Many people face the problem of excessive and annoying barking from their canine companions. The frustration is understandable but barking is a way for dogs to communicate and a very natural thing to do. How ever when it comes time to stop your dog should be obedient and do just that. First thing to do is find out why your dog is barking. There are countless reasons for dogs to bark. It could be boredom, wanting attention, fear, loneliness, sensing danger, excitement, what is it for your dog? It's important to find out why because it will change how to train your dog IE. does your dog bark when you get home or bark at strangers?

Fish gotta swim, Dog's gotta bark.

Allot of dogs bark out of boredom, whether your home or not you should always take care of the basics. Make sure your dog has a safe environment, food, water and plenty to do. Having some basic obedience training established will also aid greatly as well as making sure your dog is properly socialized.  I think it is highly unrealistic to expect your dog to NEVER bark, what you want to do is control their barking and keep it in an appropriate range and have them obey when it's time to stop. Many people see an alerting bark as a good thing but again you always want to have control of your dog.

Ignore The Barking

If your dog is getting very excited and barking when you come home or when you leave then the best thing to do is NOT give place to the behavior.  Dogs can continue to bark thinking we approve because of how we react. When we make a big deal out of leaving or when we come home we are enforcing the behavior and they will continue thinking that it IS a big deal. The best thing to do is ignore them when you get home, it may seem mean but really it will be better for everybody. Once they realize that your not getting all excited, or reacting to their barking they will follow suite. Go through something similar when you leave, don't make it a big deal. Make sure they have something to occupy their time like a safe chew toy and simply go.  The experience turns more positive when you leaving means they get to have fun with a kong. As always it is going to take some patience and consistence on you & your households part.



Barking to get inside, to get a treat or just your attention is also often rewarded by what they want. So you will have to learn to ignore the yapping for a while and not give in to their loud demands. Once they realize barking at the door doesn't make it open they are not going to do it anymore. How ever this will not necessarily happen overnight, it may take them a long time to figure out barking no longer works. You should reward them when they don't bark & when they quit on command. You can also put in some negative consequences for not obeying your 'Stop, Quiet, Quit (whatever you choose) command. These do NOT have to conflict with training based on positive reinforcement. I certainly do not recommend striking or abusing your dog. How ever there is nothing wrong with using some negative consequences such as the following scenario.

You and your family are having a nice evening and maybe sharing some snacks. Now everyone's enjoying their time but Fido smells the food and he wants you to share. Your not focused on him so he barks. You tell him 'Quiet' but he continues. A humane negative consequence could be having to go to another room or outside till Fido is quiet. Then when they are no longer barking reward their quiet by praise, treat, letting them rejoin the room to try again etc. If Fido became quiet after being given the command, give him praise! It's your job to let him know what behavior is acceptable and what isn't.

Always Reward Good Behavior

When ever your dog is obeying your commands, reward the good behavior. Of course your dog should eventually obey will no reward but when your training it really makes a difference and can not be stressed enough. If you just scream at your dog every time he barks he is not going to be able to understand the message you are trying to send. He may even think you are joining him!

Distract Them

Another great tool to combat excessive barking is distraction. One way is to make a strange sound that is short and sharp. The trick is you don't want them to connect the sound with you but rather connect it with their barking. Another form of distraction is giving your dog other things to do. This not only means chew toys, interactive toys, etc. but exercise! A tired dog is much less likely to spend their time doing something even more exhausting like barking when they have already had plenty of activity through out the day.

You can have a designated 'spot' for your dog to go to on command (could be a bed etc.). When your dog is barking send them to their spot.

Many people recommend spraying your dog with a water bottle as a form of 'punishment' or deterrent.  I would say a spray water bottle isn't cruel like striking your dog and could be used in a way that is effective. It's really up to individual dog owners to choose what's best for their canine, some may consider it a little mean but a little squirt of water might be the perfect distraction for others. I don't use a spray bottle but Iv seen good results. I would suggest using it like the strange sound method above. For example if your dog was barking at the fence you could spray a squirt of water. I wouldn't want them connecting you with the water though, especially if it's something they don't like so try to stay out of sight. The best scenario is your dog putting together his barking with a unpleasant little squirt of water. Suddenly barking at things on the other side of the fence isn't so entertaining.

Desensitize

If you have a dog who barks at something like ringing telephones or alarms. The you can work on desensitizing them to it. Letting them know it is a normal sound, not a big deal. To do this you will want to always reward good behavior and proper response to Quiet command. Don't yell because it won't help.



Be Patient. Be Consistent

Yes, excessive barking can be extremely frustrating but it is not impossible to deal with.  Allot of it just has to do with getting a good training plan an sticking with it.  Stay positive!

Debarking surgery, Shock Collars, and more

If you are having a hard problem with a dog's barking you may have heard of debarking surgery. It is considered incredibly cruel by many but there are those who think it may just be the perfect, easy, short cut solution. If you are considering debarking surgery I would definitely not recommend it. Not only is it questionable on a humane level but the results (which is usually a quieter, more raspy bark) normally don't last more than a few months. So it is not really a long term solution.

Another solution people turn to when they are getting to the end of their ropes is the Shock Collar. I think the shock collar is not only cruel but not very ineffective in training your dog well. If your considering a shock collar Id much rather you consider the spray or citronella no bark collar (Feat. Right or in our store) It's not only a more humane alternative but has been proven more effective in studies.

Of course the very best would be for your to build a good relationship with your dog and be able to train them to be obedient without having to use a spray or citronella no bark collar but many have found it a useful tool when they are out of options.