Author: Willie Crawford

Train with head halters. Tools such as Gentle Leader and Halti can work wonders. Pulling on the lead gently presses the pup’s mouth shut for the few seconds of pressure and signals her to be quiet—and you don’t have to say a word. The halters are available from pet products stores and veterinarians.

Then one day you decided not to get up and ignore the barking thinking this would nip the behavior in the bud. It did not work, your dog very likely barked even more than before. Why is this? It is because of the process of ”extinction burst”. Basically, your dog is thinking ”My owners this morning are not getting up as usual. I need to INCREASE, my barking in intensity and duration so they get up since just barking a little is not working”. She therefore barked more and perhaps you or somebody else in your family finally tired of hearing her, finally got up.

Your dog might be barking in greeting if he barks when he sees people or other dogs and his body is relaxed, he’s excited and his tail is wagging. Dogs who bark when greeting people or other animals might also whine.

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 how do you get a neighbor’s dog to cut the noise?

Doggy Dan is the founder of The Online Dog Trainer, a wildly 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.

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.

The bad news is that if you just can’t get your dog to shut up in the wee hours, you’re probably not the only person who has a problem with it. In a 2,000-person survey conducted on dog barking in New Zealand, 75 percent of the participants indicated that they would be bothered by a dog barking at night. Dog barking and howling ranked highest among all other forms of suburban noise pollution. A New York Times article on the same topic confirmed that a nonstop barking dog is one local disturbance that can pit neighbors against each other.

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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>>

While I wouldn’t reward a dog barking to boss you into getting their dinner, I would respond to an empty water bowl or a request to go to the bathroom. Part of being a good dog owner is learning to understand your dog’s barks, and to respond to genuine needs.

Keeping pet waste off the ground is an important responsibility held by all pet owners. If not addressed, the presence of unattended to waste can quickly become a major point of conflict amongst neighbors. In fact, it happens to be the single-most talked about problem in homeowner association and community manager board meetings across the READ MORE>>

My year and a half old lab barks only when she goes out in the yard. She will sit by the door to ask to go out and a few seconds later she is barking her head off. I then call her back inside so she doesn’t disturb the neighbors. I have trained her to respond to the come command and when she does I give her a little treat. I am worried that now she is barking so I will call her in and give her a treat. But that is the only way I know how to stop her from barking right now. What do you suggest I do instead of the come command with a treat?

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!”

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There’s a lot of talk these days about the fact that dogs are primarily body language communicators. It’s true, they are. But as anyone who’s spent time with them knows, dogs also have a pretty well-developed ability to express themselves vocally. Dogs bark. Some bark more, some bark less, and a few don’t bark at all, but most dogs bark at least some of the time.

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:

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]

First of all, let me talk about my childhood. Do not worry, I am not going off at a tangent here. Nor am I writing this while stretched out on a psychiatrist’s chair. When I was little – say 4 years old – happily playing with my Lego in the living room, if someone came knocking at the door I would not go and answer it. After all, I am only little. Plus, as a child growing up in the 70s in UK, we had Public Information films on TV that were (it seems) designed to scare the living Beejeezus out of us. I remember all too vividly one that advised people to put the metal chain on the door before opening it, in case there was an axe-wielding maniac on the other side (I kid you not – and why is it always an axe?)

A tired dog, is a quiet dog. Nearly every dog can do from a little extra exercise, both mentally and physically. A dog that has had a good workout will be less likely to react to barking triggers. Take the time to exercise your dog daily by going for a run or playing fetch. Mind-teaser games like “find the toy” or hide-and-seek will also tire your dog out.

Give your dog more exercise. Exercise and play time are the best remedies for compulsive and boredom barking. While walking your dog is, of course, an important part of getting her exercise (even if you have a fenced-in yard), it may not be enough. Try having your dog run back and forth between two people for 10 to 20 minutes, chase a ball or toy, or take your dog jogging with you before you leave for work.[60]

When your dog is barking, say “Quiet” in a calm, firm voice. Wait until he stops barking, even if it’s just to take a breath, then praise him and give him a treat. Just be careful to never reward him while he’s barking. Eventually he will figure out that if he stops barking at the word “quiet” he gets a treat (and make it a delicious treat, such as cheese or chicken, to make it worth more than the barking.)

