularly as I am now more disabled and use a cane. We used to walk one to two miles a day, but that has become impossible so we are mixing a play date with a friend and shorter walks a couple of times a week. What the walk has always been for us is a time to practice those things his fluffy brain would like to forget!!

These collars stop dog barking by delivering a shot of citronella, a short noise, or a small shock near the dog’s face to detract it from making noise. The problem with this solution though is that it doesn’t give any positive reinforcement when the dog is behaving, nor does it address the underlying problem of the dog being bored and having pent-up energy.

Some dogs bark excessively in a repetitive way, like a broken record. These dogs often move repetitively as well. For example, a dog who’s compulsively barking might run back and forth along the fence in his yard or pace in his home.

If your neighbor’s dog won’t stop barking, it can go beyond a minor annoyance. A barking dog that doesn’t belong to you can disrupt your sleep, ruin your peace of mind, or become a headache-inducing nuisance. It can even cause your dogs to misbehave as the constant barking becomes a distraction, and you might find that your own pups feel the need to bark back. So do you get a neighbor’s dog to cut the noise?

Dogs are super sensitive and pick up on our deepest emotions and slightest body movements. If you think of your dog as like your mirror, then you will start to understand that the calmer you are, the more chance your dog will be relaxed.

When he pulls, immediately stop and stand completely still until the leash relaxes, either by your dog taking a step back or turning around to give you focus. When the leash is nicely relaxed, proceed on your walk. Repeat this as necessary.

For treatment of territorial barking, your dog’s motivation should be reduced as well as his opportunities to defend his territory. To manage your dog’s behavior, you’ll need to block his ability to see people and animals. Removable plastic film or spray-based glass coatings can help to obscure your dog’s view of areas that he observes and guards from within your house. Use secure, opaque fencing to surround outside areas your dog has access to. Don’t allow your dog to greet people at the front door, at your front yard gate or at your property boundary line. Instead, train him to go to an alternate location, like a crate or a mat, and remain quiet until he’s invited to greet appropriately.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you decide to buy something when you click one, we may receive a small commission. We only offer recommendations that we believe in. Click here to learn more.

Respected trainer and president of Legacy Canine Behavior & Training Inc, Terry Ryan, explains in her book ”The Toolbox for Building A Great Family Dog” Once you recognize what the rewards are (in your case getting up and feeding) and take them away, the behavior will likely increase immediately. This is known as an ”extinction burst”. In plain words, Gus will get worst before he gets better. It might be frustrating, but take it as a good sign. It’s working! You’ve got his number! Stay the course and the behavior will drop off over time.”.

ThunderShirt Anxiety Jacket – These vests are proven anxiety soothers. The wrap helps dogs prone to anxiety, over-stimulation, or those prone to compulsive barking, to calm down. It works by applying a gentle, constant pressure that soothes your pet.

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.

Don’t encourage your dog to bark at strangers or people walking by the door. Asking your dog “who’s that?” in a querying tone will excite their curiosity. Looking out the window or door will encourage him to do the same, and once there, he will bark.

Playfulness/Excitement: This type of barking is especially common in puppies and young dogs. Many dogs will bark while playing with people or other dogs. Even the sound of the bark tends to sound upbeat and possibly musical. Some dogs will bark excitedly when they know they are about to go for a walk or car ride.

If the “Quiet” procedure is ineffective after 10 to 20 attempts, then allow your dog to bark 3 to 4 times, calmly say “Quiet,” and then immediately make a startling noise by shaking a set of keys or an empty soda can filled with pennies. If your dog is effectively startled by the sound, he’ll stop barking. The instant he does, call him away from the door or window, ask him to sit, and give him a treat. If he stays beside you and remains quiet, continue to give him frequent treats for the next few minutes until whatever triggered his barking is gone. If he resumes barking right away, repeat the sequence. If this procedure doesn’t work after 10 to 20 attempts, please see our article, Finding Professional Behavior Help, for information about finding a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB or ACAAB), a board-certified veterinary behaviorist (Dip ACVB) or a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) for guidance.

I don’t have a problem with leash aggression with my dogs, but two out of three of them bark PERSISTENTLY on the lead and during walks. They aren’t barking at anyone or anything in particular – It’s entirely excitement based… And it’s so bad that I can’t walk them anymore. I improvise their exercise by playing fetch games (making them run) and taking them down to our field to let them run riot there. I miss being able to walk them though. The pulling I don’t mind really (I know it’s not ideal tho) but the barking at everything out of being so excited…It’s incredibly frustrating and embarrassing. 🙁

Very often we push things too fast and do not realise that our dogs are struggling with the speed that we are progressing. Then things fall apart and we all get stressed. By slowing the training down, dogs relax more and start to succeed!

