How To Stop Your Dog From Barking: A Complete Guide
We all love our dogs, but sometimes we do not love the tendencies some start to develop. One of these tendencies that many owners rather their dog not have, is excessive barking. Barking can be loud and get annoying after consistently hearing. Did you know that there are certain breeds of dogs that bark more than others? Well, it is true. So, if you are not a fan of barking make sure you do some research on the potential breed you are interested in bringing into your family.
If you own a dog an have noticed that they are starting to develop a tendency to excessively bark. You will want to look to stop that habit before it develops further. So how do you stop your dog from barking? Well, we will dive into that below and by the end of this post, you will have a better grasp on how to minimize your dog’s barking.
Barking Breeds
As stated above, some breeds of dogs tend to bark more frequently than others. You probably want to know which breeds those are to potentially avoid a headache. Well, surprisingly there are quite a few but the top three breeds that are quite the barkers are below.
Fox Terriers
Fox Terriers are one of the breeds that tend to be loud and often barkers. The main reason that they tend to be more likely to bark is that their breed is bred to be hunters. Since they are hunting dogs, they tend to be on guard and bark at any potential threat that they may feel as though it is threating their owner or them. If you do not plan on taking your fox terrier hunting, be prepared for them to an outlet on the mailman and squirrels.
Schnauzer
For a smaller dog, the Schnauzer is quite the barker. This breed tends to bark if they are not properly trained. If not taught at a young age, these dogs can get quite vocal and will tend to bark at anything that moves. If you do decide you are getting a Schnauzer, train them early and you should be able to control the barking.
West Highland Terrier
If you are seeing a small trend with terriers, then you may be onto something. The terrier breed tends to be on the more vocal side. These little guys tend to get quite excited due to their small size. They will bark at any strangers or animals that cross their path.
It may be due to them being scared and that is their line of defense or could be because they think they are tough and need to vocalize that. Either way, you slice it, these little guys can bark and they are not afraid to do so.
Reasons Why Your Dog Barks
Don’t think for a second that your dog is barking just to bark. There is always a reason. Depending on the dog, the reason can be quite different. If your dog is barking, the first thing you want to do is figure out why. Once you figure out what is making your dog bark than you can start to work on fixing the issue.
Possible Threat (Fear)
One of the main reasons that your dog may be excessively barking is due to fear or sensing that it is in danger. If your dog is younger, it may be prone to barking as it is experiencing a new world and the slightest thing may frighten it. If your dog has had a rough past, it may have developed certain fears. When reintroduced to the situation that amplifies that fear, your dog will start to bark as a defense.
Overall, your dog’s first instinct is to bark when it feels threatened. So if it has more fears and is not properly introduced to people or situations, you may find your dog barking more frequently.
Attention
Another reason your dog may be starting to bark more excessively is that it is trying to get your attention. If you smothered and kept your pup by your side while it was growing up and never let it learn to have alone time. It may start to bark when it feels as though you are not paying attention to it. It may also start to bark if you are away from your dog, as it has developed a sense of comfort with you around.
Keep an eye out and see if they start to bark when you leave the room or the home without it. If you start to notice this, you may have a dog that needs more attention.
Over Stimulated
One of the biggest and most frequent reasons for dogs barking excessively is due to over excitement. Have you ever noticed when a dog you are playing with starts to have a little too much fun and lets out a loud bark? This is them expressing that they are enjoying their time but watch out. If you get them too excited then, you may have your dog barking excessively until they calm down.
When playing with your dog or any dog, be sure to not get them to over-excited and you may avoid that excessive barking.
Dog Talk
The last reason why your dog may be excessively barking, and this is more common in outdoor dogs, is a response. If you live in a neighborhood with other dogs, you may have noticed that when one barks, the rest follow suit. This is because they are responding to each other and letting each other know they are nearby.
If this type of barking is getting to annoy you or your neighbors. It may be time to bring your dog in at certain hours to avoid an orchestra of barking around the neighborhood.
Methods to Help with Excessive Barking
If you have decided that your dog does have a slight problem with excessive barking. You will want to try and nip that bad habit in the source as soon as you notice. The first thing you will want to figure out is why your dog is barking. If you pay enough attention to your dog’s habits, you will quickly figure out why they may be barking a bit too much. Once you have figured out why your dog is barking, the next step is to work on fixing that problem.
Below are some methods to keep in mind and practice with your dog, if they bark excessively.
Training
The first step to deal with any bad behavior from your dog is to train them properly. Training when your dog is just a pup is so crucial. If you teach them certain behaviors or address developing bad tendencies, you can avoid them later on.
When your dog is starting to grow and they figure out their bark, they will, without doubt, use it. So, when your dog does start using their voice, do not yell, but rather train them when to use that bark.
You can do this by introducing your dog to a variety of people and environments early on. This way they will be less likely to bark at the unknown. Overall, the steps to an obedient and great dog are in your hands.
Discipline
If your dog starts to exhibit any bad behaviors, you can discipline them and show them that that is not the way to act. Now, discipline does not mean physical abuse but rather a sense of training. It explains to the dog that if you do this action, there will be a punishment.
If your dog starts to bark, you can, for example, tell them to shhh or put them in their crate until they settle down. If you issue one of these commands and they listen, immediately provide them with a treat. This way it will instill in them that if they listen and do not perform that action, they will be rewarded. This way you are teaching your dog to tone down the barking with positive reinforcement.
No Temptation
The final method to stop your dog from barking is to remove the temptation for them to bark. This means that if your dog barks at a dog it sees through the window, remove them from that room or close the blinds. This way they will not know the dog is there and will not bark.
If you leave your dog outside and they tend to bark at people passing by, then bring your dog inside. If you ignore the temptations that trigger your dog then you will never be able to fix the issue.
You will find if you put this method into action that it is how to stop your dog from barking at other dogs and people.
Practice Makes Perfect and Perfect Means No More Barking
The first step is recognizing that your dog has an issue with barking. The second step is doing something about it. Do not be swayed if the first couple of times you try and stop your dog from barking they don’t work. Keep at it, and try different methods. You will eventually see a change in your dog’s behavior with persistence.
If you take the time to understand your dog and why they might be barking, you will figure out a solution. So if it is stopping your dog from barking or figuring out how to stop your neighbor’s dog from barking., know it will take time and effort but in the end, you will see results.