Matthijs B.H. Schilder and Joanne A.M. van der Borg studied behavioral effects of electric shock collars and came to the conclusion that shocked dogs showed more stress-related behavior than the control dogs — dogs controlled via human discipline instead of no-bark collars — the shocked dogs connected their handlers with getting shocks, and may even connect orders given by their handlers with getting shocked. What does this mean? Schilder and Borg conclude that, while they have not proven that the long-term welfare of the shocked dogs is affected, it is clearly under serious threat.

Dogs that are not bored will rarely bark without a serious reason. The next time you see the dog barking in the living room and running around agitated, it may be because he is really bored. Take him out for a walk. Then, try to find more entertainment options for him for other days so that the situation does not repeat itself.

Some dog owners ‘debark’ their dogs but that is a very controversial method which does not address the underlying cause of the barking. It is a surgical procedure where the voice box is removed, leaving dogs with a raspy, instead of full, bark. There are complications and the operation can be life-threatening.

This is not a comprehensive list and you are likely to find various other products to help you stop your dog’s excessive barking. But, these are by far the most humane and also very popular among pet owners who have problems with barking dogs.

Dog poop eating is GROSS, but not necessarily detrimental to your dog’s health, and it can generally be stopped. Sometimes Coprophagia (when your dog eats his poop), can be an indication of more serious problems though, and you should have your pal checked out by a vet.

(Now if you are thinking “Well that won’t work with our little Rover, he NEVER gives up”, then there are a lot of other tips and tricks which will convince even the most stubborn barking dogs that it’s best to be quiet, which I’ve added at the end.)

Try a new tone. Tone collars emit a loud, short tone at the first “woof.” That’s often enough to make Fluffy stop and search for what caused the tone — it eliminates boredom and the barking, often within minutes. However, the collar must be adjusted properly or can “punish” the wrong dog if a canine friend is barking nearby.

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.

That constant barking that you hear might be due to boredom or simply the need to interact with people and other animals. A solution for that barking problem may be as simple as dropping the pet at a dog daycare centre. You can do this around 3 days per week.

I would NOT use one. We had a sport dog no bark collar and we recently found two large holes and missing hair on our dogs neck. She just had surgery and came out with five stitches and on a bunch of medications.

Provide door drills. Ringing the bell, knocking on the door, and arrivals or departures excite puppies or sometimes scare shy pups, so associate the location and sounds with good things for the puppy. Stage arrivals at the front door with an accomplice “visitor” loaded up with treats to toss the pup to help her stop seeing visitors as threats.

Don’t muzzle your dog to keep them quiet for long periods of time when they are alone. It can be dangerous to your pet. Your dog regulates his temperature through the mouth by panting and a muzzles prevents your dog from doing this, as well as drinking water and eating.

There are a few things you can do to get your dog to stop barking at inappropriate times. It’s important to note that these tips aren’t an overnight fix. Be patient and stick with it, though, and you will begin to notice a change in your pup’s behavior. 

Nancy lives in Portland Maine with her 3 kids, 2 dogs and a revolving door of foster dogs. She owns Gooddogz Training and believes in force free training and having fun with your dogs. Her Mom tells us “Dog” and “horse” were her first words.

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.

This is really simple and every single dog owner can teach the dog how to be quiet. If not, a trainer can easily come to your home and help you out with that. The great thing about it is that teaching the dog to be quiet actually reinforces the bond between the owner and the animal.

I think I’ll start using “thank you” with our German Shepherd, Thor. He is a big talker and like Ginger, he has different ‘words’ for different things. Whining for ‘I’m lonely’, a higher pitched bark for ‘pay attention to me/play with me’ and his Big Loud Alert/Protection bark.

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, ears and neighbors will appreciate the investment in training your dog to embrace their inner peace and quiet.

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?

