How to stop your dog from barking
Following on from our article about the world’s loudest bark, we all know it can be annoying when a dog barks – it doesn’t have to be the loudest bark.
It is natural for your dog to bark or whine, sometimes even howling. It is annoying to your neighbours and everyone would be in a better frame of mind if the barking is controlled. It would be unfair to think a dog is going to stop barking altogether.
Dogs are usually more inclined to bark if they have not been exercised or they have been left all day without any company. Barking is an outlet of energy that has built up.
Barking can become a way of attention seeking and the dog will start to enjoy barking for the fun of it.
Sometimes people can train a dog to bark without realising it. A good example is your dog barks to go out and you let it out or vice versa, the dog barks outside and you let him back in; the dog learns to associate barking with being allowed to go out or come back in again.
It is important to praise the dog when he lets you know he wants to go out and more importantly when he stops barking. If your dog seems to bark incessantly, you must distract him and praise him immediately when he is quiet. Stop praising him when he starts to bark again.
Barking is a way of your dog letting you know he is bored, frustrated or upset. If you exercise your dog daily or play with him for a while he will fall asleep and forget to bark.
