Excessive dog barking: correction methods

Why should a dog bark

Barking is an important signal. And it is absolutely necessary for any normal dog. The ban on barking is the same as for people the ban on calls for help in emergency situations.

Barking is, rather, not a means of communication, but a way of alerting “Something is wrong!”

 The protective qualities of a dog are embedded in genes that cannot be crushed with a finger. Therefore, if the dog barks at a knock on the door or a bell, do not punish him. The main thing is to encourage the first “woofs” and not to encourage prolonged and “useless” barking. However, sometimes a dog barks on business and not on business, which can not only get on the owner’s nerves, but also become a source of conflict with others, especially with neighbors.

Pictured: dog barking

Correction of excessive barking at home

First of all, find out why the dog is barking and try to eliminate the cause. There can be a lot of them: anxiety, fear, lack of communication and attention, excessive joy or low level of physical activity. Perhaps the dog is barking because he is afraid of something. Teach your puppy to different noises, walk in new places, communicate with other animals and people. If your dog is whining, howling, or barking, you should make every effort to choose the right restraint and reward tactics. One of the main mistakes of caring owners: leaving the house, they feel sorry for the dog, calm it down if it starts to bark or whine. And sometimes they put tasty treats in their mouths. The dog understands: yeah, the owner likes what I do. And happy to try! As a result, there is even more noise, and the owner is unaware that he is encouraging his four-legged friend precisely for wrong actions. Teach your pet to analyze how much the situation really threatens the general well-being (for example, steps on the stairs or rustles near the door), and if there are no reasons to signal danger, ignore the dog. When the pet is silent, be sure to encourage him. 

Under no circumstances should a dog be physically punished for whining or barking. Apply either a command with an excerpt (for example, “Lie down”) or “No” and “No”.

 Before leaving the dog alone, walk it well, give it the opportunity to run out so that there is less energy left for barking. The switch might work. If your dog is barking, call out loudly, clap your hands, and quickly walk the other way. If your pet runs after you, praise him. It is important to properly organize the living space of the dog and its leisure. Do not keep your pet in a dark or small room – this can cause fear and subsequent psychological problems in behavior. Sometimes the habit of leaving in a conspicuous place “an object – the owner’s deputy” works, for example, something from clothes that has your smell. You can turn on the radio or TV. Now on the Internet you can even find specialized sites with music and television for dogs. For a while, the dog may be occupied with interactive toys or games. For example, a toy with a favorite treat inside. Or sweets hidden in different corners of the house.You might also be interested in:Three main principles of dog training«