How to get your dog to stop barking

Video: How to Stop Dog Barking! (Cesar911 Shorts)

Content

Steps
Method 1 of 5: Control your dog's urge to bark
Method 2 of 5: Calming Your Dog During Separation
Method 3 of 5: Dealing with anxiety barking
Method 4 of 5: Preventing Obsessive Barking / Barking from Boredom
Method 5 of 5: Finding ways to reduce barking
Tips

Dogs are great companions and ideal pets, but even the most well-mannered dog can bark incessantly. There are many reasons for barking, but such behavior irritates others, and in some places barking is even prohibited by law. In order to calm your dog down, you first need to find out the cause of his anxiety. By identifying the cause, you can take the necessary steps to calm the dog down. By learning to pacify the dog, you will provide peace of mind to others and save yourself from problems with the law.

Steps

Method 1 of 5: Control your dog's urge to bark

1 Stop following your dog's lead. The so-called attention-getting barking is a common behavior problem in all dogs. To change this behavior, you must stop giving your dog what he wants when he starts barking. This training, of course, will take a long time, especially if you have been "encouraging" her barking for several years.
- Try to distinguish between barking out of necessity, when your dog needs to go to the bathroom, and barking for minor urges, such as jumping onto the couch or just getting attention.
- Do not fall for the dog's barking, no matter how intense. Any concession you make will nullify all your parenting efforts.
2 Ignore the barking. Perhaps barking is the only known way for a dog to get your attention. Even when you stop giving in to her provocations, it will take your dog some time to give up this habit. It is better to ignore this behavior than to punish it, because in this way the dog is only trying to get your attention.
- Even your displeased shout is perceived by the dog as a manifestation of attention. The next time your dog is likely to bark even harder if you lose patience and start yelling at him, he will already be in the mood to receive feedback (even negative).
- Do not yell at the dog if it barks, do not pet it and do not give what it wants. Don't even look at her. Your best bet is to be distracted by reading a book or newspaper until the dog calms down or just gets tired of barking.
3 Encourage good behavior. When your dog finally stops making noise, praise him and reward his silence.
- Keep treats handy and serve as soon as the barking stops. Treats should be given as soon as possible after changing the behavior to the desired one for faster learning of the lesson.
- Praise your dog verbally after you stop barking. Say "good dog!" and give her a treat.
- When the dog realizes that silence is encouraged by the treat, and the barking is ignored, you should gradually increase the time interval between the end of the bark and receiving the treat. After going through the initial stages of training, you need to increase the time interval every day from a few seconds to a few minutes after the end of barking and before reward.
- For best results, you should constantly change the time interval after barking and before treating your dog. So every time she will expect a treat, and be in quiet tension. For example, after a few weeks of training, change the wait time from 20 seconds to one minute, and then to 30 and 40 seconds of silence.
4 Find ways to change your dog's behavior. One of the best ways to wean your dog from unwanted behavior is to teach him other ways to show his desires. This will stop the annoyance of being ignored and the dog will be forced to behave differently in order to attract attention.
- While it is difficult to train your dog for alternative behavior, it is one of the best ways to wean him from bad habits. You shouldn't listen to the barking every time she wants to play, but just teach how to bring you a toy and put it on the floor in front of you.
- You can also avoid unwanted dog behavior by reducing the chances of such situations occurring. For example, you should use something to close the gap under the sofa if the dog starts barking every time its ball is rolled there.
5 Continue training. Don't stop teaching your dog good behavior. Continue training while considering all the reasons for your dog's barking. Ultimately, your dog will learn to wait patiently when he wants to play, eat, or get his favorite toys.

