Puppy Barking: How to Train a Noisy Puppy to Quiet Down
Paws Are GoodIs your puppy barking all the time? Yappy puppy sometimes can be annoying to owner. Young puppy tends to bark, but excessive barking ends up as a big problem for dog owner. Do not get panic, try to find out the reason behind barking. Observe and try to learn your puppy’s behavior, what is causing your dog to bark too much. I have tried to come up with few basic areas to observe to determine the reason behind barking.
Why your puppy may be barking
Barking is a thing that dogs use for communication, and it may mean different things depending on the condition. Here are a few reasons why dogs bark:
Territorial and Protective
When a person or any animal comes into an area your dog considers its territory that triggers excessive barking. When you dog is threaten by human or animal and when threat gets closer, the dog will bark louder. Your dog will seem alert or even aggressive during this type of barking.
Alarm and Fear
Check if your dog is not getting scared with any noise such as alarm or even phone ring. There could be any noise and object that catches their attention and startles them. This could occur anywhere, not just in house territory.
Boredom and Loneliness
Dogs are pack animals. If you have left your puppy alone for a long time in the house or in the yard, then puppy can get bored, sad, and then it will bark due to lack of attention.
Greeting/Play
Dogs bark when greeting people as well as other animals. It is a happy bark, accompanied with tail wags and sometimes jumping.
Attention Seeking
Your puppy might get into habit of barking whenever it seeks attention. Usually, dogs frequently bark when they need something like going outside, playing, and getting a treat.
Separation Anxiety or Compulsive Barking
Dogs with separation anxiety frequently bark excessively when left alone. They exhibit other symptoms as well like depression, pacing, destructiveness, or inappropriate elimination. Compulsive barkers sometimes frequently make repetitive movements as well like running in circles or along a fence.
When is barking acceptable
If speaking is natural to humans, so does barking for dogs. But, how much barking should dog owner allow?
Like I said earlier, try to look for a reason behind barking. If your puppy is barking happily after seeing his doggy friend nearby or when greeting someone it is not a big deal.
If your puppy barks because of loneliness then dog owner must address this problem. If you are leaving your dog at home, try to find out from neighbors if it is barking when left alone. For those who live in apartment, this is very important as barking might be annoying for neighbors. If your neighbor complains about your puppy's barking that means you have to train your dog and make some changes in routine. You may also like my post on how to stop your dog from growling.
How to train a puppy not to bark
Identify the Cause of the Problem Barking
Dogs bark for different reasons, as well as some dogs, are vocal about defending what they see as their territory. When a person and another animal get closer, your dog can feel duty-bound to allow them to know they aren’t welcome. Dogs also can bark out of loneliness, separation anxiety, and fear.
Do not Bark Back at Your Puppy
When you are frustrated, you can be tempted to increase your voice. But resist the urge your dog can think you are joining in on the barking, and that can cause your puppy to bark more. Instead, speak in a lower, calm voice.
Reward Good Behavior
Dogs do not understand, their barking is annoying you and causing your neighbors to complaints. Treats, on the other hand, make good sense to your puppy. When your dog is barking, calmly utilize your one-word command. When he stops, then reward your dog with a treat.
Exercise Is Key to Stop Barking
Exercise is the best way to ease your tension and it is also great medicine for anxious animals, too. Be sure your dogs are getting a lot of exercises daily. If possible, then do the exercise session with your dog together. Like if you go for a walk with your dog then you can get a better walk also, a perfect way to start your day, as well.
Nip the Barking in the Bud
If you will allow your dog to continue barking for a long time, then it will become the more ingrained habit. It would be better to address barking problems when they arise, rather than letting the dog grow accustomed to habitual barking.
Give Your Dog a Checkup
Barking is normal for dogs, but if there is an excessive vocalization then it can indicate a medical problem. If your formerly quiet puppy has abruptly taken to making many noises, it isn’t a bad idea to stop by your veterinarian for a checkup.
Hire Someone to Check on Your Dog
Dogs are pack animals, or their wish for companionship is strong. If your dog is barking when you are not at home, it is helpful to hire a dog walker and to walk him while you are away.
Offer distractions
Bored dogs will be less inclined to bark if they’re given a lot of toys to play with. If your dog bark due to outside noises, TV, and radio can drown out those sounds while you are away. A TV and radio can help soothe separation anxiety.
Work your dog’s brain
Obedience training can help reduce barking. If you do not have enough time or beginner then consider to send your dog for training classes.
Desensitize your pet
If the barking is being caused by an outside distraction or threat then you can desensitize your dog, For example, ask your friends to walk by your home even you work with the dog inside, encouraging your pet to be calm down and quiet.
Teach the quiet command
Train your dog to respond to the word quiet by allowing 3 or 4 barks, then saying quiet in a clear voice. When you will say your dog command of “quiet”, then break the barking jag by grasping his muzzle gently, dropping an object that distracts him and squirting him in the face with a spray bottle of water. In this example, you can use a manually controlled bark collar as a distraction method. Your dog will learn in this way that quiet means he needs to stop barking.
Change Routine
A puppy barking may be compulsive or out of boredom. Try to learn and make some changes to stop him bark. For example, if the dog is being kept in a backyard and he is barking there, bring the dog indoors and place him in a crate. If your dog bark as he is restricted in a crate, try leaving him free in one room of the house.
Special Toys for Special Occasions
Dogs are like kids, frequently get favorite toys. It can be worth identifying which toys your dog likes the most and setting some of them aside to distract dog from barking. For instance, you can keep the pet's favorite puzzle toy out of reach until you go for work. That way, your departure becomes a special occasion instead of a source of anxiety.
Most of the time your puppy’s barking problem can be resolved by learning the behavior and making some changes in daily routine.
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