Miriam Guilboa

Positive training for a barking dog.

It has been said, ‘A barking dog does not bite,’ but there are those people who have not been convinced otherwise every time some fine specimen of the canine family has bared its fangs or snarled and yelped. Dogs, and barking dogs, are two different species altogether, and while the first can be petted, cuddle with, and even given biscuits, the latter can only be run away from. Ultimately dogs will bark, as it is in the dogs nature to do so, yet, once the reasons dogs bark are understood, the dog is trained as to when to bark, and a time frame can be set for this training, peace and harmony can be restored.

To begin with, there are many reasons dogs bark and it needs to be recognized that barking in itself is not a problem because dogs will bark just like cats will meow and people will make promises. It’s just something dogs do when the dog wants something done. For instance, dogs bark when they are hungry at dinnertime or when someone is at the door, both of which are fine, and in fact, appreciated. Dogs also bark because they are activist, very sensitive psychologically, and little unnoticed things might affect them. So before training is considered, determine why the dog is barking because it needs a need met or if it may be feeling depressed or left out.

In order to stop the dog from barking we need to understand that barking becomes a problem when the dog refuses to stop barking despite being told to, thus, the job in hand is not to shut the dog up completely, but rather, to teach the dog to shut up when commanded to. By beginning the training with simple commands like ‘Speak’ or ‘Bark’ accompanied with a pat or a cookie will help the dog understand when to bark. Now it is time to tell him to stop barking by using commands such as ‘Enough’ or ‘That’s it’ as soon as his barking increases and immediately plop a cookie into the dog’s mouth so that he won’t have the choice but to stop barking. Now that the routine is final, repeat it a couple of times to reinforce the training of when to bark and when to stop barking by remembering to use the same command words and giving him a cookie when the task is completed successfully. In the case where the dog continues to bark despite the being commanded to stop, give the dog a sharp tug on the collar and repeat the command in a rebuking, no-nonsense tone of voice so the dog will learn his cue to stop barking.

Once the training has begun, it may take a good number of weeks to really start working. Be consistent and do not give up mid way through the process as this can only cause setbacks in the dog’s training. As a few dogs are by nature fond of barking and making noise, these dogs will take more time to train than other dogs. It will also help the training process if it is recognized as to when the dog may find itself barking, like when it is hungry, and use that information to help the consistency time-frame be more effective. The end result of being patient and remembering to be consistent with the commands used will help to expedite the time-frame for training a barking dog to understand when it is appropriate to bark and when it is necessary to stop barking.

In the end, barking dogs need a good time-frame in training established, consistency in the commands used during training, and for the reasons the dog barks to be understood in order to be successful with the training for a barking dog. Barking dogs need proper attitude training to bring the dog back to an acceptable track. Just as the dog needs all this to effectively learn from the training for a barking dog, it also needs the right mix of good time spent with the dog, positive attention given to it, and lots of love.

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