Hi everyone,
With COVID restrictions easing, more neighbors are returning to the office full-time, and they leave their dogs outside barking all day. While I don’t mind the noise too much, my dog inside reacts by barking back, which disrupts my classes.
Is there a way to train or desensitize my dog to ignore the barking of other dogs when he’s indoors? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!
I would interrupt your dog, as soon as he starts, with a strong ‘enough’! If you give treats in training, wait till he’s silent for 3-5 seconds then give him one. Being consistent is the key.
Training your dog to ignore outside barking can help. Consider using desensitization techniques by gradually exposing your dog to recorded barking sounds at a low volume, rewarding calm behavior. Consistent positive reinforcement and creating a distraction-rich environment indoors can also reduce your dog’s response to external noises.
Closing the curtains on his favorite “where are you?” window seems to help lessen my dog’s reaction. He doesn’t bark, so I usually don’t worry unless he starts getting agitated.