How to stop a dog from barking
If you live in a noisy and busy area, letting your dog out in the garden alone or unsupervised is asking for a problem. He will look and find things to bark at and this will not help the problem but reinforce it. Since dogs think thatbarkingis fun he will continue to do so unless he has something else to do. Helping your dog to accomplish this means that you do everything to help him and then you must reward him for behaving and quieting down. Here are some tips for helping your dog to achieve this goal:
- Provide exercise. A dog can never get enough. Make sure that your dog has plenty of fun things to do, such as seeing his other dog friends, games of fetch, hide and seek, etc. Day cares for dogs, or dog walkers are also an excellent option for letting him get his exercise when you are not home.
- Pay attention. Be sure to watch and direct your dog. If you are in the back yard for example, try calling him away from whatever he is barking at and give him a reward when he obeys your command.
- Remove the antecedent. Prevent him from barking by blocking his view from the distraction by rearranging the furniture or closing the curtains etc. Not allowing him to behave wrongly is a big step to progress.
- Meet his needs. Knowing what your dog's routine is, is better for both of you. Make a schedule and keep to it as much as possible. Your dog will learn to trust you more and it will make him feel more secure.
- Be ready. Be prepared to strengthen something is going well. When you know what you want, it is more probable that you are going to get it.
- Use a marker signal. Using a signal to help your dog to see which behaviors are in for a reward (good quiet behavior) is a must. Always be ready to signal him. And remember that this signal marks the quiet behavior and you can then reward him.