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Visualize attention-seeking barking and frustration barking like a child having a tantrum; if you give in to the demands you’ll soon be a slave to them. Wait for a moment of quiet, or a calm sit, then give your dog attention or fetch his ball. If you’re consistent, your dog will soon realize that barking doesn’t work to get him what he wants and he’ll abandon the strategy.

The positive interrupt is a well-programmed, highly reinforced behavior that allows you to redirect your dog’s attention back to you when she’s doing something inappropriate like barking. Ideally, you want your dog’s response to the “Over here!” cue to be so automatic – classically conditioned – that he doesn’t stop to think whether what he’s doing is more rewarding or interesting than turning his attention toward you and running to you for a treat. He doesn’t think – he just does it, the way your foot automatically hits the brake of your car when you see taillights flash in front of you on the highway.

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.

Learning how to stop a dog from barking doesn’t have to be a strenuous process. Sure, it’s a challenge to stop dog barking, but most importantly, through all of these techniques, you have to remember that just as there are some great ways to treat dog barking, there are definite ways NOT to treat it. Because frustration and boredom are often at the heart of incessant barking, scolding your dog won’t do anything. Agitation won’t be fixed with more agitation, so try to speak to your dog in a soothing voice and don’t let your anger over the situation get the best of you.

You can work with a trainer to practice desensitization techniques with your dog. It will help your pet become accustomed to barking triggers and ultimately be a worthwhile instrument in your toolkit when learning how to get a dog to stop barking. Remember, training takes consistency and patience, but the long-term rewards are worth it.

NILF stands for nothing in life is free and should be a way of life for most dogs and definitely if you are having any issues with your dog. Basically the dog is on a work to earn program and has to do something to get stuff. You should be your dog’s benevolent leader. NILF will help you get there.

I have heard about these “no-bark” collars before, and as before, I am shocked and appalled by the very idea that anyone would choose to do this to their beloved animals.  If you are new to pet ownership and think this would be a good way to train your dog to not bark, do your research.  Read books and training manuals, and talk to kennel owners, Humane Society volunteers, and professional trainers, and find out what people who are heavily involved and invested in the welfare of dogs really think about the no-bark collars.  Because these collars are no good, and certainly anyone with any sense of how to treat a dog would ever seriously consider using one of these devices.

Our dog recently started using an LED collar and we both love it. I am currently training for a marathon and running at night by myself isn’t fun or the smartest thing to do. Having my little one with me makes me feel better and the light up collar helps a lot. I did a lot of research, but wasn’t too happy with the prices. I ended up finding a great deal on the Eternity LED Glow website. $15.00 only! Great quality at a fantastic price! Perfect for keeping my little one safe on our walks/runs. They’re so affordable I might end up getting all seven.

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]

With all of these different forms of barking there are a variety of approaches we can take to ensure the barking is for the right reason and we can prevent dog barking when the reason is no longer there. Much of this will come from the confidence the owner shows to his dog in being able to handle different situations. To gain this confidence the owner has to get to know his dog and the situations that create the barking. With this understanding, an owner can demonstrate calm, confident leadership and take control in the right way. The dog responds because he can trust the leader has taken charge. From the very beginning of our dog/owner partnership, we should be building a foundation that allows such trust and confidence. Remember that dog barking is one way the dog communicates to us, so we do not wish to prevent dog barking but we do wish to control barking as required. Learning to read your dog’s signals and means of communicating is incredibly important to your overall relationship.

Dogs make wonderful companions and ideal pets, but sometimes even a good dog can become an incessant barker. There are numerous reasons why dogs bark, and that problematic behaviour is both annoying and, in many places, illegal. The first step to quieting your dog’s barking is to find out why he/she is making so much noise. Once you’ve determined why he/she’s barking, you’ll know what actions to take to get him/her to stop. Learning how to silence your barking dog can help ensure a quiet community and keep you out of trouble with the law.

While you cannot stop a healthy dog from normal shedding, you can reduce the amount of hair in your home by brushing your dog regularly. Your veterinarian or groomer should be able to recommend a specific type of brush or comb that will work best for your dog’s hair type.

