How to Stop Dog Barking Quick
Posted: Thursday, February 11, 2010
by Ana Walsh
http://www.dogbehaviorexpert.com
A barking dog can be very annoying to everyone around. Not only are you irritated by it, but your neighbors can't stand it either, and may report your dog if they get too fed up. Barking is a very natural and normal things for dogs though. You can't stop a dog from wanting to bark, that is their form of communication. However, you can control a dog's barking behavior.
1. A dog that spends a lot of time by themselves may begin a barking habit because they are so bored, they're trying to keep themselves entertained.
2. It's quite common for owners to accidentally train their dog to bark a lot, by being very inconsistent. Sometimes they reward their dog for barking - for instance, when there is a scary noise or a person getting a little too close to the house for comfort. In those cases, they make you feel safe, so you reward them. Then, other times, they annoy you by barking at things you don't think are important, so you punish. This is very confusing to your dog, and doesn't teach them anything useful.
3. The most common reasons for a dog to bark are being scared, lonely, and/or they are defending their territory.
4. A dog with a health problem causing them pain will tend to bark a lot.
The most effective way to train your dog not to bark, is to first train them TO bark. I know, it sounds counter productive, but it works.
Here's what to do:
- When something happens that causes your dog to bark, let them bark a few times. After a couple of barks, give your dog enthusiastic praise for the barking.
- Then, follow up the praise with a phrase you want to use to get them to stop. For example, you could say 'No Barking' or 'Stop Bark'. Any phrase you want will work. As soon as you tell them the phrase, stick a delicious, mouth watering treat in front of them to distract them from their barking. After they've stop barking for a second or two, let them eat the treat.
- Repeat this over and over again each time they begin barking. Each time you do this practice, extend the amount of time they have to stay quiet before receiving this delicious treat.
- In the beginning, your dog might bark again, even after you've said the 'stop barking' command to them. If this happens, shout NO loudly - loud enough to startle them and stop the barking for at least a split second. If that doesn't work, find something else that'll make a startling enough noise, perhaps banging 2 pots together will work. As soon as they stop barking because of the noise, repeat the 'stop bark' phrase again, then immediately give them a delicious treat before they have the opportunity to begin barking again.
With persistence, this will be very effective. It'll take more than just one or two practices for it to stick. Make sure you are consistent in your training, and soon enough you'll be able to quickly stop your dog's barking at any point by using the stop phrase.
Thanks for reading my article, I hope it helped you out. Find out more tips and tricks to fix dog problems at http://www.DogBehaviorExpert.com
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