If your dog has already acquired the habit of barking, what you need are strategies to correct excessive barking and in this article from our site we show you some. Keep in mind that it is not possible to completely eliminate barking through training or environmental management, as your dog will still be able to bark and will do so in some circumstances. But still, it is not necessary to completely eliminate barking either.
Also keep in mind that the habit of barking can be very ingrained and very difficult to break. In some cases it is so consolidated that the necessary efforts to eliminate it are not justified and it is best to look for an environmental management alternative that does not eliminate barking but does prevent problems with neighbors. On the other hand, remember that there are breeds of dogs that are calmer and others that are more prone to barking and that this behavior is pre-established in the genes of those breeds. If your dog belongs to a barking breed, the best thing you can do is try to redirect the behavior (not eliminate it) and manage the environment in such a way as to reduce the nuisance caused by his barking.
Since there are many and varied reasons why dogs bark, there is no recipe to eliminate excessive barking. The methods to be used depend on the particular situation and depend on the specific causes of each case. In some complex cases you may even need the help of a professional trainer who works personally with you and your dog. However, in most cases, the following protocol for modifying your pet's behavior will work for you.
Rule out he alth problems
If your dog was not a barker and the barking started suddenly, there may be some related he alth cause Barking and howling may be related to vision problems, hearing problems, pain and other clinical causes. Whether or not the barking (or howling) started suddenly, it's a good idea to make a trip to the vet your first step in solving the problem. If there is any clinical cause associated with the barking, the solution must also be clinical. In this case, dog training plays no role.
Keep in mind, however, that some vets are very prone to prescribing medication for any reason. In some cases, painkillers and similar medications are prescribed to treat dogs that bark when left alone. This can be harmful to the dog in the long run and, if there are no he alth problems, the barking issue should not be treated with medication Or, at least least, medication should not be the first option. If the veterinarian does not find a he alth problem and recommended some type of pain reliever for your pet, please seek a second opinion before starting medical treatment.
If your dog does not have any he alth problems, then he tries to identify external stimuli that cause the barking
Identifies external stimuli
If your dog barks in response to some external stimulus that you have not noticed or have overlooked, the solution necessarily involves identifying what that stimulus is. To identify them you must first be clear in what situations barking occurs.
If your dog still barks when accompanied, the way to identify the stimuli is by paying attention to the dog and the directions in which it barks. Pay attention to everyday things or things that would not normally attract your attention. For example, cyclists passing by your front door, loud and uncomfortable noises (planes, if you live near an airport), howling from other dogs, etc. can cause your dog to bark.
If, on the other hand, your dog barks when he's alone, you'll need to find a way to watch him when he's alone. Leaving a camera recording is an ideal way to see what your dog does when he is left alone. You don't need to record a whole morning or a whole afternoon, 1 or 2 hours will be enough. Of course, make sure you leave the camera somewhere that your dog cannot reach, because otherwise you will have to buy a new one.
If your dog does bark in response to certain environmental stimuli, you need to decide if you can and want to withdraw the stimulus or if you prefer to train your dog to shut up on command.
Eliminating barking by removing the environmental stimulus
This is the easiest way to stop barking. If you have identified a stimulus that is causing the barking, then the solution is very simple: that your dog does not perceive that stimulus again. In some cases you can literally eliminate the environmental stimulus and in other cases you just have to modify the environment so that your dog does not perceive that stimulus.
For example, if when your dog is left alone, it barks at the window at people or animals walking outside, the simplest thing is to leave it in a place in the house where it does not have access to the windows facing the street. Many dogs act like guards when left alone, defending the home from any perceived "threats."If those dogs stay in a room that does not have windows to the street, or their access to the windows is limited by strategically placed folding doors, the dogs do not see these "threats" and no longer bark.
Or, if your pet sleeps in the yard and barks at the cats that roam the ceilings and walls every night, you can find a way to keep the cats out of your roof and windows. walls, or allow your dog to sleep inside. In either case, you will have eliminated the stimulus causing the barking. Trying to train your dog not to bark at cats, on the other hand, will take a lot of time and effort, and you may not be successful.
When the environmental stimulus cannot be eliminated
In some cases you cannot eliminate the environmental stimulus causing the barking. For example, if your dog barks when the doorbell rings. In that situation you cannot remove the doorbell to fix the problem. In cases like these, you could try extinction of the behavior so that your dog ignores the stimulus, or training incompatible behaviors so that your dog performs another behavior instead of barking.