A dog that is tired is actually a dog that is really happy. This is something that many dog owners do not understand. We need to know that dogs are active. They simply want to do something. Above we said that dogs that are bored will start barking. You can take care of that by giving the dog many activities that he can do. Since he does not stay and always does something, he will be happy. Eventually he will get tired and the tired dog will always be really quiet.

It is not difficult to build an area for the dog. All that is needed is a way to separate that area from other areas of the home or the backyard. You can use wood, furniture and special items that are found in pet stores. When the dog has his own play area, he can have his time and consume the energy that makes him want to keep barking.

Block what bothers her. If your dog has barking problems whenever she sees or hears something outside, a simple solution might be to block her access to seeing or hearing that trigger. If she stands at the window and barks, try putting up curtains or blinds so she can’t see passing people or animals. If the sounds she hears outside tend to set her off, try leaving a radio on during the day to distract her and muffle the sounds outside your home.[73]

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!

Play: If you’ve ever gotten your dog involved in an intense play session, you’ve probably heard them bark at you. Like kids yelling on a playground, dogs bark to communicate their willingness and excitement to play.

PerfectFit harnesses have tiny sizes (for tiny dogs, ferrets, etc.), so if Victoria’s don’t yet come in the size you need, you could have a look on dog-games.co.uk (they also have a list of stockist worldwide on the site should you wish to have one fit in person).

First, get your dog excited by ringing the doorbell, knocking on a wall or whatever you know will start him barking. Say your command word, such as ‘speak’ and pair it with a treat. When your dog is consistently barking when you say ‘speak’, you can then say ‘quiet’ and give a treat. Your dog will have to stop barking to get the treat.

I have a beautiful border collie that we found at work wandering around half starved at 4 months old. I fell in love with Maggie Mae right away and while at 1st she showed signs of possible abuse such as cowering she soon adapted and joined our beagle and chihuahua-pug mix she has a couple quirks. Whenever my husband’s cell phone rings or even vibrates she makes a mad dash for the back dog door and runs around the pool before coming back in. Only his phone and regard less of the ringer. I have even changed mine to the same as his with No result. She does the same thing when he sneezes and only him. We laugh about it now but it is a little bewildering!

It is difficult to learn how to get a dog to stop barking is he has separation anxiety or barks compulsively. The help of a veterinary behaviorist should be considered. Likewise, medication may be needed to treat these issues.

Alternatively, you can teach your dog to “speak; once he’s doing that reliably, signal him to stop barking with a different command, such as “quiet”, while holding your finger to your lips (dogs often pick up body signals faster than voice commands.) Practice these commands when he’s calm, and in time he should learn to stop barking at your command, even when he wants to bark at something.

Try to look at things from the dog’s perspective when the dog is outside. See if there is anything outside in particular he is barking at, such as rabbits, squirrel, another dog, something else you think the dog might be barking at. Then think about whether there is a way to reduce this trigger.

Before you can stop a dog from barking, it’s helpful to understand why he’s doing it. Dogs bark for all sorts of reasons, but it’s all a method of communication, says certified canine trainer and behaviorist Susie Aga, owner of Atlanta Dog Trainer.

I am working on the follow up article to this one and apologize for not having it last week…I was really sick! You need to introduce all the things that flip your dog out at very low stimulation levels with very high levels of reinforcement. My Collie has issues with things on wheels to, and to be honest, while we have overcome the vacuum cleaner, bikes, and skateboards, the lawn mover is so evil, i gave up and just keep him in the house. Genetics are strong with some dogs! Basically your goal is t the give the dog a different job. Look at you, down, anything other than go forward and back at it. I hope you find some tips in this week’s article.-Nancy

Once your dog barks, get their attention on you. Once they stop barking to look at you, say your command. It can be “Quiet,” “Enough” or “No Bark.” The phrase doesn’t really matter as long as you are using it consistently.

If your dog has trouble getting the message, 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.

Barking in the morning for the purpose of waking up the owners and eliciting them to start their day early is a form of nuisance barking. What increases this form of barking is obviously the act of getting up and attending to the dog by giving it food or attention. To better understand though why a dog continues to bark in the morning despite not getting up and attending to the dog, it helps to understand all the mechanisms that come into play when a behavior is about to extinguish.

