Stop Your Dog From Barking

Most dogs have no indication as to whether barking is something good or something bad. Dogs have a natural instinct to protector what they believe is their territory. They consider it their obligation to notify other pack members (which include you and your family) of intruders. Without a doubt many people value their dog’s capacity to warn them of people entering their premises. However this dog barking can often be excessive and become a irritant to you and your neighbors.
There are different methods to handle excessive dog barking:

 

• Barking is OK until the dog is told to "Stop Barking." Each time your dog barks, after two or three barking, praise your dog for sounding the alarm. Then order your dog, "Stop Barking." At the same time, you can provide your dog especially tasty food treat in front of its nose. Praise her continuously "Good girl, stop barking, what a good quiet dog you are, good dog . . ." After 3 seconds of no barking, let her have the treat. The next time she barks, require her to stop barking for 5 seconds before she gets the treat. Each time she is told to stop barking and succeeds, she will be rewarded. Within a single training session, you can teach your dog to stop barking for up to 1 or 2 minutes. This is major progress, because whatever set off her barking in the first place is history, and she is likely to be quiet until the next disturbance.

• Sometimes a spray of water in the face will do the trick. You must find something that will immediately make your dog stop barking. As soon as your dog stops barking, even for just a tenth of a second, you must immediately and instantly reward her. After adequate repetitions your dog will learn the meaning of the command, "Stop Barking," and you will no longer need your training props (water, treats, etc.)

If your dog's excessive barking has already become a routine, don't expect the barking to get under control at once. It takes weeks of repetition to replace an old habit with a new one. Instead of barking relentlessly at the insignificant, your dog will be barking appropriately and for a logical length of time. It is important that you maintain this new good habit through practice and praise or your dog may revive his old annoying barking habits again.

 

© Jim Anderson