How to stop a dog from barking at home: simple methods for correcting behavior

Barking is one of the ways any dog ​​communicates with the outside world. With its help, the animal attracts attention to itself and reacts to stimuli. But there are times when such “communication” can cause difficulties and problems, especially when it comes to a pet. Owners of “noisy” dogs know firsthand what sleepless nights and regular conflicts with neighbors are like. How to stop a dog from barking and what are the specifics of training in each individual case - let's try to figure it out in the article.

Causes of barking

Any owner of a four-legged friend should understand that barking for no reason is a rather rare occurrence. In most cases, the dog tries in this way to attract the owner’s attention to himself and his condition.

Until the reason for the pet’s increased “talkativeness” is established, there is no point in starting training. Indeed, in each case, the approach to education will have its own characteristics. The most common causes of barking are:

• Guard instinct - any domestic dog perceives an apartment (or house) as a territory that needs to be protected. Any unexpected sound (door or telephone ringing, elevator sounds, conversation or knocking behind the wall, neighbor's renovations, etc.) is perceived by him as a potential threat. As a result, he reflexively seeks to warn of potential danger.
• Fear – many dog ​​breeds (especially small ones) prefer to live by the principle “the best defense is an attack.” Passing cars, loud noises, other animals—anything that might frighten your pet—become the target of loud, prolonged barking.
• Instability of the nervous system - loud barking that occurs for any reason (from the arrival of guests to the sound of a flying airplane) can be a consequence of the pet’s increased excitability. Small breed dogs are also susceptible to this problem.
• Excess energy - any dog ​​needs not only regular physical, but also emotional stress. Insufficient walking threatens not only problems with the musculoskeletal system. Unspent energy will result in such troubles as loud barking, damage to furniture, etc.
• Health problems - sudden barking after sleep, at night, during feeding or while walking, not caused by any irritant, may indicate the presence of a disease. In this way, the pet makes it clear to the owner that something is bothering him.
• Gameplay is one of the cases where dog barking is considered normal. In this way the pet expresses its positive emotions.
• Lack of attention - for any pet, its owner is the most precious and important thing in life. Just like his attention. Frequent workload and short communication with the dog can lead to the fact that it will try to attract the owner’s attention by any means. One of the most effective is loud barking.

Behavior correction techniques

It is necessary to carefully train the dog, teach it to obey commands without question. When the order is carried out correctly, do not forget about reward in the form of a treat. To stop a pet from barking, the owner must know several techniques for correcting behavior:

• Easy ways to calm an animal include touching its ears. During times of increased arousal, it is enough just to lightly squeeze the auricle with two fingers - the index and thumb, or stroke the ears. To begin with, such actions are carried out during moments of calm reaction, and subsequently used during barking.
• Good results are achieved by using nutritional supplements based on melanin and herbs such as valerian and chamomile.
• If the dog still cannot be trained, special collars with citronella can help. Thanks to their calming effect, the animal does not develop a feeling of fear and aggressive behavior towards people.

Under no circumstances should ultrasonic or electric collars be used - they only have a temporary effect, but can cause the opposite effect. The dog gets injured not only physically, but also psychologically, becomes nervous and aggressive.

If you want to correct your dog’s behavior, you should remember that no matter which method you choose, your active participation will be required. Avoid any provoking situations for your pet and teach him to respond adequately to various stimuli.

The loudest breeds

Although barking is considered the prerogative of any dog, there are breeds that express their emotions in this way to varying degrees.

For example, the Basenji - an African non-barking dog - makes only chest rumbling sounds, and then only in case of extreme excitement. But there are also breeds whose “loudness” can cause headaches not only for their owners, but also for those around them.

One of the most common stereotypes - the larger the dog, the louder it barks - is not always true. It is not uncommon for small dogs to produce sounds that are many times stronger than the barking of large breeds.

However, the volume of the chest (and therefore the lungs) and the size of the muzzle also affect the volume of barking. The loudest breeds are considered to be:

• husky
• german shepherds
• Alaskan Malamutes
• retrievers
• doberman pinscher
• some types of terriers (Jack Russell, Toy)
• Pekingese
• fox terriers

It is important to understand that the volume of a dog's bark does not affect its frequency. Even the “loudest” breeds can vocalize extremely rarely and only in emergency situations.

What sounds do dogs make?

Thanks to the research, scientists were able to establish that dogs, through barking, try to express their internal state when communicating with a person or their relatives. At the same time, they use more than ten different sounds.

Just like in human speech, the sounds a dog makes have different meanings. For example, growling can be caused by a feeling of fear or, conversely, a manifestation of aggressiveness. The difference in growls manifests itself in sound shades, and a good owner must accurately capture them in order to better understand his pet.