Unlike the separation anxiety panic attack, this is simply an “I WANT IT!” style temper tantrum similar to demand barking, but with more emotion, and directed at the thing he wants, such as a cat strolling by, rather than at you.

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.

Try to keep meeting and greeting under control. When you or a family member comes home, ignore your dog for the first couple minutes. When people come to the door, teach your dog to sit and wait until the person comes to him; this will bring control and anticipation to the greeting rather than barking.

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.

Kennel Barking: Some dogs only bark when they are confined in a kennel or back room. Most of the time, this type of barking is attention-seeking or frustrated barking. Your dog often wants you to let them out, and will continue to bark until you walk over and open the door.

Continue the training. Don’t stop at discontinuing barking for attention. Continue your training to eventually cover all aspects of request/attention-seeking barking. Eventually, your dog will learn to wait patiently whether she wants to play, eat, or receive pets.[15]

There are a number of products on the market that promise to stop barking quickly. Collars that go on your dog can deliver audible or ultrasonic corrections to your dog, but they aren’t effective on all dogs. Citronella-spraying collars often work, but some dogs learn they can run them out of spray and then bark at will.

Block the dog’s view. If the dog barks every time it sees movement, blocking its view of your movements might help. Increase the height of your fence or close off areas where the dog sees movement. If the dog is being set off by your cats or other pets moving in the yard at night, this might be enough to quieten the dog.

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]

I recently adopted a 5 year old beagle. Sometimes she pulls, but other times she just stops and refuses to move. This dog never plays. ignores the ball, tug rope and toys I have purchased for her. I use the chest harness for her but sometimes she tries to get out of it by backing up. She has succeeded a couple of time. I have tried all the options mentioned in the blog. Some days I can get her to walk nicely but other days she is very obstinate.

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.

Copyright notice: You are not authorized to copy in any way any of my articles or pictures. A great deal of my articles are copied and the ones picked up by my plagiarism tool are promptly reported to DMCA. All Rights Reserved.

A young, energetic dog craves lots of exercise and attention from you. Thirty minutes to an hour of vigorous exercise in the morning will go a long way toward helping your dog settle down. For the first few weeks, you may need to have someone come over at lunch to exercise him again.

Work on pre-departure anxiety by exposing your dog to your various departure cues, like putting on a coat or picking up/jingling your keys. Try engaging in these behaviors at various times throughout the day without actually leaving the house.[28]

past bad words, and let her know you’d like to help with her dog’s barking, if you can. Even short of doing actual behavior modification, offers to let her dog play with yours (if they’re compatible) or taking her dog for walks (if you can safely manage the dog) may enrich the dog’s environment and provide enough exercise to reduce or eliminate the barking.

I mentioned the importance of your relationship and confidence not only in your own ability to handle situations but also your dog’s confidence in you. This comes through dog exercise, dog training, spending time together, setting limits and boundaries and showing appreciation for behaviors that are pleasing. Controlled walks, games such as retrieving, and learning to be patient by simply sitting or laying down by your side or relaxing in his crate will create a companion that sees no need to bark without a good reason. In this way you build a foundation of trust and confidence that lets your dog know when he can and should bark and also when he can be quiet.

Matthijs B.H. Schilder and Joanne A.M. van der Borg studied behavioral effects of electric shock collars and came to the conclusion that shocked dogs showed more stress-related behavior than the control dogs — dogs controlled via human discipline instead of no-bark collars — the shocked dogs connected their handlers with getting shocks, and may even connect orders given by their handlers with getting shocked. What does this mean? Schilder and Borg conclude that, while they have not proven that the long-term welfare of the shocked dogs is affected, it is clearly under serious threat.

When your dog starts barking, ask him to do something that’s incompatible with barking. Teaching your dog to react to barking stimuli with something that inhibits him from barking, such as lying down in his bed.

Depending on the breed and its personal character, some dogs are just like super heroes like mine when it comes to barking. First if something like barking competition competition ever exist. His barks are so piercing and High-pitched. Shock dog bark collar get him to behave right. We now recommends it strongly on our dog training website. Training them may take time, collars get them instant training. If it is a very aggressive dog, then he gets the correction most times and get along as time goes on. It all depends on the owner. Would you like to get complaints and issues because of your lovely dog?