Method 2 of 5: Calming Your Dog During Separation

1 Recognize separation anxiety. Separation anxiety can take many forms, but more often than not, the dog can make a home / apartment mayhem with incessant barking. As a rule, this happens when the owner of the dog leaves for work or is simply absent from the house, and if the dog did not start a pogrom, then the owner does not even know about its possible anxiety. Common signs of anxiety are:
- Following you from room to room, regardless of the time of your absence
- Trembling, shortness of breath, whining on the day you are about to leave
- Urination and defecation indoors while you are not at home
- Chewing on furniture while you are away
- Scrubbing or "undermining" the floor, walls, doors when the dog is left alone
- Possible complaints from neighbors about the barking and howling of a dog left alone
2 Try the counter-conditioning method. Counterconditioning is a common treatment for dogs to modify adverse reactions, involving the formation of a link between the fear factor and the reward. In the event of separation, the dog is not afraid of a specific object or action; she just has a fear of loneliness. To counter-condition separation, teach your dog to associate this fear with something he loves (such as a treat).
- Every time you leave the house, try giving your dog a puzzle toy with treats inside. A hollow object can hold treats, cheese, or low-fat peanut butter to keep it busy for 20 to 30 minutes, long enough for the dog to forget about the fear of loneliness.
- When you return home, hide the puzzle toy immediately so that the counterconditioning process takes place only when you leave the dog alone.
- Remember that the counter-conditioning method only helps in the event of a short separation. While puzzle toys will appeal to your dog, you will need more effective methods if he has moderate to severe anxiety.
3 Reduce your dog's sensitivity to loneliness. If you have moderate to severe anxiety, you may not be able to fix the problem overnight. The best way to desensitize your dog is to gradually train him to be alone, so that he can understand that your leaving is only temporary. This slow process can take weeks of practice and consistency, but it will pay off in the long run.
- Prepare your dog in advance for your departure by leaving things in a visible place, such as a coat or a bunch of keys. Try doing this at different times throughout the day without actually leaving your home.
- Teach your dog to feel comfortable alone when you yourself are out of sight. As soon as the dog sits down or lies down, you should immediately leave the room.
- As soon as the dog begins to feel comfortable without eye contact with you, you should try to close the door to the room, thus blocking access to you, and gradually increase the interval of time being apart.
- To get started, try simply closing the bathroom or bedroom doors behind you. Do not leave the house right away to avoid causing a panic attack in your dog.
- After a few weeks of training, you should be able to stay out of the dog's line of sight by the front door. But even now, to leave the house, it is better to use an additional door (if possible), and not the one you usually use when leaving for work. For example, instead of the front door, you can use a garage door or a back door.
- As the time interval increases, you should continue to use counterconditioning techniques, such as leaving a puzzle toy for the dog to distract. Try adding this learning element at least 10-20 minutes before exiting your front door or backyard door.
4 Be patient. The training process will take a long time before your dog learns to feel comfortable alone. Most dogs show unwanted behavior within the first 40 minutes after you leave. Therefore, you will have to spend a lot of time training to train your dog to feel comfortable during those 40 minutes.
- Remember to gradually increase the amount of time you are away with each new workout. Don't do anything that can upset your dog and cause him to have an anxiety attack.
- Once your dog is comfortable alone for 90 minutes, you can safely leave him alone at home for four to eight hours. However, in the early stages of progress, it is best to test the dog's reaction by leaving him alone for a few hours, rather than full-time (if possible).
- By training your dog every weekend several times a day and once or twice on weekdays, for example, in the morning and in the evening, you can expect good results in a month. However, each dog is unique, so you may need more time to train daily.
- Be patient and remember that this behavior of the dog is caused by love for you and the fear of being abandoned.
5 Consider alternative methods. If you can't handle the dog in any way, training does not help, and the landlord or neighbors show you their displeasure, then you will have to consider other options.
- Find out if you can take your dog to work (depending on where you work). This may not be the most ideal solution, but many offices will be sympathetic to this, especially if you talk to your superiors about it.
- Ask a friend or family member to look after your dog while you are away. Most dogs only have a panic attack when they are completely alone. In other words, you should look for an assistant.
- Try using an aviary for your workouts. The aviary is not suitable for all dogs.Some of them are afraid of the enclosure, while others see it as a safe place and are confident that they will be released from there as soon as someone is at home.
- Seek help from a Certified Dog Trainer (Cynologist) if no other method works. Such a person knows the best way to help your dog. Find a dog handler in your area by searching the internet or consult your veterinarian.

Method 3 of 5: Dealing with anxiety barking

1 Recognize anxious barking. Alarming is the barking addressed to potential intruders. While a dog barking at real offenders is beneficial and may even save a person's life, barking at postmen, couriers, and neighbors can be annoying and troublesome.
- Barking may not always be triggered by visual confirmation. Some dogs bark simply by hearing the sound of a vehicle passing by or the voices of people on the street.
- The bark is often accompanied by small lunges or forward throws (short distance) with each new series of barks.
2 Teach your dog the "quiet" command. The best way to stop anxious barking is by teaching your dog the appropriate command. As with any training, this process will take a lot of time and consistency. But if you're willing to put in the time and effort, you can teach your dog good manners.
- After the third or fourth repetition of anxious barking, the dog should be shown the treat in your hand. This will grab her attention and, most likely, distract from the imaginary intruder for a while.
- Wait until she stops barking. Just be patient and hold on to the treat until the barking stops.
- Then give her the command "quietly" in a stern and calm voice and then treat her to a treat.
- Repeat this process until the dog learns to associate the command “quiet” with silence. After repeating ten times, you will be able to command the dog "quietly" without showing the treat. Give her a treat after completing your command. If the dog doesn't obey, then you may need a few more of these trainings.
- As a result, the dog will learn to execute the command "quietly" without any reward at all. Even when you reach this level of training, you should still verbally praise the dog after you stop barking.
3 Using the command "quiet". After learning the quiet command in training mode thoroughly, you should try it in real life situations. You can ask a friend to slam the car door, open a mailbox, or walk to your doorstep.
- Have a treat ready every time your friend walks to the door. Even if you have achieved good results during training, you will still have to use treats for practical training related to the reaction to a potential intruder.
- A friend who has approached the door in the role of a postman should not leave the porch until the dog has calmed down. If he leaves the porch while barking, then your dog may think that it was she who drove him away.

