A dog's way of communicating is with their bark. This is perfectly normal behavior. Excessive or loud, unwanted barking is not appropriate and can be annoying to you as well as others. There are all kinds of reason why a dog barks. He may be alarming you that something is on or near his area. It could be cats, squirrels or even your neighbors. They don't like their space to be invaded. They could be trying to tell you they want attention and feel frustrated. Maybe they are just having fun. The list goes on and on for reasons your dog barks. You wouldn't want to train your dog to stop barking completely but they can to be taught to control unnecessary barking. It will increase your dog's ability to communicate with you if they learn to bark at the proper time. They need to know how to act if there is a real problem. It takes patience to stop unwanted barking. Remember that different types of dogs bark more than others.
Making sure your dog gets enough exercise is one way to start getting his barking under control. Lack of exercise will cause poor conduct, including nuisance barking. Walking around your yard is not enough. They should have brisk exercise every day. Mental stimulation is also very important. When dogs are in training they actively are figuring out problems. They are learning obedience, listening to cues and putting them into action. If they are bored, they will bark more. Stimulation will curve the boredom and the barking.
Sometimes your dog will bark uncontrollably when you go away. This is called separation anxiety. Take small trips at first and let treats or toys with him. This will teach him to behave when you are away and not feel so anxious. The more his behavior improves the longer you can stay away. Crating your dog is another idea. Crates are a safe environment once he gets used to it. They actually start to view it as their hideaway or haven.
It is very common for dogs to bark when someone comes to the door. Teach him to do something different and re-enforce it when he barks. You could try using a "down" or "sit" command. This will show him what you want him to do.
Another option is to keep your dog from things that trigger his barking. Play music or turn on the television to cover outside sounds. Don't let him have access to the windows. If this doesn't work than allow him to bark three or four times and say quiet in a normal tone of voice. Then shake a can of marbles or money. This should make him stop. Call him over to you and ask him to sit. Offer him a treat.
If none of this works than you probably need advice from an animal or veterinary behaviorist. As a last resort you could use a bark collar. It has a vibration sensor that only picks up the dogs barking. It may squirt citronella spray, give off an ultrasonic piercing sound or mild electricity shock. The collar is effective and should correct excessive barking.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Dog Training
THE FORMAT Dog Problems 8-9-06
Secrets To Dog Training - Updated
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