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10 Ways to Stop Your Dog from Barking

        
          

Dogs are man’s best friend; their loyalty and dedication are unmatched. Picture this, it’s 6 am on a cool Sunday morning, and your best friend is constantly barking for absolutely no reason. Not so cute anymore right? There are solutions to your problem, which will leave everyone happy.

Mentally and physically occupy your dog

Many times, excessive barking is a sign that your dog isn’t getting enough physical activity. The barking is a way for it to release this energy. The dog could also lack mental stimulation and is showing their distress through excessive barking. This can be remedied by taking your dog on a daily walk and giving him tasks that will use his mental and physical strength to complete. This exercise should help to release some of the pent-up energy and help to reduce the constant barking or encourage barking for the right reasons. We suggest interactive dog toys to help with boredom.

Stay calm and your dog will too!

If you are trying to get your dog to calm down, you cannot give off a negative and frustrated energy. Dogs are very sensitive to their master’s mood and are known to reflect the mood being given to them. Before trying to quiet your dog, check to see if you aren’t the cause of the barking.

Remove the cause of the barking

In some cases, there might be a stimulus in the dog’s environment which are aggravating it, resulting in excessive barking. If the barking is caused by something that can be removed or adjusted, for example, a side door screen which keeps slamming, try to fix the cause instead of trying to curb the dog’s barking. If it isn’t something that can be fixed, for example, a person, try to get the dog accustomed to the person by presenting them along with pleasant things such as treats, walks or playing to get the dog comfortable with the person.

Train your dog to respond to ‘quiet’ commands

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You are working reverse psychology on your dog. For this technique to work, the dog must be trained to bark on command. This teaches the dog that there are a time and place for barking, and ultimately reduced the unnecessary barking. Training the dog to bark on command will require treats. The dog would be instructed to ‘speak’ and when he barks, he is rewarded. When it fully understands the command ‘speak,’ you can introduce the command ‘quiet.’ Similarly, when you say ‘quiet’ and the dog stops barking, he should be rewarded with a treat. Even though it might be painstaking at first, the results will be worth it.

Actively ignore the barking

We know, it sounds like the most obviously solution. However, actively ignoring has a technique that helps to curb excessive barking. To employ this strategy, the owner must put the dog in a restricted area like a cage. When the dog is barking, turn away from it until it stops. When the barking ceases, give the dog your attention or a treat. Every time the barking starts, back the dog until it understands that barking means no attention from their master.

Wearing a bark collar

This nifty invention has been helping dog owners reduce excessive barking for a long time. The electronic one is the best as it cannot be triggered by another dog’s barking like the citronella collar. The collar sends an interrupter such as a small burst of air, a squirt of citronella, an electrical pulse or noise which distracts the dog from barking. In any case, it is suggested that a veterinarian is consulted before using a bark collar on your dog.

Mask external sights and sounds

Just as we are distracted by external sources of noise or seeing people pass by, the dog is also distracted. Many times, dogs can be seen perched at a window, barking at everyone and everything that passes. If possible, block the dog’s view of the hustle and bustle outside to curb the excitement and by extension, reducing the barking. If the barking is triggered by noise, try to drown it out with a fan or a soft radio noise that the dog is accustomed to hearing.

Providing chew toys

Never talk with your mouth full! This also holds true for dogs and can help reduce excessive barking. It is impossible for the dog to bark if it has a chew toy in its mouth. Chewing is also known to release a happy hormone in dogs so giving them something to chew on can be very beneficial.

Give your dog a playmate

If you have one dog, and no other pets for it to play with, the dog can lead a very lonely life. Excessive barking may be a sign of that loneliness, and the solution would bring another pet into the family. When the dog is engaged in play, very little barking occurs because they are so focused on the task. Does your dog need a doggy friend?

Mark your territory

Dogs are territorial animals and may bark excessively at a person or thing they believe their territory. To help curb the excessive barking, stake your claim to the ‘territory’ and forcefully assert yourself. This will show the dog who’s boss!

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  1. Jacqui says:

    Thank you , very helpfull l , like you love our larg or small furry friends. They deserve our care and love in return , as there’s is unconditional towards us. They are a wonderfull gift from our creator he Evan gives us a command to take care of our domestic animals in the first book of the Bible Revolution. Also please read Proverbs 12-10. Passing them on is cruel and causes anxiety,depression , and confusion .Sometimes they never get over it , the fear of being passed on. We must Get to really know our dear friends the rewards are great. As l know you know. Thank you again for trying to educate people of our preciouse gift of a dear faithfull friend ❤️

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