Training a Dog to Stop Barking

How do you break a dog of barking? He is well mannered and has been easy to train and minds well except for the barking?

Please help.

By Sonja S. from Hemphill, TX

Answers: Training a Dog to Stop Barking

Read answers for this question below.

By 06/26/2009

I have 2 Chihuahuas and a terrier. I say "no barks" and spray them with a squirt bottle. This has seemed to work. Treats do not. They are picky and treats are not an option.

By 06/19/2009

On the poster who mentioned the Barking Dog CD: buyer beware; we Googled this and found a few "rip-off report" complaints on that company. It also claims that the "ultrasonic" method it uses sounds like a "jet plane coming in for a landing" , can only be heard by dogs and only runs when the dog barks. Also says it's humane.

How humane can it be when it blasts the dog's ears--and as for it "only working" when the dog barks--this has to be BS. It is a CD, pre-programmed to produce sound at precise intervals. Have a hard time believing that this one automatically stops and starts when the dog barks; it would be like playing a kids' CD and having it pause itself when the kids clap, or laugh.

Makes no sense.

That said, we have a barker, too. Does your dog bark only when specific things happen? Ours goes nuts when the mail carrier, garbage man or any delivery truck goes by.

As you said your dog is, ours is well-behaved and trained otherwise.

What we started doing--and what's been working for her-- is to "catch her in the act"--that is, when I hear the mail carrier's truck coming, I sit by the dog by the window where she perches and waits and begin whispering "Enough, good girl" and petting the sides of her face ( which is an automatic calmer for her). That sort of puts her into a different zone, for lack of a better description--we're basically trying to put on the brakes before she gets worked up and in full bark mode.

It took about a week to get her to the point at which, when I see her beginning to get antsy and ready for a barkfest, I just calmly say "Enough."

We thought of the treat thing and a lot of other people have said this works; our dog has a tendency to put on weight, though, and for us the calming down through affection rather than food works a little better.

Good luck!

By 06/19/2009

I trained mine to stop barking by telling him "no bark" and then giving him a tiny treat when he stopped. Now after enough times of this, he automatically stops when I say "no bark" and comes to me for his tiny treat. I'm weaning him off of the tiny treat now and just giving him praise instead. I've been alternating between the treat and the praise until I can just give him the praise. Maybe this will work for you.

By 06/19/2009

When I first heard this solution to barking, I thought they were crazy, but it really helps. Put barking on command. Work with your dog by rewarding a bark (or speak) with a tiny treat. Do this over and over until the dog knows what you're asking for when you say "Speak!" When you put any behavior on "command", you make the behavior less fun without the reward.

Of course, as someone else commented, barking will be done for a multitude of reasons, but this takes barking for the heck of it down a notch.

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Training a Dog to Stop Barking

I have a suggestion for those of you with house dogs that won't stop barking. We have two Silky Terriers and one of them loves to bark. She watches TV and every time an animal is on she goes crazy. I took a 1lb coffee can and put some loose change in it and put the plastic lid back on. When she barks and won't stop I tell her "No!" and if she won't stop I shake the can hard one time. Now if my "no" won't work all I have to do is to pick up the can. Hope this helps someone.

Mary

RE: Training a Dog to Stop Barking

Be very careful. My trainer said not to do this. It can severely scare the dog because their hearing is so sensitive. (05/28/2005)

By Sandy

RE: Training a Dog to Stop Barking

We use a squirt bottle with water in it all we have to do now is go PSSSSSSSS! (05/29/2005)

By kimmcg

RE: Training a Dog to Stop Barking

Try a Citronella collar, we use it for incorrigible barkers and it works wonders. Its harmless, painless, and Vet approved. Also it does not scare the dog it ony startles them by introducing an unfamiliar scent and interrupting the barking. (06/01/2005)

By Sue

RE: Training a Dog to Stop Barking

Your dog may be responding to the attention he receives from you or others. The attention may be negative but he doesn't know you are annoyed and is in fact receiving negative reinforcement for his behavior. You may need to try medication for anxiety, the vet can prescribe something. If this doesn't work, putting your dog in the kennel for the hours you listed isn't too long. Some owners kennel their dogs while they are at work all day. Good luck. (06/13/2005)

By Chell

RE: Training a Dog to Stop Barking

Shaker cans, squirt bottles, and shrieker alarms should be used as a last resort to barking or any other behavioral problem. If these things are used, it is important that the dog not see you use them. If he sees you, he may stop barking the moment you pick up one of these items. If you are going to use one of these, you must be out of your dog's site so he doesn't know where it's coming from.

Also, you need to learn why your dog is barking. Is it play barking, alert barking, etc. Any constant barking is certainly annoying, but it can be stopped if the proper techniques are used. My German Shepherd likes to bark at people walking by our house on the sidewalk. These are the same people he sees every day and he knows they aren't threatening to us or him. When he starts barking, I will distract him away from the window by calling him into another room or even out to the back yard. Because dogs live in the moment, he forgets about the people and now is interested in what I have for him. A treat, a toy, or just going outside. I don't stop my Shepherd from barking when someone rings the doorbell or knocks on the front door. I want that person to know that there is a very large dog on the other side. However, after I see who it is and know it's alright to open the door, I make my dog back up and sit several feet away from the door just in case I want that person to enter. So, there are ways to manage barking and you have to decide what type of barking it is.

For Suziehomemaker's dog I would take some time to train him to sit-stay several feet from the door where people come in. You can put a little mat down and that will be his "spot" to go to when guests arrive. If you must leash him to that area then do it just so he isn't jumping on anyone. Important! Praise your dog when he isn't barking. If you are consistent with this he will soon get the idea that he will be petted and praised for being quiet and ignored for barking. Remember that any attention from you for barking is welcomed by a dog even if it's negative. They don't care. If you work on this constantly and diligently, your dog will stop barking. If you are not consistent about this, he will quickly learn that you aren't serious.

Barking, jumping, digging and chewing are all perfectly acceptable in a dog's world. This is what dogs do. When people "humanize" dogs, we change the things that come natural to them and it's hard for them to understand, but if we show them that we are the leaders and we behave as leaders, dogs respect us and will submit. Be a leader, not a follower. (03/12/2006)

By Anonymous

RE: Training a Dog to Stop Barking

Re: I finally got my neighbor's dogs to stop barking! I used to have a problem with my neighbor's dogs that would constantly bark day and night. At first I thought it would stop but it went on day after day. I finally confronted my neighbor about the problem and he said that he would try to do something about it.

I work very long hours and try to get as much sleep as possible but I am constantly awakened by the barking dog many times during the night. You cannot imagine how frustrating this is unless you have been in this situation.

I finally ended up going on the internet to research my problem and I am so glad that I did. I ended up buying a compact disc from a website. You play the disc and it actually stops the dogs from barking. I put the disc in, pointed the speakers towards the dogs, and nearly fell out of my chair when it actually worked! Somehow, the dogs can hear the sound but humans can't. This was the best money that I have ever spent and I am so happy.

I have not had a problem in 4 weeks. The dogs kind of acted up about 2 weeks ago but I just repeated the above process and it worked like a charm. I am so glad that the freaking dogs have stopped barking. If you want to check it out, it might be worth a try. The website is http://www.TheBarkingDogCD.com Good luck, I hope this helps. (09/01/2008)

By Ron BO