Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Prevent the dog from developing the habit
• Method 2 of 4: Find the cause
• Method 3 of 4: Reduce the barking
• Method 4 of 4: Keep your dog well adjusted
• Tips
• Warnings

Barking is a natural sound for dogs. However, it can also become problematic behavior if it is chronic or uncontrolled. If your dog develops a bad barking habit, using the right techniques and addressing the underlying cause can help your dog learn better behavior.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Prevent the dog from developing the habit

1. Don't reward barking by yelling. Training a dog not to bark early is much easier than breaking the habit once your dog develops it. One of the keys to this is to begin to always avoid confirming or rewarding the barking. If your dog is barking, and you yell for it to be quiet, in the mind of the dog, reward the barking with attention. Your dog may even see the yelling as your version of barking in response. Mistaking this for approval will likely cause your dog to repeat the behavior.
2. Ignore the barking. Instead of yelling at your new dog to be quiet, try to ignore the barking first. If the dog is never allowed to associate barking with attention and responses from you, the dog is less likely to repeat the behavior.
3. Distract your dog. If the behavior doesn't stop after a few minutes by ignoring the barking, try to distract your dog from the behavior. Continue to ignore the barking, but then drop something on the floor, open the kitchen door, or do anything else that usually gets your dog's attention and leads him to investigate.
4. Focus his attention on something you can positively reinforce. Once you have distracted your dog from the barking and the dog has come to you to investigate, use a familiar command to the dog, such as “sit”. Immediately reward the positive behavior, confirming the requested behavior, instead of barking.
   • This also highlights the need for basic training with your dog. Distracting your dog with other basic commands that the dog understands is a great way to make sure you don't accidentally confirm barking. To learn more about teaching your dog commands, check out Teach Your Dog Basic Commands.
   • Clicker training with your dog is also a great way to positively reinforce desired behaviors.
5. If the barking happens outside, put the dog inside. If your new dog is barking outside at passers-by, bring the dog inside in a way that ignores the barking. Wait for the dog to stop barking at a passerby and put him or her on a leash. The next time the dog starts barking at a passerby, immediately lead the dog inside on a leash. Doing this while barking teaches the dog that barking is the end of the fun in the yard.
6. Get plenty of exercise. Barking is a way of expression for your dog, and the dog may bark in response to an emotional state, especially boredom. By giving your dog plenty of exercise and attention, you can keep the dog from making a habit of barking in response to boredom. Spend at least two 15-minute training sessions with your dog each day, and take your dog outside twice a day to retrieve and run - up to an hour a day for large, energetic breeds.
   • If your dog still seems to be barking out of boredom despite getting out twice a day to get rid of some energy, try to increase the amount of time you spend outside per training session.

Method 2 of 4: Find the cause

1. Examine your dog's barking. The first step in stopping your dog from barking is to find out what is causing the barking. You may need to deduce, especially if your dog barks a lot when you are not around.
   • Talk to your neighbors to help you monitor barking behavior. Ask when they notice your dog barking and if there is a pattern in the behavior. Showing your neighbors that you are aware of your dog's barking and working to address it will also make them see you as an ally rather than part of the problem.
   • Let recording equipment run while you are away. Video recording may be preferable to audio only as it allows you to investigate both visible and audible triggers of your dog's barking. Record your dog at home for a number of days and watch the recordings to get a better picture of your dog's behavior.
2. Determine the cause of the barking. Once you've gathered evidence, you can start looking for patterns and triggers. Common triggers are:
   • Getting your attention for a need. Your dog may be trying to get your attention because of an immediate need - to be taken for a walk, hunger, thirst, etc.
   • Feeling bored or frustrated. A dog can be bored or frustrated because he is confined to a certain space and has no outlet for his energy. Barking can be a way for the dog to show fear or create a distraction.
   • Feeling scared. If a person, thing, or sound scares your dog, he may bark in response. You can tell from your dog's body language if he's reacting out of fear - a fearful posture includes ears pulled back and a tail held low.
   • Feeling territorial. If a dog sees a person or other dog as an intruder to its territory, it may bark as a way to claim its right to that territory. You can often tell if a dog is barking territorially by having its ears pointed forward and its tail held high.
   • Feeling excited. Dogs can bark when excited when they see you as a sign of their willingness.
   • Experiencing health problems. If a dog is dealing with health problems such as deafness, pain or mental problems, it may bark as a sign that something is not right.
3. Take your dog to the vet. If you have any reason to suspect your dog is barking because of a health problem, make an appointment with your vet.
   • Keep in mind that older dogs can bark as a result of dementia. If so, your vet will likely be able to prescribe medication to help your dog deal with the symptoms.

