Woof woof! It’s no surprise that dogs bark. This is a natural behavior, but sometimes when left uncontrolled or untrained, it can become a nuisance. Puppy owners typically address the behavior in their own ways, which may have success in the short-term, but does not address the behaviour at its root and fails in the long-term. Some examples of short-term fixes include yelling, rewarding for bad behavior, and inconsistent discipline/training.

In our quick guide we’ll tackle some of the strategies you can use to keep your puppy on the quiet side and give you some resources to address the behaviour in the long-term. Keep in mind that these strategies can be used multiple levels of your dog’s training. Every dog is different, so find one that works for you.

Sometimes the solution might be incredibly straightforward. Maybe your dog is bored or hasn’t gotten enough exercise. If this is the case, providing them with interactive toys or getting them enough exercise might be enough to make them stop. If the barking is a result of separation anxiety, that may require a different solution. As luck would have it, there are many trainers and guides online for you to read up on to help tackle whatever situation you’re facing.

The Training

Exercise

With the COVID-19 pandemic and many of us working from home, sometimes your dog’s overall mental and physical needs can be neglected. Ensure your dog gets enough mental stimulation and physical exercise before you leave them on their own. A well exercised dog is more likely to sleep than to cause trouble once you leave. If you have a friend or a dog walker in your area, try having them come halfway through the day to walk your dog and keep them at bay.

Socializing

Dogs without proper socialization can start to bark at almost everything, including people on bikes or in wheelchairs, squirrels, birds, the local postman, or anything else they manage to spot from a window. If they’ve had many positive social experiences with these distractions or strangers, they will be less inclined to bark. A great example is introducing your dog to the delivery worker and having them give your dog a treat.

Keeping your Dog Preoccupied

This is a great opportunity to check out interactive toys, such as toy feeders, puzzles, and more! Treats can be placed inside of these toys, making them work for their reward. The best toys will take them some time to figure out and will keep your dog occupied for some time. Check some more out here.

Managing Environments

Another common tip for owners with a dog who likes to bark when they leave is to leave their dog with familiar sounds playing around the house. The idea is to make it seem like you’re home when you’re not. Some examples include playing your favorite playlist, radio station, or Netflix show while you’re gone. Additionally, it might be a good idea to close the blinds and remove the opportunity for your dog to see and start barking at a squirrel, a cat, or the delivery guy outside.

Teaching the Quiet Command

This one is by far one of the more popular suggestions from dog trainers and includes teaching your dog a “quiet” command. When your dog starts to bark using a calm but firm voice, tell your dog “quiet” and then reinforce good behavior with treats and pets once they settle down.

Staying Unresponsive to Barking

The most common reason why dogs bark is for attention. They might want for you to feed them, open the door, let them out of their crate, or give them affection! In all cases, ignore them entirely and don’t respond. Responding to them lets them know that they can bark at you to get what they want, and we don’t want that! Wait until they’re quiet to give them what they want. Once they settle or lay down, give recognition to their good behavior by providing positive reinforcement with a treat and some praise.

The Tips

When you get a dog, we all know that at some point they’re going to bark. This is a normal behavior that can be caused by a variety of factors, such as a fearful reaction, overexcitement, attention-seeking or just plain boredom. If you ever feel like your dog is barking excessively, try to find the root cause of the barking or what’s causing it right away. Your next step would be to address it consistently and patiently to start changing their behavior

Disclaimer

The video and/or my content cannot guarantee that the learning method is right for your dog. The information I give is based on my knowledge and opinion of different learning types and is not directly endorsed by professionals. The methods shown within the video are meant to be used for demonstration purposes and do not guarantee success with all dogs. If you have any specific questions or concerns regarding the information, please reach to us through our Contact Page and we can get in touch.