In Nature, there are plenty of animals living in groups that have “sentinels” – members of the group looking out for potential danger while the others are at rest or playing etc. If the sentinel sees something that could be a problem, it is raise the alarm. In wild canines, the leaders will check out the problem once alerted and act accordingly. The sentinel is never punished for doing its job, just like how I was never hit by Mum for letting her know when someone was at the door.

If she seems receptive, show her this article to give her some ideas about how to modify her dog’s barking behavior. If you’re feeling generous, give her a copy of Terry Ryan’s book, The Bark Stops Here, for more in-depth information on barking.

When you hear yapping, it’s only natural to chastise a dog to stop. But if you’re pet is barking for attention, you’re giving him what he wants, even though the interaction is negative, says trainer Victoria Stillwell of “It’s Me or the Dog.”

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.

Once you’ve taught your dog the “quiet” command in a calm environment, practice in increasingly distracting situations until your dog can immediately stop barking when asked to, even when that “intruder” arrives at the door.

You may want to share your findings with your neighbor to give him or her one last chance to change before you call the authorities. If you’re pretty sure it won’t work, move straight to the next step.

I know first hand the frustration of dealing with a barking dog. Trust me, I have a Chihuahua! While inappropriate barking can make you want to pull your hair out at times, it’s important to remember that it’s a natural behavior for your pup. Barking is the way he communicates and of course he’s going to feel the need to alert you when an intruder is approaching (by “intruder” I really mean a friendly neighbor)!

Once he stops barking, call him to you, praise him, and fulfill his request, as long as it’s reasonable. However, if he is barking for food, do not reward him with food, treats, chews etc. This will simply reinforce begging and instead of barking, he will switch to pawing at you or some other attention getting behavior.

HI Melissa, I think GSDs take barking to a whole nother level. And they really do need more basic training and more socialization than other dogs. Have you tried cutting visual stimulation in the car? Covered crate? Every seen a Calming cap? Sometime shades like the ones you buy for infants can help to. One thing that worked for my collie was a combo of the game Look at that (you can do a web search) and taking handfuls of kibble and throwing it at the window when he saw a bike or dog coming straight for us. Also having a dog savvy person extra set of hands in the car really helps–so you don’t crash! There is no shame in hiring a great trainer. It sounds like you are on the right path. Best of luck to you both.

This can occur inside or outside the house. However to keep things simple let’s imagine that it’s inside the house. Your dog hears a noise and jumps up, runs over to the window and starts barking at the people outside your house.

Attention seeking: Never reward barking. If your dog barks when he wants water, and you fill the dish, you’ve taught him to bark to get what he wants. If he barks to go outside, it’s the same. So teach him to ring a bell you tied to the door handle to go out. Bang the water dish before filling it, and maybe he’ll start pushing it with his nose to make the same noise. Find ways for your dog to communicate without barking.

Does your dog bark at the doorbell? Do you not even have a door bell, but your dog barks at ones on TV? Does your dog bark at car horns? When certain people come over? All these things and more! can be addressed with training and desensitization. They do not just up and go away on their own. You have to work at it.  My next blog post will be  a How to – Desensitization.

This is what’s generally known as “Separation Anxiety” because your dog after separation becomes anxious. I should add that this stress results not only in barking, but can also manifest in destructive behaviour, chewing, injuring themselves, escaping, and excessive digging.

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.

Español: lograr que los perros dejen de ladrar, Deutsch: Einem Hund das Bellen abgewöhnen, Русский: добиться, чтобы собака перестала лаять, 中文: 让狗停止吠叫, Nederlands: Een hond leren minder te blaffen, Čeština: Jak utišit štěkající psy, Italiano: Calmare un Cane che Abbaia, Bahasa Indonesia: Menenangkan Anjing Menggonggong, Français: faire taire un chien qui aboie, Português: Acalmar um Cão que não para de Latir, 日本語: 犬の無駄吠えを止めさせる, Tiếng Việt: Dạy Chó Ngừng Sủa, ไทย: ทำให้สุนัขหยุดเห่า, العربية: جعل الكلاب تتوقف عن النباح

Copyright © 2018 HubPages Inc. and respective owners. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. HubPages® is a registered Service Mark of HubPages, Inc. HubPages and Hubbers (authors) may earn revenue on this page based on affiliate relationships and advertisements with partners including Amazon, Google, and others.

