How to Train a Dog to Stop Barking

Barking is natural and is a dog’s way to communicate with us or other animals. But excessive barking is a nuisance to people. Find out the underlying causes before you train your dog to stop barking. Excessive barking is a symptom and you cannot cure the symptom unless you fix the problem.

What are the causes of excessive barking?

When a dog is hot, cold, hungry or thirsty, barking is its way of telling the owner to attend to it. Likewise it barks when it is sick, injured or aging. Other causes are loneliness, boredom, anxiety fear or frustration. Dogs also bark to alert you when someone is at the door or when they sense danger. The dog is an attention-seeker and it becomes jealous when you ignore it and talk to someone. The barking could be territorial as a dog barks when it sees an intruder. Some dog breeds are more prone to barking. Breeds that have historically been used as working or hunting animals, get bored when they have nothing to do. Get advice on choosing a breed that suits your lifestyle. Guard dogs and hounds are trained to bark. Some dogs bark excessively for the fun of it. A dog sometimes asserts its dominance by barking. When it sees or hears someone or something which it finds unusual it barks. For some dogs barking is a form of greeting its master or another dog.

How do you stop a dog from barking excessively?

Patience, perseverance and consistency are required for training a dog. One way to stop a dog from barking is, paradoxically, to teach the dog to bark! You can train your dog to bark on cue and stop barking on cue. Reward him when he stops barking. Dog trainers advise both positive reinforcement and negative punishment like withholding a treat until it is quiet. Avoid any cruel punishment.

Manage the environment. What’s making your dog bark excessively? Is someone taunting him through the window or is he barking at anything he sees? Dogs that bark in the yard or at passers-by should be left inside the house or in a place where they cannot see people. Make sure the dog is comfortable in his crate or kernel. Provide him with enough food and water and do not leave him alone for long periods. Remember a dog is a social animal and requires companionship. Expose him to sights, sounds and odours so that he will get used to them and stop barking excessively. Take your dog for regular walks and play games that will stimulate him mentally and physically. Make it a point to take your dog to the vet for check-ups. Train the dog to be alone. Just ignore him after you return and see the dog later. A dog left alone is anxious or frightened and you could turn on the radio and play soothing music. To relieve boredom, provide the dog with some bones and chew toys. Dogs that bark incessantly to get attention should receive none until they are quiet or calm . The owner could use commands like ’sit down’ or ‘be quiet’. If the barking stops the dog should be rewarded by a pat or a treat and he will get the impression that a positive response can be expected for good behaviour. Never yell at the dog as this would only make him more anxious. When your dog runs to the door and starts to bark loudly, approach him, grab his collar and give him the command “quiet”. If he stops barking, praise and reward him. If he continues barking, gently close his mouth with your hand, wrap your fingers around his muzzle - use both hands if necessary, and give the command ‘quiet’. Again praise him if he stops. You can certainly train your dog using a leash, and some trainers recommend it.

Other devices that may help stop excessive barking include the ones that are activated by owners (shake can, ultrasonic trainer, noise devices) and those activated by the barking itself (e. g. bark activated spray collars). These are most successful if the owner is present to train and reinforce the dog each time it is quiet.

‘Debarking’ is a controversial veterinary procedure for modifying the voice box so that a barking dog will make a significantly reduced noise. It is considered a last resort by some owners and is not recommended.

Remember that training a dog to stop barking excessively requires patience, understanding and consistency.