Our advice for these cases is to teach your dog to bark and shut up on command. Thus, the stimulus will continue to cause the barking, but you can easily stop it. In addition, training your dog will help you silence him in other situations where he may bark inappropriately.
Eliminate unconscious training barking
If your dog barks in certain situations, and with his barks gets you to give him something to make him shut up, it's because you have unconsciously trained him to barkThese dogs bark to get food, to go outside, to be caressed, to be passed their toys, to be put on the bed, etc. In this case, the probability of eliminating excessive barking is high if you are willing to be consistent and patient with the training. The solution lies in the extinction of the behavior or the training of incompatible behaviors.
One option is to simply ignore your dog's barking (note, this only works if your dog barks because you trained it without realizing it). account). For example, if your pet barks to receive food when you eat breakfast. Since you always gave him some food to shut him up, he learned to bark to get food. The solution is to ignore him when he barks, but you have to be very patient and consistent. If you always ignore it, without even paying attention to it, the barking behavior will eventually die out. extinction of behavior works very well in these cases, but it can take a lot of patience. Some dogs are so used to barking to get what they want that they can bark non-stop for several minutes. Even their behavior may worsen just before extinction occurs.
The other alternative to stop barking if your dog has been unconsciously trained to bark is to train an incompatible behaviorIn the same example above, your dog constantly barks when you sit down at the breakfast table. Instead of ignoring him, you teach him a behavior incompatible with barking. You can teach him to take a toy in his mouth, which will make it very difficult for him to bark. The problem is that you still have to give him something to eat to reinforce the new behavior.
A behavior that is not necessarily incompatible, but works well to stop barking, is to teach your dog to go to his bed when you sit at the table, and stay there while you have breakfast If your dog's bed is not in the same place where the situation for which he barks occurs (for example, where you eat breakfast), you will have managed to eliminate the stimulus that makes him bark and you will have solved the problem. Keep in mind that whatever strategy you use, it is very useful to train your dog in canine obedience. This will teach him self-control, thereby reducing his tendency to bark for things. Offering your dog interactive food-stuffed toys while the barking situation is occurring (for example, while eating breakfast), can also help eliminate barking.
Eliminates barking when your dog is left alone
If your dog barks when he is left alone, but does not do so in response to any particular stimulus other than loneliness, it may be due to stress, frustration, anxiety, boredom or other similar causes.
In these cases, the best way to eliminate excessive barking is an environmental enrichment program based on interactive toys when your dog is alone. Be sure to teach him to use therecommended toys, because there are also some toys not recommended for them, and leave him interactive toys when he's alone.
For dogs that bark at night when sleeping outside, the quickest and most effective solution is allowing them to sleep inside Of course, you have to teach them not to dirty the house and not to destroy things, but it is usually a quick and effective solution. In addition, it is good to train him in canine obedience to teach him self-control and provide him with more company and physical exercise. Some people don't have the time for all this and hire walkers, trainers or dog daycare services. These alternatives can work well because dogs get physically and mentally tired, and are accompanied for longer. dog daycares are often a better option when you find one that has good security measures and has activity programs for the dogs.
Either way, before you think your dog barks when he's home alone, record it or find a way to see what he does when he's home alone. Many dogs bark and howl like they're being killed when their owners are leaving the house, but then they calm down and spend the time sleeping or chewing on their toys. This is what some trainers call " separation anxiety", as opposed to separation anxiety. If the barking occurs only when you are leaving the house but then your dog calms down, you should find a way to distract him while you leave, so that he does not notice your departure. Also avoid saying goodbye with great displays of affection. Say goodbye normally, like you say goodbye to your human relatives, or keep your dog from seeing you leave.
Genetically based barking
If your dog's relatives (brothers, sisters, parents, etc.) are also barkers, there is likely a genetic basisstrong for that behavior. In the same way, there can be a strong genetic influence if your dog belongs to a barking breed, such as the Sheltie, the Beagle, some terriers, etc. If this is the case, there is not much you can do to correct excessive barking The best thing you can do in these circumstances is to train your dog to bark and shut up on command, and also provide the opportunity to bark in appropriate situations. For example, take the opportunity to make him bark in the park or in other open places where he won't bother anyone. Only do this if your pet is truly a compulsive barker that you can't fix with any of the above.