Is your neighbor’s dog keeping you up all night? It’s time to take action. The fastest and best way to end the noise is usually to speak to your neighbor face to face to work out a good solution. If that isn’t effective, get law enforcement involved to solve the problem for you. In the meantime, try using a dog whistle or another method to help the dog stay quiet.

Stress-reducing collar – This is similar to the diffusers discussed earlier. Stress-reducing collars are loaded with soothing pheromones that will help stressed dogs calm down and reduce anxious barking.

When your dog barks do you have the tendency to yell something like “NOOOOOOO” or “STOOOPPP?” While you think you’re telling your dog to stop barking, they just think you’re joining in. So yelling won’t do you much good. Instead, when your dog starts barking inappropriately it’s important to stay calm. Develop a signal that alerts your dog to stop barking. That signal could be a look, sound, or physical correction. Below, I will go over the “quiet” command. 

Omg, thank you so much of what you wrote. I bought today the collar and I was feeling so so bad, that almost cry and then someone in the office told me that I was crazy doing that, that my dog will be suffer, and almost died.

Not gonna lie, the brothers in particular have other issues I’d like to deal with (one of them is particularly fond of rugby-tackling me which I fear will cause me to dislocate my knee or close as I have Hyper-Mobility Syndrome) but I would really like to walk the three as a group (atm I dare not in fear they teach the pup how to be a walking-barking-storm). Any suggestions would help. :/

Citronella collars deliver a small, short blast of citronella every time the dog barks. These types of collars have been shown to be at least as effective as electronic collars, and do not risk causing any pain or real discomfort to the dog.[79]

My honest question: What is the point of forcing your dog to not bark at all?  Do you really want a silent dog?  If so, there are plenty of dogs out there who are born mute (and perhaps deaf) and cannot bark at all, and they need good homes to go to.  But for any other dog, playful barking is cute and a fun part of being a dog owner, and dogs also want to be able to get your attention sometimes and there is nothing wrong with that, nor should there ever be.

Pet owners always think it is strange when I recommend teaching their dog to bark on command. This places the behavior under stimulus control and with one more step, you can teach your dog to be ‘quiet’ on command.

Dogs love to be outside, and the walk is a stimulating and exciting part of their day, so the desire to push ahead is very strong. Humans do not make ideal walking partners since a dog’s natural and comfortable walking pace is much faster than ours. Having to walk calmly by a person’s side when the only thing a dog really wants to do is run and investigate his environment requires a degree of impulse control that can be very difficult for some dogs to utilize.

It is always better to stop the barking without the bark collar. Find out the reason why the dog barks. Dogs are dogs and dogs will bark. It is very normal. And usually the dog will bark for a reason. When you discover the reason, solve the problem or get rid of it, the dog will stop barking.

Dog barking can be a blessing and curse when it comes to living with our favorite furry friends! Dogs bark for many reasons, so, you’ll have to know your dog’s personality to understand why he is barking. If you have a dog that is very high energy, dog barking can simply mean that he is excited or bored. A dog that is skittish may bark due to stress or nervousness. Remember, when dogs bark, it’s their way of communicating something. Regardless of the reason behind your dog’s barking – Zak George will help you train without the pain!

Don’t bark back. Talk to your puppy with your tone of voice and body language — not just the words—to make sure he doesn’t misunderstand. Barking is also a joyful expression. Use a calm voice, or else yelling can make him think you’re joining the chorus, and he barks even louder.

Indoors, leave the curtains or blinds closed, or use spray-on glass coating or removable plastic film that makes windows opaque. This affordable static cling window the light in, but blurs and blocks sights from outside.

Before we dive into the “how” of stopping dog barking, we need to look at the “why” of why they’re barking in the first place. There are lots of reasons dogs might bark from play to defense, but in the case of excessive barking at home it’s most often separation anxiety. If you listen carefully, you can start telling the difference between the various sounds:

This can constitute abuse or harassment, since you are in your yard and clearly not trying to get into hers. I would record evidence of this with your phone and take it to the police and explain the situation. It’s one thing to have a guard dog, but quite another if she is teaching her dog to try to attack you.

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.

