Why Dogs Bark and How To Stop Them
Some dogs bark a lot and some dogs do not bark at all. Depending on your breed, you will need a little or plenty of training to stop the barking.
Barking is a behavior that can get problematic especially when you live in an apartment, have a small child that needs its naps, or live close to sensitive neighbors. This post will give you the reasons why your dog might be barking and show you 3 training steps on how to stop your dog from barking.
Why Do Dogs Bark?
Sometimes it seems that there is no reason why your dog is triggered to bark. There are many reasons why your dog might bark and sometimes the reasons are not as obvious as a squirrel jumping around in your backyard.
A. Barking due to Boredom
Your dog is bored and is trying to get your attention. Take your dog on a long walk or go play for a while to stimulate his mind and body.
B. Excitement
Did you ever come home and your dog just goes crazy seeing you? Yes, that’s excitement. Your dog might get triggered to bark when seeing you, the neighbor dog, the mail man or simply anybody. Typically you should be able to read your dog’s body language to determine if he/she is excited or shows signs of aggression.
C. Territorial barking
Every dog marks their territory. There are different ways for a dog to mark his/her territory. Some dogs might excessively pee around your neighborhood to signal to other dogs that this is his/her territory. Other dogs might growl at dogs or humans when they come closer. And maybe your dog just starts excessive barking the moment he feels threatened in his territory.
D. Reaching out to their peers
Have you ever heard about wolves howling to communicate with their pack? Yep that is still a thing among dogs. Your dog might be barking trying to communicate with his friends.
How to Stop your Dog from Barking At Home?
Some breeds bark more than other and it is up to you to teach your dog to stop. Below find 3 steps to train your dog to stop barking.
Step 1.
This step needs to be repeated over and over for the next couple of days or weeks: Whenever you dog is barking, ignore that behavior. Once your dog stops barking, even if it's just for a few seconds, you say “good boy/girl” and/or give him or her a treat. Timing is everything in this case. You want to capture the moment your dog stops barking, in order to reward him for being quiet.
Step 2
The next step is to teach your dog a command that will signal him/her to stop barking on your request. You can use “hush” or “quiet”. Again, timing is everything. When your dog starts barking, you immediately say your command word. The moment your dog stops barking you reward him/her, even if you dog takes 15 seconds to stop barking.
Step 3
In the last step, you want to decrease the time your dog reacts to your command word. Only reward your dog when he/she stops after 6 seconds (instead of 10) after giving your command. Continue to reduce the time between you giving the command and your dog obeying.
These step seem easier than they sound. It will take days, sometimes weeks for your dog to learn them. Remember, consistency is key - the more often you teach your dog the command, the faster he/she will get it. And what is better than having a well trained dog who listens to you?
Remember to always have fun when training your dog and do not get frustrated. Good things take time.
Happy training!
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