Hi people…
I’m having some trouble with my dog barking excessively, and I’m looking for advice on how to train him to stop. The barking is becoming a problem, especially when we have guests or during the night. Can anyone share effective methods to reduce or stop the barking?
A happy dog is a quiet dog! To keep your furry friend calm, make sure they get enough exercise each day. This means walks, playtime with toys, and maybe even some fetch. The amount of exercise will depend on your dog’s age and health, but a good mix of physical and mental activities will help them burn off energy and be less likely to bark out of boredom or frustration.
A few things to experiment with. I don’t like to hit dogs.
When he barks, don’t let him go outside as a treat. Hold off till he stops.
Furthermore, I advise against angrily chanting his name. No, go away, do something else. But you want good things to come of his name.
We tell our dog “no” when she barks at people walking by in an attempt to convince her to stop. She then receives attention and is a “good girl” when she is calm.
She was barking outside just now, so I called her in. She is not allowed to be outside if she is misbehaving.
Alternatively, simply wait for the dog to sit and behave calmly. A dog’s “auto sit” training is similar to teaching it to say “please.” Rather than rewarding the barking behavior, you reward that behavior. Or, as you mentioned, educating the dog to “come” rather than respond to something.
Consistent training using positive reinforcement techniques can help. Reward your dog with treats and praise when they are quiet and gradually increase the duration.
I’ve had luck with teaching my dogs to associate certain noises with getting a treat. For example, when a neighbor dog would bark, they would initially bark back. I started giving them treats when we heard barking and they would stop. Eventually they learned to ignore it completely. Now we’ve moved onto treats when packages get delivered (still a work in progress). The goal is to get them to associate the noise with something good happening. I know not all dogs are as treat motivated as my guys and it’s a bit of a process, but it might be worth a try.
I’ve had luck with teaching my dogs to associate certain noises with getting a treat. For example, when a neighbor dog would bark, they would initially bark back. I started giving them treats when we heard barking and they would stop. Eventually they learned to ignore it completely. Now we’ve moved onto treats when packages get delivered (still a work in progress). The goal is to get them to associate the noise with something good happening. I know not all dogs are as treat motivated as my guys and it’s a bit of a process, but it might be worth a try.