How Do I Get My Dog to Stop Barking?

by Tarun Sharma Web Blogger

Being a pet parent and especially a dog parent does not come easy. Trust me, I know! You not only have to take their care like a child but also discipline them like one. No matter how much you love your dog, if left undisciplined, they can be a cause of major annoyance and sleep disturbance with their incessant barking. This not only leaves you constantly apologising to your neighbours but also highly frustrated yourself.

Well, while it is only natural for dogs to bark, it is not natural if they are barking non-stop, at odd hours, and at your guests. The thing is, it is never too late to train or discipline your dog into not barking. With the right strategy and strict follow through, you can train your dog without hiring an expensive dog trainer.

The foremost thing to consider before you dive into training your dog to not bark is to know the root cause of their barking. If for example, they are barking because they want attention, you will need a different strategy than if they were barking because of anxiety.

Worry not; this post covers all the right strategies to stop your crazy little fur-ball from incessant woofs!

Keep calm

The immediate reaction that comes from us after being annoyed with non-stop barking is to shout in frustration. Well, this is what you must never do if you do not want your dog mirroring your behaviour. Your shouting will be matched with more barking and it would only fuel the situation. So the first step in dog training is to maintain your calm.

Identify the stimuli

The next thing is to notice when your dog starts barking. If your dog suddenly loses their calm at a child passing by or a mailman then you know what is troubling them. The close presence of a stranger in their territory makes them defensive and as a result they bark. In order to stop this, start giving them the treats around the time a stranger is about to visit and once your dog starts barking, stop the awarding behaviour.

Repeat this over a long period of time. Make your dog familiar with being around your guests and reward their calm behaviour. Eventually your dog will realise that being rewarded is better than barking.

Use dog anti bark device

If your dog is overly aggressive and too much out of control to start with patient steps, take help of the amazing gadgets available to do the task. For instance, BarxBuddy is a device that uses ultrasonic sounds and laser lights to train and distract your dog. This device is not only healthy for your dog but also peaceful for you. The ultrasonic sounds that this device uses will not be audible to human ears and thus calm your dog without creating a ruckus in the neighbourhood. Read full Barxbuddy review here to know everything about it.

Tire out your dog

If the dog is bored or is not involved in enough activities, they will use their pent up energy in the form of barking. So besides from walking them out daily, also make sure to exercise them up in other ways. For instance, you can you can tie a backpack on your dog, or engage them with pet puzzles that are especially designed to keep your dog busy.

You can even hide treats for them, so they are busy searching them for a long time, or cut holes in a bottle and fill them with treats. These simple steps will keep your dog busy mentally and physically and you will be saved from the non-stop barking.

Ignore them

Yes, you read that right. If your dog barks to get your attention then the best possible solution is to ignore them. Not only you, all your family members will have to follow through. If you ignore your dog once and pay attention at other times, they will get confused. Therefore, it is necessary to not reward their barking with your attention at all times.

This technique might backfire if you do not follow through strictly. If you lose your calm after some minutes, your dog will only learn to keep barking the next time, until you give them your attention.

Lastly, you will have to be patient and regular with your training. Trying the above techniques on the regular is the best way to get your dog accustomed to certain behaviour. Make sure your family members stick to the techniques as well for effective results. All the best!