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.

What do you do when your pit mix has learned tricks and many other good things, but barks so loud and for so long at people it is beyond ridiculous. I think your advice is great; for some dogs. Others, like ours, are not playful barking. He is intimidating people although I don’t think he would ever bite. His bark is so loud in the house it startles us all the time I am worried he will cause a heart attack in my dad.

I have a cocker spaniel rescue dog which I have had now for over a year – he is red colour and is now 18 months old. Hunter has had issues since we got him in that he growls if you go near his toys, food etc he is clearly resource guarding. However during the time we have had him his behaviour has worsened. He now chasing lorries, vans and buses, he growls for no reason whilst in the home, he has snapped, growled and ‘gone for’ all of us, never actually bitten but I suppose the threat is there.

There are a number of products on the market that promise to stop barking quickly. Collars that go on your dog can deliver audible or ultrasonic corrections to your dog, but they aren’t effective on all dogs. Citronella-spraying collars often work, but some dogs learn they can run them out of spray and then bark at will.

If your dog barks inappropriately, it is important to start by setting yourself a realistic goal. Planning for your dog to stop barking is not realistic – barking is a natural dog behaviour and dogs will bark – more or less, and largely depending on the breed – whether we want it or not. You can reduce the amount of barking, but stopping it will never be possible.

Oh my dog can walk fine on a leash, when HE wants to. When we first leave the house I have to literally drag him for half of the time for the first 20 minutes. After that, he’s great. Loves it. If he doesn’t feel like walking, he will not. If I try to wait him out and see if he’ll walk eventually, he’ll just stand there…forever I think. lol

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.

See what works best for your dog and go from there! Use the same techniques below, but once you get your dog’s attention, move them into a room where they are more protected from the cause of the barking. It might also help your nervous dog to soothingly talk and pet him until he calms down.

Research your town or city’s anti-barking laws. Look online at your town or city’s codes, by-laws or dog legislation. There may be a code against unruly pets or incessant barking at night; many places have legislation or regulations in place that deal specifically with dogs and/or noise. There might also be a code covering ignoring requests from neighbors.

You want some control over your dog’s voice, but don’t lose sight of the value of his vocal communications; he may be trying to tell you something important. If you ignore him you might find your horses on the highway, the house burned to the ground, or Timmy in the well.

My dog Ralph is my best friend, my favorite companion, and one of the barkiest dogs I’ve ever met. I love her, but I’ll be honest, her barking drives me bananas! Thankfully, I’ve learned a few ways to control it. If you have a dog who barks excessively, you’ll want to read this. Try these four strategies to help stop dog barking—with more details below:

Patrick has been a long-time dog adopter and currently lives with his two dogs – Tarzan and Loki – in Brooklyn, NY. He is a certified dog trainer, writer on all things dogs, animal shelter volunteer, freelancer researcher of animal sciences and aspiring author.

Barking is completely normal dog behavior and stopping nuisance barking will not mean your dog won’t bark at all. They will still let you know if there is an intruder, the aim is just to get the barking to a more manageable level.

Depending on the breed and its personal character, some dogs are just like super heroes like mine when it comes to barking. First if something like barking competition competition ever exist. His barks are so piercing and High-pitched. Shock dog bark collar get him to behave right. We now recommends it strongly on our dog training website. Training them may take time, collars get them instant training. If it is a very aggressive dog, then he gets the correction most times and get along as time goes on. It all depends on the owner. Would you like to get complaints and issues because of your lovely dog?

When your dog masters going to his spot, start asking him to sit or down when he gets there. As soon as your dog’s rear end hits the floor on the spot, say “Yes!” and reward him with a tasty treat. Then say “Okay,” and allow him to move off the spot. Repeat these steps at least 10 times per training session.

