Dog Training Basics

Posts Tagged ‘Stop dogs from barking’

Understanding why your dog is barking is key to training your dog to stop barking. Over time you will learn to understand what your dog is trying to communicate through barking. Sometimes your dog will bark for the right reasons, when it needs to go to the toilet or when something is wrong. Don’t forget, there is good barking and bad barking!. Neighbours with barking dogs are annoying and it is up to you to train your dog about barking behaviour. Remember, you are the boss and your dog will follow your instruction about what to do and what not to do.

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Is your dog feeling bored, anxious or lonely?

The number 1 cause of uncontrolled barking is a dog who is feeling anxious and lonely. Does your dog spend the largest part of every day alone? To accomodate being left alone so long you will need to make sure your dog is getting one to one and a half hours of exercise per day, depending on breed. Try and fit in a long walk before or after work. Organising this can sometimes be difficult so why not engage the services of a professional dog walker. This attention will be welcomed by your dog. When you are out, try your dog with one of the many dog toys available on the market. Balls usually work well as toys and most dogs love bones to chew. .

Spending too much time alone is a common cause of barking. Dogs are very social animals requiring lots of attention, interation and communication. It is important that you spend a lot of time playing with your dog and showing it affection. Dogs need this to thrive. Find activities that include your dog, when at home. Dogs exhibit happiness if they are loved. A dog that is well attended to is also less likely to show other unwanted behaviors and you won’t need to Stop Your Dog Whining.

Is it playtime for your dog?

Giving in to barking so that you will stop what you are doing and play, is the worst thing you could do. A bad habit will be reinforced, if you do. Mutual respect is key to your relationship with your dog and harassing you in this way demonstrates lack of respect. Ignore this type of behavior if you want your dog to stop demanding your attention in this way. An effective way to do this is to turn your back to your dog, without responding and move away. This is likely to confuse your dog to start with. Since the barking behavior has worked in the past your dog may thinking that if it barks for just a little longer you will give in. Don’t Succumb! Be firm. You will probably have to endure worse barking before the barking improves. Lots of praise is required to reinforce the correct behaviour. Positive reinforcement is the key and your dog wants to please you. After a short time of consistent work your dog will re-learn this behavior and stop barking to attract your attention.

Effective dog training requires consistency. Pack animals such as dogs are most at ease and well behaved when they understand the pecking order. If you want your dog to be happy, well adjusted and well behaved it will have to respect your leadership. Remember, quiet does not always mean good. If your directions are clear your dog will learn when it is and is not appropriate to bark.

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There are a number reasons for dog barking. A dog will bark to alert you to the approach of an unfamiliar person or to let you know that a burglar has broken into your home. Fear and pain are other reasons for dog barking. A dog may bark to intimidate you or your family members, or as a way to get your attention.

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Whatever the reason, we all agree that it can be very aggravating and look for ways to stop dogs barking. Some owners of dogs that constantly bark are reported for disturbing the peace. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to stop dogs barking for no good reason.

The best way to stop dogs barking is to train your dog when it is appropriate for him to bark. Although a variety of options may be considered, the most effective method is the reward/reprimand technique. This technique is successful and humane.

Some dog owners try to circumvent obedience training with the use of an electronic or bark collar. The collar is worn by the dog, which is then activated when he starts to bark. The dog is startled when the collar emits a small electric shock. Once dogs begin to associate pain with their barking, they will stop barking. I am of the opinion that the use of electronic collars to stop dogs from barking is both cruel and inhumane.

There are many reasons why electronic collars should never be used, the least of which is that some dogs don’t associate the pain from the shock with their barking. They get used to the shocks and continue barking. In addition, if the prongs on the collar do not touch the skin of a dog with a thick coat, he will probably not feel the electric shock. As well, there are few examples where simply using an electronic collar will stop dog barking. The inclusion of obedience training will usually provide optimal results.

An electronic collar that is set to the correct shock level shouldn’t harm a dog, however many people believe that they can still be dispiriting to dogs. This is the reason why some people opt for citronella collars, which use a similar principle to electronic collars. When the dog barks, a mist is produced from the Citronella collar. Most dogs hate the smell. Eventually, dogs realize that the revolting aroma is produced when they bark, so they stop barking to prevent the smell. They are probably just about as successful as electronic collars.

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Although an electronic collar can be a useful training device, most dog trainers and vets think that it cannot replace good obedience training. Obedience training is effective for most dog behavior problems, not just dog barking. It also helps with other dog behavior problems.

The option of surgery to stop dogs barking is both drastic and barbaric in my opinion. In order to stop dogs from barking, a portion of the larynx is removed. It is not unheard of for the dog’s bark to return, voiding the surgery. Fortunately, the surgical approach to stop dogs barking is opposed by most vets.

Finally, it is my hope that you now agree that obedience training is the method that should be used to prevent dog barking. You need to know that a dog that is trained to stop barking with an electronic collar will not bark when your house is on fire. By providing your dog with good obedience training, he will protect you and your family but he will also understand when barking is appropriate.

I hope this article was helpful to you. I also have a review of a great dog training product that you should check out here: Dove Cresswell’s Puppy Training & Dog Training Online