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How to Train Your Dog to Not Bark as Much

There are many ways to train your dog from not barking so much. This article will give you some good tips on what you need to help you to train your dog, and help you put an end to the extensive barking.

Barking usually becomes a problem when the puppy/dog is bored. The reason for a dog being bored is because we as the owners have made them that way. When we get a puppy it is so cute and loveable that we tend to spoil it. Though this is completely normal for most pet owners to do it doesn’t make it right.

Don’t Bark for Attention

The first thing that you will have to teach your dog is that it must not bark for your attention. For example when your dog is outside and barking you eventually let it in. This teaches the dog that by barking they can get you to react. It’s very similar to children acting up and screaming, yelling and crying.

When a dog barks and you yell back at it it’ll think that making loud noises are acceptable. And even though your dog will prefer you talking in a loving tone it will think that you yelling at it is better than no attention at all. Instead of yelling start carrying with you a water bottle at all times.

The Water Bottle Solution

Spray the dog with the water every time it barks. Don’t say anything and just spray it. When you open your mouth and say something you are giving them attention which makes the dog think that barking is ok.

You must pay attention to whether you dog seem to like the water. If that is the case you are going to have to use word association. By saying “quiet” one or two times while spraying the dog in the face in a commanding voice, your dog will begin to associate the word with water. Teaching your dog commands are an important part of dog training in general.    In a few days when your dog would normally bark, but does not then calmly praise it and give it a treat to show that it is doing a good job.

Always ignore your dog when you are getting ready to leave the house. Don’t say goodbye to and just calmly leave the house as usual. If your dog starts barking as you are closing the door, finish closing the door and go to a window and throw a pebble at the window. This noise is loud and will be distracting to the dog. They will forget why they were barking in the first place which is what you want to happen. Dogs have very short memory spans which you can use to your advantage.

TV Can Calm a Dog Down

Some dogs bark when they are home alone because they feel threatened or scared. Believe it or not the TV is great entertainment for the dog while you are out. If you are going to be gone for an extended period of time you may want to think about leaving the TV on for your dog, even though you are not with them, the voices in the box will have a calming effect on them.

If all else fails and none of these options work, most pet shops have great barking collars that you can use to keep your dog from barking. All you do is put the collar on your dog and push the button which sends him a small shock of electricity and with the shock the dog normally stops barking. These collars should be the last resort. Shocking your dog is not the healthiest thing that you can do for them.