All dogs talk and that sounds bark. There are sweet bark, shuddering bark and monotonous or excessive bark. The last one is the biggest issue that some of the dog owners have to face. It often disturbs your neighbors to a great extent and becomes an apple of discord.
Now, barking is not something that you can expect to stop at any moment. There are several key reasons behind this behavior.
At first, we have to agree on a basic point that unnecessary dog barking is a sign of something else that is going on underneath. Presumably, incessant barking is not a preferable task even to the dog himself.
So, we are going to trace out the real causes which are supposedly responsible for this behavior. How to stop a dog from barking mandates you to know the ins and outs of this issue.
Which things trigger dog barking?
There are several reasons for dog barking. We have detailed those out here.
Fear factor: Your dog may be afraid of strangers, particular sounds or a real incident that is taking place. Here, you need to find out if the dog is really doing this for something important or out of some petty issues.
Lack of exercise: The dog needs exercise for sound fitness. It also demolishes unhealthy practices of the dog such as barking and destructive behavior. You can walk him or let him run or play some games.
Joyous mood: Dogs often get excited while playing a game or with the touch of a robust companionship. Barking is an expression of that playful mood.
Boring routine: If your dog has little of enjoyment and more of a monotonous routine, he will probably bark a lot.
Tension or anxiety: Pressing tension or anxiety also leads him to do this.
Territorial protectiveness: Territorial protection extends to food, zone, family and even toys. The dog may want to keep these things out of harm from a probable intruder.
Disturbance in the surroundings: Provocations, moving into a new place and change in general order of things may have a negative impact on the dog.
Attention seeking effort: Dogs often try to capture your full attention by barking.
Diseases: Sudden change in behavior is quite often an indication of disease. If a calm dog starts barking endlessly, you need to inspect his overall health condition. Sickness or illness will drive him into crazy things.
Obsessive compulsion: In this situation, the dog is unable to stop even if he wishes to. So, it requires a vet visit.
Sounding an alarm: The dog may sense some danger in the surroundings and warn you in advance.
Some of these issues ring no alarm at all in our minds. But a few of those are quite formidable factors to reckon with. So, at the very beginning of the barking training, we need to find out the truly responsible factor.
If you carefully observe his routine and his surrounding circumstances, you will find out the trigger behind it. Dog barking prevention training asks several basic behaviors from you.
Training and Change in Lifestyle:
For the best outcome, we prefer general training that is designed to manage sound pollution. Repetition of the command or lifestyle is the key to success in this line of work. It helps grow better bondage between you two. Moreover, your dog learns to obey your commands here.
1. Never shout at the dog in response. It sends a negative message to him. He might consider this as teamwork that you are often willing to join in.
In case you want to put an end to barking, order the dog in a calm voice. ‘Quiet’ is the most powerful command in the long term. It should be practiced by all of your family members. You can also use a pointed look or a distracting sound to stop it.
2. Excessive barking needs some fantastic treats with his good response. If the dog obeys your command and stops, give him a reward.
He will associate the meaning of the food with stopping. Be careful here so that your dog does not connect the treat as a barking reward.
3. The dog is greatly affected by the environment. You have to calm down the dog if he is afraid. Take a notice of the frightening element and alleviate it. Soothe his mind with some magic actions.
Help him dissociate between an authentic and a superficial fear component. You can take him out or arrange a physically participatory game on such an occasion.
On the other hand, it is often an expression of joy from the dog. Then, it is time to bring the tempo of the situation a bit down.
4. Absence of physical activities leads to pent up energy. You have to take him out oftentimes. Let him run and play in an open place. Exhausting his energy is a fine escape from disturbing dog barking.
If the dog is left with little energy after the exercise, he will never dream of barking in a normal situation.
5. Do you leave your dog alone for a long period of time? Loneliness breeds boredom in him. And barking is regularly considered an expression of that feeling. Leaving him confined at a specific location for long is another contributor in this regard.
6. Do not expect him to stop altogether. So, you have to order the dog to bark on some occasions. Barking on command gives him a good lesson that you are not dead against his freedom of speech.
Professional Assistance:
If you have little time or desire to teach your dog all the basics, you may want help from dog professionals. In addition, there are some cases that are just beyond our general capacity and require outer assistance.
7. Obsessive compulsion and diseases call for vet suggestions. If all other efforts fail to bring a positive outcome, you have to go to the vet. Veterinary behaviorists can come to assist in a great way. They are capable of advising better solutions in this regard.
8. Introducing your dog to an obedience class is an effective way in this regard.
9. You may also want to consult a professional positive reinforcement trainer.
Bark Control Products:
When general commands fail to bring any positive outcome, you can accept help from some of the most effective devices. These machines are good for instant silencing. Especially, dog barking at night could be a real problem. You might need to stop it before instilling the right kind of behavior. But using these products has unintended consequences too. Your dog may even stop barking to warn you in case of an emergency.
10. There are some bark control collars and muzzles which will bring an end to disturbing behavior. Collars use shock, unpleasant scent, vibration or high frequency sounds to put an end to dog barking.
Finally:
Barking is their medium of communication. We have to investigate why the dog is doing this in the first place. Our range of examination covers his health, environment, people around him and many other aspects.
By taking a deeper look into the problem, we can hope to solve it with fitting solutions. These techniques will effectively put you in a comfortable zone while you are trying to control dog barking.
