Does your dog just love to bark? Does he bark while you are home and even more when you are away? Are your neighbors complaining? This excessive barking can be more than annoying. So, you have to stop it but perhaps you do not know how to. Your dog is probably barking like this because he is bored but more importantly, how are you reacting to his barking? If your dog is in the yard and he is barking incessantly he is seeking attention and while he prefers positive attention, he will take negative if that is all that’s handy. Even if you are yelling at your dog, he still wins because he got your attention.
Now, if you are home and your dog start barking for no reason then you can walk up to him and spray or splash water in his face. Turn and walk away, do not say a word. When he stops barking immediately reward him and praise him. Anytime that your dog does not bark be sure to praise him so he can see the association.
It is a bigger problem if your dog insists on barking when you are not home. As a matter of fact you may not even know about it until a neighbor informs you. Firs
t, make sure that your dog has everything he needs while you are away. Keep the drapes closed so he cannot see other animals or people walking past. Do not leave him outdoors if he is a barker, bring him in. If you make a big deal about departing and coming back your dog is going to see that when you leave it is a serious issue. Try to divert your dog’s attention when you are gone by making sure he has something to occupy his time. If you don’t he will likely bark to keep busy. Leave him some chew toys, but make sure that he likes them first. If he doesn’t go near them when you are home he likely won’t when you are gone. It may help to keep a radio or the TV on too.
As difficult as it might be, you have to stop saying anything to your dog before you leave. Be quiet, don’t speak and do not pet your dog, just leave. Do the same when you get home. Walk in, check your mail, change clothes, whatever it is that you do and then after a while you can start talking to your dog. You are trying to establish that your being away was not a big deal, which leaves no reason for your dog to bark. Keep in mind, that consistency is the key factor to successful dog training.
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