As previously mentioned, there are many reasons why dogs bark. Sometimes it is to warn of danger, but it could also be a sign that something is wrong with your pet. WebMD explains the many reasons for dogs barking:

My boxer is one yeAr old and came from a good home where there was a doggy door. Here he is supposed to stay outside and he sits and whines all day and night. He does bark but 90% of the time it’s whining

Whenever you leave the house, try giving your dog a puzzle toy stuffed with food. Something hollow that can be stuffed with treats, spray cheese, or low-fat peanut butter will keep your dog occupied for at least 20 to 30 minutes, which may be long enough for her to forget that she was afraid of you leaving.[24]

Don’t use inconsistent rules. If you yell at him for barking at some sights or sounds, such as the kids leaving for school, and encourage him to bark at others, like the salesman at the door, he will be hard-put to distinguish between the two events. The result will be a still-constantly barking dog.

When we adopted Rusty, he had a terrible case of intestinal worms and joining a new family must have been pretty stressful for him. It took some time, but he recovered from the worms and after he grew used to his new home, he stopped his poop eating escapades.

The goal is to get your dog used to whatever it is that’s causing the barking. For example, if your dog barks at people outside the window then sit with him as he looks out the window. When someone approaches pull out the treats, tell him “quiet,” and wait for your dog to stop barking. When he does, praise him and give him a treat. Gradually increase the time he must be quiet before giving a treat. The goal here is to get your dog to associate the stimulus with positivity (rather than barking). 

Dogs can bark excessively in response to people, dogs or other animals within or approaching their territories. Your dog’s territory includes the area surrounding his home and, eventually, anywhere he has explored or associates strongly with you: your car, the route you take during walks and other places where he spends a lot of time.

A behavior chain is a series of behaviors strung together. Your dog may learn to bark once or twice to get you to turn your back, say quiet, and feed him a treat. His short behavior chain is “bark – then be quiet.” To avoid this, be sure to acknowledge and reward him frequently before he even starts barking.

Go for a walk around the block with your dog on leash. Use the interrupt when he’s sniffing a bush, or eyeing garbage in the gutter. Start with mild to moderate real-life distractions if possible, but if a major distraction presents itself, including a stimulus that causes him to bark, give it a try!

If you suspect that your dog is a compulsive barker, we recommend that you seek guidance from a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist or a veterinary behaviorist. If you can’t find a behaviorist, you can seek help from a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, but be sure that the trainer is qualified to help you. Determine whether she or he has education and experience treating compulsive behavior, since this kind of expertise isn’t required for CPDT certification. Please see our article, Finding Professional Behavior Help, to locate one of these behavior experts in your area.

HI Nat, we recommend a consultation with a qualified trainer to give you some tips on how to manage or change this behavior. It is impossible to give you good advice without seeing your pup’s behavior, I’m afraid.

Discontinue reinforcement. Also called “attention-seeking barking,” request barking is a common problem for dog owners. The first step to breaking a dog’s request barking is to stop giving your dog what she wants whenever she barks. This will, of course, take some time to train out of your dog, especially if she has been “rewarded” for her barking over many years.[1]

Indoors, leave the curtains or blinds closed, or use spray-on glass coating or removable plastic film that makes windows opaque. This affordable static cling window film lets the light in, but blurs and blocks sights from outside.

“Yay, Mom’s home! Mom’s home! Mom’s home!” If your dog hails you with hellos when you return after an absence, it’s time to shift into ignore mode. Stand outside your door and wait for the cacophony to subside, then enter calmly; no rousing hug-fests or “I love you! I missed you!” sessions. When your dog is quiet, then calmly greet him. If he starts to bark again, mark the barking with an “Oops!” and ignore him again.

If barking during the day is a problem because the dog is left outside, see if the neighbor will agree to install a dog house where the dog can take shelter during the day. Discuss a certain date by which the dog house will be installed.

If you have a pet, then chances are you have pet waste. As unpleasant and time consuming as pooper scooper duty may be, keeping doggie deposits off the ground is an important responsibility held by every pet owner. Here’s why: Dog waste is an environmental pollutant. According to estimates by the Environmental Protection Agency, two or READ MORE>>

I had a six month old puppy in class last night that barks at his humans when they sit down to watch TV,usually from 5-7 PM range. That pup needs more exercise, but also something to do. Enrichment toys, bully sticks, raw marrow bones, training games before they settle for the night will all help this dog. This one also falls under most of the other numbers.

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.

Now I should point out that this barking is NOT “naughty behavior” as many people think, nor has it anything to do with boredom which is why using a shock collar to try to stop this behavior is such a cruel idea. Let me explain.

Attention seeking: Never reward barking. If your dog barks when he wants water, and you fill the dish, you’ve taught him to bark to get what he wants. If he barks to go outside, it’s the same. So teach him to ring a bell you tied to the door handle to go out. Bang the water dish before filling it, and maybe he’ll start pushing it with his nose to make the same noise. Find ways for your dog to communicate without barking.

