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Top Tips to Help Your Dog Stop Barking

by Louise W. Rice
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Dogs bark for several reasons. It is one of their primary means of communicating both with other dogs and with us. There is nothing strictly wrong with a dog barking, except, of course, our own comfort levels. Those who live in urban areas will also want to minimize dog barking to keep better relations with their neighbors.

There are many ways to help get your dog to stop or minimize their barking. Of course, you do not want to try to get them to stop entirely, as it is one of the best ways they can communicate to us, but keeping it to a minimum is a great compromise that is very achievable.

Use Ultrasonic Training

There are several ultrasonic training tools that many owners use for their dogs. Dog collars are one of the most used. They sound off when the collar detects barking from your dog. The best starts low then increase in pitch as the dog continues to bark. This will remind them to stop shortly after they begin, so they can alert you without having a fit.

Owners can also use ultrasonic dog whistles. They are very common training whistles that do not make noticeable noise to the human ear but are very obvious to dogs.

The Toy in the Mouth Trick

If you find that your dog barks too much when someone knocks on your door, then start to train them to instead find a toy. This way, their mouth will be occupied instead of barking, but they still have a way to react and notify you of the noise.

Teach Them the “Quiet” Command

Many people teach their dogs to speak on command. They can also teach them the quiet command afterward. This can be very useful when your dog barks at other dogs, as ultrasonic noise can also cause issues for the other dogs.

Know When to Ignore the Barking

There are some instances where you will need to ignore barking in order to get it to stop. For example, when you first start crate training, your dog may bark to get your attention and get you to come back. There is nothing to do but ignore their barking for your attention until they become accustomed to the action. Your leaving is going to be fairly stressful, but giving them assurances that you will return through training and routine is a great way to train them out of the stress (and the barking).

Desensitize Your Dog

Dogs often bark at loud noises, knocks at the door, and so on. If your dog becomes accustomed to this stimulus, it will automatically be less likely to bark. You can desensitize them in a few ways. This can be done by training, for example, or alternatively by giving them an alternative behavior (like the toy in mouth trick).

If your dog gets set off by knocking on the door, for example, train them out of it. You can knock on the door, then stop the barking and redirect the behavior to something you prefer. This way, when guests arrive, your dog will be used to the experience.

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