Barking is one of the many modes of communication for dogs. Besides, even people are frequently pleased when their dogs bark since it warns them of the presence of visitors or indicates that the dog needs something.
However, excessive barking is not a good thing. Aggression, panic, fear, possessiveness, anxiety, territoriality, and health concerns such as heart diseases can all result from excessive dog barking. This could lead to future violent conflicts.
Dogs love attention. And they quickly discover that barking is a great way to get it. It’s even more fun if they can get you to shout back at them. Barking doesn’t use up much energy, so some dogs will keep on barking.
Alerting you to a burglar is one thing, but if your dog keeps barking at everyday things it can be very stressful for you and your neighbours. Fortunately, you can train your dog not to bark at certain sounds or events. And strangely, the first step is to train your dog to bark on command.
Why dogs bark?
Here are a few explanations for why dogs bark:
When the dog is barking excessively, it can imply that the dog has noticed or sensed a visitor. It could also mean that an animal is entering its territory. The barking usually gets louder as the threat approaches. During this style of barking, your dog will appear vigilant and perhaps hostile.
Sometimes you may notice your dog barking at a noise or thing that startles them. This may happen everywhere, and not just in the territory they live in. When they are scared, their ears will move back, and their tails will be tucked.
Dogs are adorable, social creatures. When dogs are left alone for long stretches of time, loneliness can cause them to bark constantly whether inside or outside the house. Your dog might also run in circles repeatedly when lonely. This sort of behaviour is associated with depression.
Dogs frequently bark when greeting or welcoming people or other animals. It's usually considered a joyous bark, with tail wags and small hopping thrown in for good measure.
Wondering why do dogs bark when they are left alone? The simple reason that causes them to bark is separation anxiety. Pacing, despair, destructiveness, and improper elimination are some of the other signs they commonly exhibit. Compulsive barkers seem to bark merely to hear their own voices.
Dogs generally love to seek attention and it is one of the main reasons why your dog may be barking. The reason they bark at some people is to attract attention or receive incentives such as toys, food, or play.
Sometimes, barking is also a dog’s response to discomfort or an unpleasant situation. It is recommended to have your dog inspected by a vet to rule out medical issues before attempting to solve your dog's barking problem.
How to prevent your dog’s excessive barking
When your dog barks, it is rewarded in some way. You need to determine what your furry friend will gain from barking and work to eliminate it. First, you need to analyse why the dog is barking. It could be due to one of the above-stated reasons which must be removed. Let’s understand how to make a dog stop barking in brief:
Remove your dog’s motivation to bark
- If your dog is barking because it needs to go outside, then train it to jingle a bell at your door. To do that, you can begin by introducing your dog to the bell and rewarding it for touching the bell. Allow it to gradually ring the bell before leaving the room to use the restroom.
- Make your dog exercise consistently. Select concentration-based workouts. This way, due to some activity, your dog will secrete adrenaline instead of barking.
Behaviour training
- To learn how to stop your dog from barking, you have to first teach your dog some basic instructions. This is an integral part of behaviour training. This means you must teach your dog to keep quiet with keyword commands like ‘quiet’.
- Give the instruction ‘quiet’, then place a tasty treat near the dog's nose. For instance, PEDIGREE® Dog Treats can be offered to your dog while training it.
Benefits of PEDIGREE® Treats
- They offer a responsible method of bonding with your dog
- They serve as excellent rewards for your dogs while training them
- They also contain high-quality, essential nutrition to improve your dog’s health.
Training your dog to bark on command
Do whatever it is that usually sets your dog off – like making the phone ring or pressing the doorbell. When they bark, praise them while repeating the word ‘speak’. Once your dog associates the word with barking, you will be able to get them to bark on command.
Great, but how on earth do you make it stop again?
Once your dog has learnt about ‘speak’ and ‘quiet’, you should be able to say ‘quiet’ at any time and they will stay silent. Just remember to praise like mad when they get it right to keep your dog motivated.
Now repeat, reward, and reinforce to have a quieter dog.
Training your dog not to bark when you go out
The final step is training your dog not to bark when you leave them at home on their own. To do this, you will need to be prepared to pretend to go out and return, over and over again.
Just before you pretend to go out, take your dog through their ‘speak’ and ‘quiet’ routine and give them plenty of praise. Once you have left the house, come straight inside again and praise them for being quiet. Next time, stay out a little longer. And so on and so on.
Your neighbors might think you are mad if they catch you practicing this, but they will thank you for it in the end!
Additional situations for dog barking
Before your dog is confined, give puzzle toys to help reduce or stop your dog from barking. Pause until it has stopped barking and then reward it with a treat or a new puzzle toy. Slowly, increase the amount of duration before being rewarded as it will learn that being quiet earns it a reward. Increase the length of time every time you offer treats. Sometimes after 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 12 seconds, 20 seconds, and so on.
Allow a dog-owning friend to stand out of eyesight or far away so that your dog does not bark at the other dog. Begin feeding your dog treats as soon as your friend and their dog approach closer. But when your friend and their dog are no longer visible, stop feeding your dog any treats. Repeat the procedure as needed. It's important not to rush things; it could take days or weeks for your dog to focus on you and the rewards without barking at the other dog.
What to do when your dog is confined?
Before your dog is confined, give puzzle toys to help reduce or stop your dog from barking. Pause until it has stopped barking and then reward it with a treat or a new puzzle toy. Slowly, increase the amount of duration before being rewarded as it will learn that being quiet earns it a reward. Increase the length of time every time you offer treats. Sometimes after 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 12 seconds, 20 seconds, and so on.
What to do when your dog barks at other dogs?
Allow a dog-owning friend to stand out of eyesight or far away so that your dog does not bark at the other dog. Begin feeding your dog treats as soon as your friend and their dog approach closer. But when your friend and their dog are no longer visible, stop feeding your dog any treats. Repeat the procedure as needed. It's important not to rush things; it could take days or weeks for your dog to focus on you and the rewards without barking at the other dog.
What to do when your dog barks at a visitor?
Toss them a treat and tell your dog to 'go to your bed.' Raise the stakes by opening the door for a visitor when they are on their bed to earn a treat. Close the door as soon as your dog starts barking or stands up. Repeat until they are still in bed when the door opens. Then, while your dog is sound asleep, have someone ring the doorbell. Encourage them to stay put.