Shock collars are similar to citronella and ultrasonic collars, but instead deliver a brief electric shock to the dog’s neck. These collars typically have a number of different settings to change how intense the shock is, and if using one of these collars it is best to use the lowest setting possible to prevent injury to the dog. Again, these should only be used as an absolute last resort.[81]

If your dog only barks to let you know he has to go potty, you need change the behavior. Train him to ring a bell hung on the back door, or install a dog door which allows him to go when he pleases. However you go about it, changing behavior is much tougher than preventing it in the first place. With a puppy, start off on the right foot and don’t encourage or reward barking behaviors.

When your dog can consistently stay on his spot for at least 30 seconds, with you standing in front of him, you can start moving toward the door. Say the cue “Go to your spot,” walk with your dog to his spot, ask him to sit or lie down and ask him to stay. At first, just turn your head away from your dog. Then turn back to give him a treat and release him from the stay. After a few repetitions, make things a little harder. After your dog is sitting or lying down on his spot, ask him to stay and then take one step toward the door. Return immediately, give your dog a treat and then release him from the stay with your release word or phrase. Gradually increase the number of steps that you take away from your dog and toward the door. Eventually you’ll be able to walk all the way to the door and back while your dog stays sitting or lying down on his spot. (Don’t forget to keep rewarding him for staying!) If your dog stands up or leaves his spot before you release him from the stay, say “Oops!” the moment he gets up. Then immediately tell him to sit or lie down on his spot again and stay. Wait a few seconds and then release him. You may have progressed too fast. Next time, make the exercise a little easier so your dog can succeed. Ask him to stay for a shorter period of time and don’t move as far away from him. When he’s successful at an easier level, you can gradually make the exercise harder again. Never end your dog’s stay from a distance. Instead, always return to him, say “Yes,” give him a treat, and then say “Okay” to release him.

Recognize compulsive/boredom barking. If your dog barks compulsively for no reason, or tends to bark when she’s left alone (in the yard, for example), she may be engaging in boredom barking. Dogs that bark when left alone may be experiencing separation anxiety, but there are usually other symptoms which accompany that problem, like destructive behavior, bathroom problems, and following you around when you’re home. Common signs of compulsive or boredom barking include:

Reward the absence of barking: (helpful for all barkers) when your dog opts not to bark in a typically triggering situation, make a big deal of it. Most of us are used to tuning into our dogs only when we want to correct the bad behavior and we forget to acknowledge the good. If your dog sees someone out the window and looks to you instead of barking, give him a treat. If he dashes around the yard with his best dog pal without offering commentary, praise him. If his ball rolls under the couch and he chooses to sit and wait for you to get it instead of demanding immediate help, give him a pat and fetch that ball! Even though barking is a deeply rewarding behavior for dogs, it’s possible to get a handle on it with time and patience.

Give her more exercise. Exercise is a great way to curb problem behavior, including excessive barking. Whether your dog is anxious, territorial, or simply bored, getting a good workout will probably help reduce the frequency and intensity of her problem barking.[71]

Luckily, most dogs will quickly learn that being quiet will result in more rewards and attention through training and positive conditioning. While it may take a bit more effort on the front end, your ears and neighbors will appreciate the investment in training your dog to embrace their inner peace and quiet.

Español: hacer que el perro del vecino deje de ladrar, Português: Fazer o Cachorro do Vizinho Parar de Latir, Italiano: Far Smettere di Abbaiare il Cane del Vicino, Русский: заставить соседскую собаку не лаять, Deutsch: Den Hund deines Nachbarn vom Bellen abhalten, Français: faire taire le chien de son voisin qui aboie, Nederlands: De hond van je buren laten stoppen met blaffen, Bahasa Indonesia: Menghentikan Gonggongan Anjing Tetangga, العربية: جعل كلب جارك يتوقف عن النباح

Try to agree on a concrete solution. Rather than expecting your neighbor to put a stop to all barking, it might be more feasible to agree on a practical solution that works for both of you. Here are a few solutions that might apply; you can adapt them to your situation as necessary:[3]

Separation anxiety (SA) is manifested in a number of behaviors, including nonstop hysterical barking and sometimes howling. This is a complex and challenging behavior both to modify and to manage, as true SA is a real panic attack in response to being left alone; the dog truly cannot control his behavior. SA usually requires the intervention of a good positive behavior consultant, and sometimes pharmaceuticals.

