Out of a few common questions that dog owners are forced to address is how to teach a dog not to bark. Dogs simply love to bark. It is a completely normal thing for a dog to do, just as it is normal for humans to speak. It is only when a dog barks excessively it becomes a big nuisance for dog owners and everybody in the neighborhood as well.
Although, you would certainly want your dog to stop barking excessively but you would also want him to bark when he needs to warn you of something suspicious. So our aim should not be how to stop a dog from barking, rather it should be how to stop a dog from barking excessively.
Mentioned below are the top 3 tips on how to teach a dog not to bark -:
Step 1: Ignore Your Dog When He Barks For Attention
This step is very important folks, when your dog is barking and you start yelling at him asking him to stop barking, you are just unknowingly reinforcing his bad behavior. Your dog will pretty quickly understand that he can get instant attention by barking.
So, when your dog is barking just to gain attention, pay no attention towards him. Do not say anything to him, not even a "no". Avoid eye contact, turn away from him and use your body language to help get the message across to him that you do not want to be bothered right now.
Teaching a dog not to bark for attention will take some time, but you should never give in or your dog will learn to bark louder and longer!
Step 2: Give Your Dog Daily Attention and Exercise
Dogs that spend much of their days alone have got a lot of stored energy in them that shows itself in excessive barking. Well exercised dogs are more happy indoors and less likely to have such barking problems.
Take some time out of your busy schedule to spend it with your dogs, play with them, and take them out for a walk daily to provide them the required physical exercise. When you have to leave your dog alone at home, give him some nice dog chew toys so that he doesn't start to bark out of boredom.
Step 3: Train Your Dog to Be Quiet on Command
When your dog barks for a correct reason but does not stop barking on his own, you need to teach him to stop barking. The best way with young and obedient dogs is to gently hold their muzzle shut to stop their barking and then giving them a command for "quiet". The choice of word used is yours and doesn't really matter if the same word is used every time you command your dog to stop barking. If your dog stays quiet after releasing the muzzle give him a treat or just gently caress him and say "good dog".
As you can see here teaching a dog not to bark can be a slow and frustrating issue to deal with. When trying to learn how to teach a dog not to bark, a good dog training course can be very useful. You will want to look for the one that includes a free consultation with a skilled dog trainer.
Gary Price worked at a vet clinic and an animal shelter, and has had lots of experience with dogs. Visit him at, TrainMyDoggie.com, to know more about how to teach a dog not to bark. Discover which dog training course he recommends at http://TrainMyDoggie.com/Barking.html
