Getting Your Dog To Stop Barking
For those of you who are working on the best way to housebreak a puppy, barking can be tough. Whether you own a English Mastiff, a Sheepdog, or a Bischon, it can be challenging to get your dog to stop barking too much. Different breeds are triggered by different things, from noises to movement. Each breed seems to have its own nuisances for barking. Determining the reason your dog barks so much can be a key to learning to master out of control barking.
Some dog are just barkers. It may seem like they live to bark. Some people don’t mind a lot of dog barking, but it is annoying to many other people. Try to remember that when dogs bark they are using vocal cues and signals to try to communicate with humans or other dogs. Don’t try to stop your dog from barking completely, just try to narrow the barking down to when it is essential for their communication.
First, research the type of dog you want before you get a dog. Knowing the purpose of a dog breed will give you a lot of information about how much the dog may bark. Don’t choose a dog bred for hunting or for stopping intruders.
Once you get a dog, don’t let it teach you to respond to incessant barking. If you get up and do what your dog wants just because it doesn’t stop barking, you are only rewarding the problem. Respond to your dog once she quiets down. This will train your dog to understand which behaviors will get her rewarded. Consider this before you buy a citronella dog collar.
As we said, dogs communicate by barking, so allow them to bark. When barking continues too long, however, reach out and gently claps the dog’s muzzle shut. Keep your grasp firm, but gentle. Do not hurt the dog. It is likely that she will try to wriggle away from your grasp. At this point, use your other hand to hold her gently, but firmly by the collar.
You may be able to figure out why your dog is barking on your own, but sometimes it requires outside help to figure out why your dog will not stop barking. Don’t feel awkward about asking for help. I did and it worked. My dog no longer barks all the time at every noise she hears.