“Debarking,” or cordectomy is an elective surgical procedure involving partial removal of a dog’s vocal cords. Debarking does not take away the dog’s ability to bark – it just makes it sound quieter and raspy (considered annoying by some). In this dog lover’s opinion, debarking surgery is unnecessary and unfair to the dog. Surgery and anesthesia are always risks, so any procedure that is purely for human convenience and does not medically benefit the patient or animal community should be avoided. In addition, excessive barking indicates an underlying issue that is usually behavioral. Surgery takes the noise away, but the anxiety, fear or similar problem remains unaddressed. Rather than debarking your dog, spend your time and money on training and/or visiting a veterinary behaviorist.

Customizing a training solution for your dog’s specific type of bark will make it much easier to stop, and in some cases, prevent the barking from happening. The following tips are a mix of management solutions, which are easier to implement, as well as training suggestions, which require more time and dedication on your part.

Ok, our’s goes nuts when she sees an animal on TV (lunging, snarling and barking). She goes nuts when someone rides by on a bike or skateboard (lunging, snarling and barking). She goes nuts when someone walks by on the sidewalk (lunging, snarling and barking). She goes nuts if she sees any animal….ever (lunging, snarling and barking). She goes nuts if kids play in their yards (lunging, snarling and barking). She goes nuts if a neighbor mows their lawn (lunging, snarling and barking). I’ve been trying to train her by providing instant, unwavering correction, but she is unable to resist her instincts. She is unable to break her focus without being strongly corrected. Frankly, I’m sick of fighting with her. I’m for the bark collar or a remote controlled training collar.

Before we dive into the “how” of stopping dog barking, we need to look at the “why” of why they’re barking in the first place. There are lots of reasons dogs might bark from play to defense, but in the case of excessive barking at home it’s most often separation anxiety. If you listen carefully, you can start telling the difference between the various sounds:

However, that doesn‘t mean the dog never chooses to sit of his own accord. Dogs sit all the time! The above rules apply only during actual training sessions. Having a behavior on cue and under stimulus control does not mean the dog will never choose to do the behavior on his own, or be triggered to offer the behavior by some other stimulus.

It may also be easier to teach your dog a “quiet!” cue if you teach him to speak when you ask, rather than just waiting for opportunities to present themselves. To teach him to bark on cue, a way to trigger a bark. Some dogs will bark if you act silly, tease with a toy, or knock on the door.

To be successful with this method, you must wait as long as it takes for him to stop barking. If he barks for an hour and you finally get so frustrated that you yell at him to be quiet, the next time he’ll probably bark for an hour and a half. He learns that if he just barks long enough you’ll give him attention.

My doggy is fully prepared! I found an awesome tool to train very well and fast my dog while i’m in home. I learned a very good way to educate my doggy with a lot of tricks and how to modify the bad behavioral problems, for example,jumping, barking, beating and anxiety. “Doggy Dan site” has a complete training system videos that permit you to watch and listen a master trainer how to solve all kind of dogs problems. with another dog and its owner. You can see the exact body language and voice tone to use, and how the doggy react, changing their conduct very quickly. It’s good to see how fast my doggy got on these training. My dog behaves excellent now! From what I comprehend, the information on this site:(theonlinedogtrainers.org) works for any age or type of dog. I feel very good to know my puppy is prepared to do my command.

Anxiety or Fear: Dogs also bark when they are unsure or scared. They may use barking as they run away the same way a human would scream. They may also use sound as a defense mechanism to keep their attacker at a distance. Dogs learn early that the best defense is often a good offense.

Busy toys: (helpful for attention seeking/demand barkers, boredom barkers and separation distress barkers) both boredom barkers and separation distress barkers benefit from having something to do when their people leave the house. Hard rubber toys that dispense treats are a great way to keep them occupied and happy when alone. They’re also great for dogs that bark for attention. For example, if your dog barks at you every time you get on the phone, give him a busy toy to keep him occupied while you make calls.

Certified Professional Dog Trainers (CPDTs) are certified by an independent organization. In order to become certified, a prospective CPDT must complete a rigorous hands-on training program, pass a standardized test, and provide letters of recommendation.[76]

Recognize compulsive/boredom barking. If your dog barks compulsively for no reason, or tends to bark when she’s left alone (in the yard, for example), she may be engaging in boredom barking. Dogs that bark when left alone may be experiencing separation anxiety, but there are usually other symptoms which accompany that problem, like destructive behavior, bathroom problems, and following you around when you’re home. Common signs of compulsive or boredom barking include:

First of all we have to identify WHY your dog is barking, because the solution we use is not always going to be the same. After all, you’d never use the same approach to stop a child who was shouting out for help as a child who was screaming at you for more chocolate, now would you?