Method 4 of 5: Preventing Obsessive Barking / Barking from Boredom

1 Recognize intrusive barking. If your dog barks for no apparent reason or when left alone (for example, in the yard), then this behavior may well be barking out of boredom. Dogs on their own can feel anxious, but this usually manifests itself in the form of destructive behavior, problems with coping, and aimless wandering around the house. Common signs of obsessive barking or boredom barking are:
- Barking too often
- Throwing back and forth while barking or shortly before / after barking
- Barking when the dog is alone (no signs of separation anxiety)
- Bark when you stopped paying attention to the dog
2 Give your dog more physical activity. Exercise and play are the best ways to keep your dog bored.While you can just walk your dog (even if you are walking it in your yard), it may not be enough. Try getting your dog to run from person to person by tossing a ball or toy over its head for 10-20 minutes, or take it with you for a run before going to work.
- Give your dog at least 20 minutes of daily vigorous exercise to improve his physical and psychological well-being, which will help improve his behavior and keep him from getting bored.
- The dog should be played with every day. You can just play hide and seek or throw a ball and ask to bring it back.
3 Teach your dog tricks. Learning and doing tricks will help her avoid boredom and improve her behavior. Tricks require attention and concentration and will give your dog the right physical and psychological stress.
- After learning a few tricks, ask your dog to demonstrate them every day. This will help not to forget the mastered tricks, and also keep her busy for a while.
4 Create entertainment for your dog. In addition to exercise, you should leave her with entertainment throughout the home to avoid unnecessary barking. For these purposes, you can use a peanut butter puzzle toy, or simply scatter a handful of treats around the apartment. You can also turn on the radio or TV to distract the dog with their sound.

Method 5 of 5: Finding ways to reduce barking

1 Meet your dog's needs. A dog hungry or forgotten for the whole day in the yard is likely to bark. No amount of exercise, training, or play will distract her from her need for food and comfort. Make sure she has access to cool, clean drinking water at all times, is provided with a hearty two to three meals a day, and the ability to get inside the house.
2 Eliminate medical problems. Sometimes a dog's barking can be associated with injury or illness. If you suspect illness or injury, you should seek help from your veterinarian as soon as possible.
3 Apply the methods learned in training. Quiet is one of the most useful commands learned. It will help you cope with any kind of intrusive barking. This will be useful for any type of barking and may be the only viable option for dealing with dog behavior problems such as anxious barking to defend its territory.
- When barking for too long, show your dog the treat in your hand and distract him from the imaginary intruder.
- After the barking stops, say the command “quietly” in a calm voice and give it a treat.
- Gradually increase the time after you stop barking before giving your dog a treat. As a result, the dog will reach such a level of obedience that to get the desired result, you just need to say the command "quietly".
4 Give her some exercise. Exercise is a great way to teach your dog good behavior and avoid excessive barking. If the dog you leave in the yard is anxious or just bored, exercise can help reduce the frequency and intensity of barking.
- Depending on the age and physical condition of your dog, there are a number of exercises you can choose from. Long walks are suitable for older dogs, while younger ones will enjoy running, playing with a ball, tug-of-war and other interactive activities.
5 Eliminate the cause of the worry. If your dog starts barking whenever he hears or sees something outside the house, then the simplest solution is to block visual access to the stimulus. If passers-by or other dogs bark through the window, you should close the curtains or blinds. Turning on the radio throughout the day will help to drown out the sounds heard by the dog and the annoying sounds from the street.
6 Consult a specialist. There are many professionals who specialize in dog behavior, each with a unique set of knowledge. Regardless of the expert you choose, it is imperative to check his qualifications, as well as look for recommendations and reviews about him on the Internet. If you cannot search online, ask your veterinarian to recommend the correct specialist who can help your dog, while taking into account its unique characteristics.
- The specialists, as a rule, are all certified, but sometimes there are exceptions. Do not get hung up on the word "trainer" when looking for a specialist, because they may well call themselves advisers, therapists for pets and psychologists for pets.
- Certified dog trainers (cynologists) are licensed by an independent organization. To become a dog handler, you need to undergo complex practical training, pass a special test and receive recommendations.
- Animal behavior specialists can be named differently, but each must earn a Master's or PhD in Animal Behavior. As a rule, a specialist with a PhD qualification is called a highly qualified specialist in animal behavior (zoopsychologist), and a specialist with a master's degree will be called an associated specialist with a higher qualification in animal behavior (associated zoopsychologist).
7 Consider using a choker collar. Dogs really do not like strict collars and therefore they are used only in the most extreme cases, when all other methods do not help. Some people oppose strict collars, as they are usually used as a punishment. Dog training is a better parenting method than punishment and certainly gives better results in the long run, but if it doesn't work and your landlord threatens to evict or call the police, then you may still need to resort to using strict collar.
- A citronella collar sprays a cloud of citronella when a dog barks. These collars have been proven to be as effective as electronic collars, but are safer and less painful for the dog.
- Ultrasonic collars make a noise that only a dog can hear. This unpleasant sound does not cause physical pain to the dog.
- Shock collars are similar to citronella and ultrasonic collars in effectiveness, however, they are based on the principle of electric shock to the dog's neck. These collars have a number of settings to change the intensity of the shock, and when using it it is best to set it to a minimum to avoid injury to the dog. The main thing to remember is that these collars should only be used as a last resort.