Method 3 of 4: Reduce the barking

1. Take away the motivation. Once you determine what is causing your dog's barking, you can work on removing the reward.
   • Your dog barks because he is experiencing some form of reward from that behavior. If you remove that reward, your dog will have no incentive to bark.
   • For example, if your dog is barking at passers-by from home, you can close the curtains or blinds to block his view. If your dog is barking at passers-by from the yard, you can bring the dog in when it starts barking at someone.
2. Ignore your dog's barking. When retraining your dog, start by not responding to the barking. Dogs interpret your yelling at them or telling them to stop as attention, which in itself reinforces the behavior, regardless of whether you are angry or punishing your dog.
   • When your dog barks, don't acknowledge it in any way. Do not look at your dog, do not talk to your dog, do not pet your dog, and certainly do not give your dog food or treats.
   • Be aware that your dog's barking will get worse before it gets better if you have to break an existing habit. If you stop responding after your dog gets used to you reacting to the barking, the dog will see it as a necessity to bark louder because it didn't work. Resist the urge to acknowledge the barking in any way.
   • You may want to explain to the neighbors that you are trying to fix the barking problem and apologize for the inconvenience in the meantime. If they understand that you're trying to do something constructive - instead of just really annoying - they'll hopefully be a bit more likable.
3. Reward the stillness. Once your dog stops barking, wait a minute to make sure the dog will understand why, then reward the silence with a treat. If you do this consistently, your dog will begin to understand that he doesn't get a reward for barking, but he does for stillness.
   • Your dog will begin to associate the stillness with getting a treat. When that happens, you can begin to lengthen the time the dog needs to be still before getting a reward.
   • If you are clicker training your dog, remember to mark the silence with a click before rewarding the silence.
4. Shift your dog's attention. When your dog starts barking, focus his attention on something that will distract him from the stimulus.
   • Telling your dog to lie down is a good way to divert his attention because it won't be seen as a reward for barking.
   • When your dog is quiet, reward him with a treat - but only when he is quiet.
5. Minimize the effect of your dog's barking on the neighbors. While retraining your dog, keep the dog out of earshot of the neighbors as much as possible to minimize irritation.
   • Keep in touch with your neighbors and let them know that you are aware of your dog's barking and that you are working to correct the problem.
   • The best way to maintain goodwill and avoid nuisance reports is to keep your neighbors on your side.

Method 4 of 4: Keep your dog well adjusted

1. Give your dog plenty of exercise. Dogs are social and need environmental stimuli to stay healthy and well-adjusted.
   • Take your dog on regular walks around the neighborhood.
   • Whenever possible, take your dog to parks or open areas where he can run around freely.
2. Give your dog plenty of attention. Dogs are pack animals and they need to feel like part of a family, so when you get home take your dog inside and let him socialize with you and your family.
   • Do not leave your dog outside or unattended when you are at home; it will likely cause your dog to become anxious and frustrated, leading to bad behavior.
3. Be consistent. Dogs often get confused by human inconsistent behavior - sometimes you yell when they bark and other times you don't respond at all. As a result, your dog no longer knows whether barking is right or wrong.
   • The only way to train your dog in the behavior you want is to be consistent so that he can learn which behaviors you do and do not want from him.
4. Teach your dog to respond to the “quiet” command. Teaching your dog to respond to the “quiet” command is more productive than yelling at your dog to “be quiet” or “shut up”.
   • As with any behavior you want to form in your dog, consistency is important.
   • Start by teaching your dog to "talk" on command. You can do this by knocking on the door as a visitor. When the dog barks, give a treat (and don't forget to use the clicker if you're clicker training). Once the dog responds regularly and searches for the treat, give this behavior a command word, such as “loud”.
   • Once your dog barks reliably on command, teach him the “quiet” command. Find a quiet environment without distractions. Tell your dog “loud,” then say “quiet,” wait for it to stop barking, use the clicker when you clicker train, and reward your dog with a treat.
   • Repeat this as needed until your dog learns to associate the “quiet” command with stopping barking and being rewarded for being quiet.

Tips

• Always be kind and patient, and do your dog never pain.
• Understand that understanding your dog's behavior takes time. You won't change your dog's barking behavior overnight, even over the course of a few days. You will have to work with your dog repeatedly over the course of several weeks or even months to reform his behavior. The longer your dog is in the habit, the longer it will take to change that behavior.
• Do not leave your dog unattended all days and nights or longer; it will upset your dog and lead to the development of bad coping mechanisms such as barking.

Warnings

• Don't "deflate" your dog. "Deflagration" is an operation in which holes are made in the vocal cords of the dog, so that he can only bark at a raspy, reduced level. The procedure is considered inhumane by many veterinarians around the world, and complications such as difficulty breathing, choking, chronic pain, and even death are common. And since the procedure only affects the dog's vocal tissue, it doesn't address the underlying problem.
• Most animal organizations also recommend “anti-bark” devices that shock your dog or spray him with a foul odor when he barks. Like “defoliation”, these devices do not address the underlying behavior. In fact, because dogs' senses are much more sensitive than humans, these deterrents, while harmless to our eyes, can be cruel to your dog. After all, because these collars use punishment as a training tool, they are unlikely to be effective. Dogs will not associate punishment with the behavior; dogs respond much more effectively to positive reinforcement and reward for good behavior.