If your dog barks when you leave the house (which can be a sign of separation anxiety), set up a safe and quiet place for them away from the front door. This may be a back bedroom, laundry room, or spare space.

The first step toward reducing your dog’s barking is to determine the type of bark your dog is expressing. The following questions can help you to accurately decide on which type of barking your dog is doing so that you can best address your dog’s problem. Think about your answers to these questions as you read through the information below on the different types of barking and their treatments.

When your dog barks do you have the tendency to yell something like “NOOOOOOO” or “STOOOPPP?” While you think you’re telling your dog to stop barking, they just think you’re joining in. So yelling won’t do you much good. Instead, when your dog starts barking inappropriately it’s important to stay calm. Develop a signal that alerts your dog to stop barking. That signal could be a look, sound, or physical correction. Below, I will go over the “quiet” command. 

As an example, think about barking when left alone. A dog that is very loud when left isn’t making a noise because he or she is being spiteful or wants to get you in trouble with your neighbours. The vocalization is an expression of the dog’s fear, loneliness and sometimes even panic. By strapping a device such as an electric shock collar to an upset dog, you don’t do anything to make them feel safer or more comfortable when left on their own – and what’s more, the pain confirm their fears that being left means horrible things happen to them (painful electric shocks occur every time they bark).

I notice that the halti or other head collars were not mentioned. I have a breed that is just made to pull and I have finally found a head collar that works for us although I would love to modify the part that goes over the nose. (I actually have purchased two of similar design and a mix of the two would be ideal) The person who makes the one I am using is a bit of an um, interesting character on the fb page and on the web but thus far the apparatus works really well for control. I really don’t want my dog at heel for the whole walk, but as the article says, the dog’s idea of walking right along and mine are pretty different, particularly as I am now more disabled and use a cane. We used to walk one to two miles a day, but that has become impossible so we are mixing a play date with a friend and shorter walks a couple of times a week. What the walk has always been for us is a time to practice those things his fluffy brain would like to forget!!

Dogs will be dogs, and most dogs will bark, whine and howl at times; it’s only natural. Dogs vocalize to communicate with humans and to express themselves. Sometimes we want our dogs to bark in order to warn us about potential danger or protect us from harm. Other times, the barking is excessive and seems to have no real meaning.

Warning/Alert: It is natural for a dog to bark when someone is a the door or when strangers pass the house or car. Many will bark if they sense some type of threat, proclaiming “I’m here protecting this place so don’t mess with me.” The sound of this bark is usually sharp, loud and authoritative. Honing this instinct with training can help protect your home and family.

Dogs do more than just bark. They whine, they whimper, they grumble and growl, they scream, they howl…and each communication can contain messages that help you understand your dog. When your dog is communicating out loud, take a moment to figure out what he’s trying to say, and why, and what, if anything, you should do about it.

     1.    Stress/Separation Anxiety.  The dog is distressed because of circumstances. The most common is Separation Anxiety. In this instance most owners do not even know they have a need to stop dog barking as they have never heard it.

It also helps to teach your dog a specific set of behaviors to do when people come into your home so that he has fewer opportunities to alarm bark. Plus, when your dog performs his new behaviors and receives rewards, he’ll learn that people coming into his and your space is a good thing.

But in most cases, you can’t just tell a dog to hush. Trainers and dog behaviorists say that working with barking dogs is one of their most common requests. If your dog has a vocal problem, here are some tips that might help.

Enter code Zak30 when you check out to receive $10 off of your first 3 autoship orders. Just choose your dog food. Decide how often you want it delivered and you’re done! Modify or cancel your order at any time for any reason!

Relieve the boredom. Many pups bark because they’re lonely or bored. Even if the pup has nothing to bark about, talking to himself may be better than listening to lonely silence. Chew toys that reward the puppy’s attention with tasty treats also fill up the mouth — he can’t bark and chew at the same time. Puzzles toys like the Kong Wobbler can be stuffed with peanut butter, or kibble treats that your pup must manipulate to reach the prize.

     2.    Territorial/Defensive Barking.  Barking at the postman or other dogs walking past your house. Most dog owners will experience this type of dog barking and often encourage it to keep intruders from the house.

Fortunately, keeping a dog from barking is not that hard when you know what you need to do. Dog behaviorists and experts have successfully trained numerous chatty Cathies and the method is always the same: find out why is the dog barking in the first place and treat the cause behind the problem. If your dog is barking because their anxious or scared, you won’t approach the issue the same way you would if they were doing it out of boredom.

