How to Deal with Dog Barking Problems
One of the most common complaints from dog owners is that of dog barking problems. This is one of the more annoying and frustrating behaviors that your friendly pooch can display. Because there are so many factors that may cause a dog to bark, you have to make certain that you understand what the trigger is in order to address the behavior correctly.
There are lots of reasons for barking behavior and it is usually something in the environment that the dog senses, sees, hears or smells. Perhaps your pet is exhibiting a dominant behavior because some other animal is in the vicinity. Dogs bark when they hear another dog barking, or they may become loud in order to get attention. Many dogs discover that this behavior will let them manipulate their owner and they will use this power to obtain toys, treats and other rewards.
Creating the Rules for Good Behavior
You many not even realize that you are reinforcing this behavior by rewarding your dog. Dogs are often eager for attention and recognition, whether it is positive or negative. When you yell at the dog to quiet down, the dog interprets this as your own type of barking and this means that he has gotten you to communicate with him. This in itself is a great reinforcement for lots of dogs because it means that you are paying attention to them.
You have to make it very obvious that this dog barking behavior is not going to be allowed and it will take patience and consistency to achieve your goal. Remember that if you give toys or treats to your dog when he is barking the animal believes that he has done a good deed and is being rewarded. He also sees this as a way to get more treats from his owner. Even letting a dog indoors when he barks, or putting him outside, is reinforcing the behavior to a large degree and it makes stopping the barking even harder to do.
One of the best ways to deal with dog barking behavior is to ignore it. Look for some of the triggers and use them in your training session. If your dog barks loudly every time someone knocks on the door, you can desensitize him to this sound. Have someone knock on the door while you are sitting in the room with your dog. When your dog begins to bark, ignore the door and your dog. Wait until he quiets to go to the door.
This will help him realize that you are not going to jump and respond to this type of noise, and that he should be quiet as well. You will help your pet realize that these sounds are not something that should make him bark. It will take time to help him understand this, but this type of training is very effective. You can use this method with many other barking triggers including doorbells, and telephones.
There are going to be times when the barking problems may take place when no one else is at home. Many pets will become bored and frustrated when they are left cooped up for long hours. You can take steps to help prevent this from becoming a major issue by making sure that your dog gets plenty of daily exercise. Providing your pet with treats and toys will also give him some diversions that may keep his boredom in check.
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Do not give your dog warm praise and hugs if your pet is jumping on you and barking uncontrollably when you come home because this is reinforcement for bad behavior. Wait until your pooch is calm and quiet and then praise and pet him so that he will associate the reward with the correct type of behavior.
You can also try shaking a metal container containing a handful of marbles when the barking starts. This loud noise will often startle your pet enough to stop the barking. This is a way to associate a negative response with the undesirable behavior and it is effective with most dogs. There are also bark collars available that can be used when other methods do not seem to be working.