how to stop a dog from barking

By Kenna Rogers 

Every person who has ever owned a dog all know one thing for certain: dogs bark! Whether it is genetic, boredom, or because something in their environment is stressful to them, dogs bark for many different reasons. Breeds such as hounds, collies, shelties, cocker spaniels and beagles all share the yappy gene, while other dogs are just predisposed to warn about everything that’s going on around them.

The dogs that are hardest to quiet are the bored dogs.  They sit in their yard all day long with nothing to do while the owners are working.  Barking for these types of dogs is just another way for them to make themselves busy.  Other dogs that are hard to break of the barking habit are the ones with separation anxiety.  When owners leave, the dogs exhibit their stress by barking, chewing, digging and just plain destructiveness, no matter how sweet and well mannered they are when the owner is home.

Some methods for treating barking are easy enough to follow, but first you need to find out why the dog is barking to really understand how to quiet him altogether. Try these general techniques for a few weeks to determine which route is best for the dog in question:

1. Don’t touch the dog when he’s barking.  This only reinforces his barking behavior because petting, holding, and soothing are signs of praise, and praise is not needed for naughty behavior!
2. Reward him when he’s silent.  It’s important to reward dogs for their good behavior, instead of focusing only on their negative aspects.  This teaches him the owner enjoys it when the he is quiet.
3. Include him in the family.  Don’t leave the dog isolated from his family. This is possibly the worst kind of punishment and only increases bad behavior. Dogs are social animals.
4. Give him exercise.  Before owners leave for the day, they should play with their dog for at least 20 minutes. The best is hard play; this makes the dog tired and inclined to nap. Running, throwing a ball or Frisbee, or just wrestling is good.
5. Cut out distractions from the yard.  Dogs are easily riled when teased, either by a neighbor, or someone walking past their yard.  Provide a dog run away from the fence, or bring the dog inside. If the dog is destructive, there is always the option of putting him in a crate while the owner is away.
6. Time outs.  It’s hard to ignore a dog, especially when he’s a beloved part of the family, but don’t let him become so attached that when he’s left alone for 5 minutes, he starts to cry.  It’s a good rule of thumb to ignore a dog for at least 30 minutes three times a day. Eye contact, petting, talking to him, nudging, or lap sitting are not allowed. He will soon accept that he is not the center of his owner’s life.
7. Time buffers.  20 minutes before an owner goes to work, he or she should put their dog into a crate where he’ll spend the rest of the day.  While the dog is inside the crate, no talking, stopping to pet, or giving treats is allowed.  This teaches the dog to not get so emotional about being left alone for an extended period. Alternately, the dog should be left inside the crate 20 minutes after the owner arrives home, to allow the dog to settle down and not make such a big deal about the owner coming back.
8. Give him something to do.  Dogs always have to be doing something.  Humans get bored without snacks, games, television; why should a dog be any different?  Before being left alone, give the dog a chew toy or a cube with food hidden inside, so the dog has to work for his snack.  Give the toys to him before leaving for work, and pick them back up after arriving home.
9. No abuse.  Hitting, shock collars, slapping, punching, kicking or holding a dog’s mouth shut are not acceptable ways to quiet barking.  This only instills fear or causes aggression.
10. The squirt bottle route.  Set the squirt bottle on straight stream and fill it full of water, or add vinegar or lemon juice.  When the dog barks, squirt on the muzzle.  Squirt within two to three seconds of yapping for it to be effective, and before he forgets what he’s done wrong.  Be consistent. Alternately, Binaca (human breath spray) can be used.  Just lift the lip and spray in the mouth.
11. The “Quiet!” command.  Only say “Quiet” once, afterward, use the spray or Binaca. Afterward, immediately hide them.  After all, threatening the dog isn’t really teaching it not to bark.