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:

I have a Sibercaan (Native American Indian Dog/Canaan Dog hybrid), and only stubborn persistence works. If I stop, he’ll lean into the harness continually and won’t back off. One time I tried to out wait him, but after 45 minutes I had to literally lift him off his front feet to turn him around. He has snapped a chest lead, supposed ‘large breed’ leashes, so I made a harness by serging 2″ five ton rigging strap and a leash made of 7200lb test mooring line, with a harness handle. Basically I just lift him like luggage and redirect him before I put him back down. Although he’s disappointed, it doesn’t hurt him because of the wide straps, and letting a dog strain at a standstill is terrible for their hips and paws. Manual lift and redirect is safer and faster. Granted, this is only as effective as your ability to lift the dog. He’s 110 pounds currently with 20 or so more to go, so for most people he would easily pull one off their feet in a linear tug of war. When I say lift,I’m just taking the weight off his front paws, so when he pushes with his hind paws,he just stands up, and it’s actually pretty easy to redirect him this way. I’ve had success with my neighbor’s mastiff at 178 pounds with this method, and it works with my sister’s behemoth Newfoundland retriever at 190 pounds. The biggest thing is to be patient, his breed is renowned as sled pullers, so the stop and wait thing is more like a challenge to him. If you teach them that no matter how strong they are you can still direct them in a calm manner, they generally become cooperative. Hopefully this will help some other large breed owners.

We have had a behaviourist out to 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.

Hunter has been to training classes when we first got him and was great however became food possessive with the treats and therefore aggressive towards other dogs. We felt this made him and his behaviour worse so after the course completed we never signed up for the second course.

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.

Anti-bark collars are punishment devices that shock, make an ultrasonic noise, or spray citronella when a dog barks. They are not good first choices for solving barking problems, especially when the barking is based on fear, anxiety or compulsion. Before using an anti-bark collar, you should consult with a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, a Veterinary Behaviorist, or a Certified Professional Dog Trainer. These should only be considered when all other methods have failed.

Before you call the trainer though, based on the situation you are in, there are some pretty simple things that you can try. The fact that the dog barks too loud or too often may be a sign that he wants you to understand something. It is really important that you do all that you can to identify the cause.

While some of them might actually work in the immediate-term (by stopping the dog from barking while the device is being used) sadly they do little to address the motivation behind the barking, and so only act to suppress the behaviour without actually solving the real issue. 

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.

We don’t necessarily want to stop dog barking though, especially when the barking is an alarm alerting us to danger, or perhaps warding off an intruder. But we do want to stop dog barking when we ask them to, and we don’t want them to bark if there is no reason. Some dogs will bark at the slightest noise, disturbance or movement. Often, although barking could be in the breed’s instinct, the owner has unknowingly reinforced the behavior. If we shout at the dog that is barking he may think we are joining in. If we tell him gently to be quiet or give him affection, he may mistakenly think we like it and sees this calm voice as praise for barking.

Teach your dog that when someone comes to the door or passes by your property, he’s permitted to bark until you say “Quiet.” Allow your dog to bark three to four times. Then say “Quiet.” Avoid shouting. Just say the command clearly and calmly. Then go to your dog, gently hold his muzzle closed with your hand and repeat “Quiet.” Release your dog’s muzzle, step away, and call him away from the door or window. Then ask your dog 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 your dog resumes barking right away, repeat the sequence above. Do the same outside if he barks at passersby when he’s in the yard.

Maybe your dog barks at the mailman every single day and then the mailman leaves. There is a name for this and it is called Mailman Syndrome. Your dog is being rewarded for doing a job. What do you think you can do to redirect this daily occurrence?

Research your town or city’s anti-barking laws. Look online at your town or city’s codes, by-laws or dog legislation. There may be a code against unruly pets or incessant barking at night; many places have legislation or regulations in place that deal specifically with dogs and/or noise. There might also be a code covering ignoring requests from neighbors.

Be very stern with your dog and jerk it away. Keep doors or curtains closed around the time the enemy dog walks by. Consider talking to the enemy dog’s owner to see if they can change their walking route.

Let’s take a look at what happens in the dog’s mind during an ”extinction burst”. The behavior of barking in the morning had to start somewhere. Very likely, upon barking in the morning you or somebody in your family got up and fed the dog. Since the barking worked in getting what she wanted, very likely she continued to do so, and very likely you continued getting up and feeding.