However, that doesn‘t mean the dog never chooses to sit of his own accord. Dogs sit all the time! The above rules apply only during actual training sessions. Having a behavior on cue and under stimulus control does not mean the dog will never choose to do the behavior on his own, or be triggered to offer the behavior by some other stimulus.

Caveat: Be careful when teaching your dog to bark on cue. Once he learns a bark can make you click! the clicker, he may try demand-barking – and you may get more “speak” than you want. For this reason, I don’t teach my dog to bark on cue unless they already tend to bark too much, in which case it’s useful for teaching “quiet!”

In fact I was working with one yesterday! (A poor little Golden Doodle who was annoying the neighbors…the owners had tried everything and were just about to strap on an electric shock collar!) Not cool!

Doggy Dan is the founder of The Online Dog Trainer, a successful online training program for dog owners. His goal is to continue to share his unique approach to dog training with like-minded people who wish to make a difference in the world of dogs. His training methods focus on creating and building the connection between dogs and dog owners, and are shared and used around the world.

Eventually, when real visitors come to your home, you can ask your dog to go to his spot as soon as they knock or ring the doorbell. After letting your guests in, ask them to sit down. Wait about one minute before releasing your dog from his spot to greet them. Put your dog on a leash if you think he might jump on your guests or behave aggressively. After a minute or two of allowing your dog to greet people, ask him to lie down at your feet and stay. Give him something to keep him busy, such as a rawhide or a puzzle toy stuffed with something really tasty, like low-fat cream cheese, spray cheese or low-fat peanut butter, frozen banana and cottage cheese, or canned dog food and kibble. After your dog finishes with the rawhide or the KONG, he’ll probably go to sleep. If you repeat the ritual above for a while, your dog should learn to settle down calmly when guests visit your home.

These collars stop dog barking by delivering a shot of citronella, a short noise, or a small shock near the dog’s face to detract it from making noise. The problem with this solution though is that it doesn’t give any positive reinforcement when the dog is behaving, nor does it address the underlying problem of the dog being bored and having pent-up energy.

Grumbles and growls can have several meanings. Some dogs grumble and growl in enjoyment at a butt-scratch or body massage. More often, a growl is an important warning – “I don’t like you (or whatever you’re doing); please stop!” (See “Understand Why Your Dog Growls,” October 2005.)

Separation Anxiety/Compulsive Barking: Separation anxiety and compulsive barking are both difficult to treat and should be handled with the help of a veterinary behaviorist or a certified applied animal behaviorist. Dogs with these problems often need drug therapy to help them cope while learning new, more acceptable behaviors.

Compulsive barkers bark just to hear the sound of their own voices. As with dogs suffering from separation anxiety, they will often make repetitive movements, such as running in circles or pacing along a fence.

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.

I should add here that many years ago (when I was pretty new to dog training) I used to think that barking could all be sorted out with the same approach. Now I’m a few years older and wiser (hee hee), and I can see the error of my ways.

Seek assistance from a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) if all else fails. A CPDT will know how to help your dog in the best way possible. Find a CPDT in your area by searching online, or ask your vet for a recommendation.[43]

If your dog has trouble getting the message, you can also put a Kong filled with peanut butter in the crate so they have something to do besides bark. After they are quietly licking out the peanut butter, you can then let them out and praise them.

Consider crate training. Crate training’s success varies considerably from one dog to another. Some dogs are frightened by having to be left in a crate, while others see the crate as their own safe space and an assurance that someone will be home at some point to open the crate.[42]

You might want to ask if anonymity is an option when you file the report. In some cases, this may not be an issue for you, especially if it’s plain-as-day that you’re the one pointing the finger thanks to previous attempts. However, if you have various upset neighbors, maintaining anonymity may be useful to prevent retaliation of any sort.

So you have a dog barking problem – What solutions are out there? Trying to stop your dog barking should start with finding out why it is barking in the first pace. This article looks at some motivations for dog barking, what works and what doesn’t!

Dogs kept outside commonly bark from boredom; this is especially true for energetic breeds like German Shepherds, terriers (including Pit Bulls), and guard dogs like Dobermans and Rottweilers. Suggest that the dog needs more exercise.[2]

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.

Sawchuk also recommends considering training your dog to go to a spot away from the door whenever the bell rings. This might be something you can do yourself, or you may have to hire a certified professional in your area to assist you.

Be consistent so you don’t confuse your dog. Everyone in your family must apply the training methods every time your dog barks inappropriately. You can’t let your dog get away with inappropriate barking some times and not others.