Dogs bark.
It is an action deeply ingrained in their system, a sound in a collection of sounds produced by "Mans Best Friend" that could be terribly annoying for dog owners.
Since the sound is basically their way of communication, you cannot stop a dog from barking anymore than you can stop it from whimpering or growling .
However, you may control it by teaching the dog to obey commands specifically made for your pet to realize that the barking has got to stop.
Here are two most common reasons why dogs bark and ways to alleviate the problem.
Type: Warning Barks This is actually the only bark that dog owners want to cultivate.
One purpose for having a dog is to guard or warn us against impending problems, making it only logical that we would want our canines trained to fit the deed.
However, the problem comes in when your pet starts to bark at harmless intruders, more specifically, at mailmen.
Some dog owners solve this by simply preventing their pets to see the mailman.
Treatment Since warning barks are favorable to dog owners, we do not usually chastise the dog for alerting us to an intruder.
However, the problem would be stopping your pet from continuous barking long after the "intruder" has been identified and welcomed.
For example, if a friend you have not seen for a long time suddenly drops by your house, dog barks would not be surprising.
Stopping the noise barrage is another thing entirely.
You can try by training your dog to listen to specific commands.
Select a word which you will always use whenever the barking problem arises, such as : No or Stop.
For example, once the dog starts to bark, get his attention through clapping or calling out his name.
The minute the dog stops barking, look him in the eyes and say "No!".
{You can punctuate the point by decisive hand signals if you want, wait for a few minutes for the words or gestures to sink in before giving them a treat~You could also use hand signals if you want, allow for a few minutes for the gestures to sink before finally giving a gift~Let the words register on the canine before finally giving them something tasty or something to play with, hand signals are also effective.
The treat would condition them into thinking "If I stop barking, they will give me a treat.
" Type: "Notice Me" Barks These barks are basically instigated to catch the owners attention.
This behavior is mostly seen in young puppies that are more inclined to seek attention.
If you concede to these barks, you would only confirm that barking would give them attention, no matter how negative that attention is.
Treatment Because this is a "notice me" bark, any type of attention you give, whether it is a glare or a "Shut up!" would be ignored.
However, the trick for this type of bark is pretty much like the one for "Warning Barks".
You would have to first distract them from barking by making a different kind of noise that would startle them.
Refrain from calling out their name because that also comes under the label of attention.
When the dog stops barking, let a few minutes pass before finally giving them their treat.
Note that the few minutes is important because it reinforces the fact that you are rewarding them because they have stopped, not because they have barked.
Be consistent with your tone and voice and the words you use .
Other members of the family must also adapt these commands to avoid confusion from the family canine.
Once you are well on the way of dog barking training, you can now replace the chew toys and treats with affectionate gestures like a scratch between the ears.
Be patient with the training as it would take time before your dog adapts to the changes in the household.
If you are having extreme cases of barking that seems to have no reason at all, it might be best to consult a vet.
A veterinarian would be more able to give different treatments depending on your dogs situation.
However, regardless of the reason for your pets bark, always remember to be patient with the dog.
As much as possible, avoid using methods that will hurt the dog.