Keep Your Dog From Barking
There are some occasions where it is expected or possibly even helpful for your dog to bark, such as an uninvited intruder in your home. However, a dog’s bark can quickly change from being helpful to just being stressful or bothersome. Especially troublesome for owners who live in an apartment or condominium building and have been the unfortunate recipient of neighbor complaints. Fortunately, it isn’t too hard to get a dog to stop barking with proper training.
First off it’s important to realize that many dog’s barking stems from his boredom. Proper exercise can cut down on barking. If a dog isn’t getting any attention, barking sometimes seems to be his way of getting your attention – even if it’s negative attention. Ensuring that your dog has been properly exercised is a good first step toward stopping their unfortunate barking problems.
The last thing you want to do when teaching a dog not to bark is give him positive reinforcement. When chastising a dog, address it in a clear, authoritative voice, and after you’ve made it clear they’re doing something wrong, don’t go on to give him or her positive attention. Another tactic is similar to this by immediately addressing the dog, but don’t say anything, simply spray a bit of water on the dog – this may have to be repeated before the dog gets the point. Behavior training is always helpful when owning a dog and this issue can be addressed in class.
Anti-barking products can also help break your dog of their bad barking habits. These products include: electronic collars, citronella collars, sound-emitting collars, remote sound-emitters, muzzles, debarking surgery, and medication. These items, except for surgery, can be used temporarily while training is still in the process. Finally, you might pursue professional help – many trainers and kennels offer late night training sessions, which would let the owner and pet both come to understand how to solve the problem.
Taylor writes on a variety of other subjects, including how to select an xlarge dog bed.