Dogs also bark when they’re either too cold or too hot. Many people have the misconception that dogs’ fur keeps them warm in subzero weather; it’s not the case, unless the dog is a husky. If you’ve seen the dog shivering or looking miserable in the heat of the day, tell your neighbor the dog could be barking because its uncomfortable.

Your dog will bark when he wants something, be it food, water, or your attention. When learning how to get a dog to stop barking, it’s important to ensure that you’ve met all of his needs before moving forward with treatment.

While all of these causes can trigger dog barking at night, for Joel Silverman, professional dog trainer seen on Good Dog U on Animal Planet, the solution is simple. When asked about the main culprit behind nighttime barking, Silverman says, “Just stand up and take a look in the mirror.”

Most the dog bark collars are climate resistant such that it is going to still work even when your dog is out within the rain. To make sure that a pet owner can operate the collar properly, instructional DVDs are often included in the package.The ideal part in using a collar to train a barking dog would be the affordability.

Dogs bark because it works, whether to scare off a perceived intruder, self-soothe, get attention or release frustration. Tackling your dog’s barking first requires that you identify the drive behind your dog’s vocalization. These are the most typical types of canine communication:

***** If your dog is barking to show fear of people or other dogs, by all means listen to them. Do not a extinguish a dog’s warning bark away or you may be left with a dog who bites and fights  seemingly without warning. ******

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. 

Remember, to a dog barking is often an escalation of other forms of communication. Therefore, just like you 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.

Each type of barking serves a distinct function for a dog, and if he’s repeatedly rewarded for his barking—in other words, if it gets him what he wants—he can learn to use barking to his benefit. For example, dogs who successfully bark for attention often go on to bark for other things, like food, play and walks. For this reason, it’s important to train your dog to be quiet on cue so that you can stop his attention-related barking and teach him to do another behavior instead—like sit or down—to get what he wants.

Responding to Other Dogs: This is probably a familiar scenario. One dog down the street starts barking, and one by one the rest of your block joins in. It’s like a cacophonous rendition of Row Your Boat.

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:

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.

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.

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)!

Because every pup is different, not all the techniques listed above work for every pup — most require an investment of time. If you haven’t seen improvement in three to five days using one of the anti-bark techniques, try a different approach.

Why do dogs bark? Unfortunately, there is no single reason that dogs vocalize, which means that there’s no across-the-board quick fix to stop your dog from barking. It can be frustrating to live in a home with (or next door to!) a dog that barks because it’s tough to prevent barking, and even tougher to stop it once the barking is underway. The first step to curbing a dedicated barker is discovering the motivation behind the behavior then addressing the problem with a customized training solution.

Hate to burst your bubble but you cannot determine why a dog barks as they are NOT human and cannot tell you why or more importantly, how I can help him stop. All of my dogs (labs) were trained and raised by me. Now that I decided to take on a Rescue Lab, I am taking on someone else’s horrendous lack of training and a major problem they caused. He barks at everything and goes from 0 to 1,000 and scares the living heck out of everyone. From someone just walking outside to any vehicle he can here drive by. Any type of delivery truck including the mail man he turns into Cujo. He’s 3, was locked in a crate in an unfinished basement for the first 3 years of his life. NO Social skills and is very skittish. I know he’s barking because someone screwed him up from every angle, but one thing is for sure, I can’t ask him why he’s barking and how I can help him stop. I need to continue working on him and a bark collar will be my last resort.

Fortunately, all hope isn’t lost if your dog’s barking has been going on for longer than it should. Silverman advises interrupting nighttime barking in a way that does not scare, startle or hurt your dog, while still getting the message across. He explains how to turn a nighttime distraction into a training tool. “You want to make sure that you start off with your dog in a place where he starts to notice, or is aware of a distraction, but is not going crazy. You want to find a way to correct the dog just as he barks. Once your dog responds to the correction, you can move a few feet closer the next training session. Over the course of time, you can see that as he understands to not bark and play out that action, you will eventually be next to the distraction that is making him bark.”