Depending on their mood and the current situation, dogs can make the following sounds:

• whining,
• grunt,
• growl,
• squealing.

But most often they bark, thus showing disagreement, fear, resentment or, conversely, joy and an invitation to play.

Barking is both a form of communication between dogs and a warning to the enemy that the territory is occupied. It manifests itself especially strongly when the animal is in an excited state. The strength of barking, its duration and excitement directly depend on the degree of excitement.

Ways to stop a dog from barking

The only option to deal with frequent barking is training. It is much easier to discipline a puppy than an adult. But with the right approach, you can stop a dog from barking at any age. The main thing is to correctly determine the reasons for such behavior and, depending on this, develop a specific methodology.

How to stop a dog from barking at everything around him

The main reason that a dog barks at everyone is poor socialization. In this case, it is important to teach the dog that external stimuli - children, cars, cats or other dogs - are an integral part of his life. It is best to do this at an early age.

The period from 4 to 8 months is the most difficult time when you need to introduce the puppy during walks to everything that he may encounter in life: passers-by, public transport, other animals, etc. If a similar problem occurs in an adult dog, the educational process will be more difficult. The main thing is not to encourage sound reactions to the surrounding reality, otherwise the dog will decide that such behavior is in the order of things.

How to stop barking at home

As already mentioned, the dog perceives the apartment as a territory that needs to be guarded and protected. In this case, you should not immediately run to the sounds of barking for every reason. So the dog will decide that this is the main and only way to attract the owner’s attention. It is better to approach your pet after he is silent.

If a dog barks when guests arrive, it is better to distract it from unnecessary impressions with the commands “come to me” or “sit”. Having switched to their implementation, the dog will most likely become silent. A similar technique will work if the dog barks at the sounds of the intercom or a knock on the door. You can also distract her attention with her favorite toy. Stopping barking must be encouraged. This way the dog will understand that its actions are correct.

Barking at night is most often a consequence of excess energy. In this case, the regime and duration of walking should be reconsidered. Especially in the evenings.

On the street in the presence of the owner

The first thing you need to pay attention to while walking is setting leadership priorities. If a dog constantly runs ahead of its owner and is the first to leave the house, it considers itself the leader and, as a result, ignores any commands.

No amount of behavior adjustment will work until she learns who is in charge. You should not achieve this by using unnecessarily brute force. Intimidation will not only not give a positive result, but can also disrupt the dog’s psyche, leading to the most unpredictable consequences.

Barking on the street can be eliminated by switching your pet's attention. To do this, you can lightly tug the leash, click the dog on the croup or face, lightly squeeze or massage the ears. Additionally, you need to accustom the dog to the commands “Quiet” or “Silence”.

Similar training takes place in conjunction with the “Voice” team. First, the dog is provoked to bark, and then they give the command “Quiet” and wait for it to calm down. Correct execution of the command is rewarded with a treat. Gradually, the interval between the execution of the command and the reward should be increased.

How to stop barking when your owner arrives

The loud barking with which a pet greets its owner is a sign of joy at his arrival. In this case, it is important not to encourage such behavior and not to rush towards your pet with hugs. The already familiar method - switching attention to executing the command - will work here too. Give your dog the command “come to me” or “sit” and show affection after they have been completed.

If the dog barks in the apartment alone

The owner leaving home is always a disappointment for his four-legged friend. But his “loud” long-term reaction to this can cause acute discontent among neighbors. To stop a dog from barking in the absence of its owner, it is recommended not to show increased interest in it before leaving.

Say goodbye, stroke, call to you. You should absolutely not return to the apartment immediately after the dog starts barking. But it’s worth standing outside the door and listening. Perhaps the dog will stop barking on its own. If this does not happen for more than 15 minutes, you can use auxiliary devices: an electric shock or ultrasonic collar.

An additional factor contributing to the calmness of a dog when alone can be his favorite toys, as well as pleasant fatigue - after a good walk, he is able to sleep the entire time he is alone.

How to stop barking for no reason

As mentioned, dogs rarely bark for no reason. More often than not, there is a certain meaning behind their ringing message. If, however, no visible reasons for barking can be found, the following actions should be taken:

• contact a veterinarian to exclude the possibility of developing diseases;
• engage in regular training;
• do not encourage barking, try to react to such manifestations as little as possible;
• try to redirect the dog’s attention (commands, toys, etc.);
• in case of severe nervous instability, use sedatives.

How to stop your neighbor's dog from barking

The only way to deal with a loud neighbor's dog is to turn to the neighbor himself. Raising a dog should only be done by its owner or people specially trained for this (again, with the consent of the owner).

Therefore, trying to shout, feed or distract a neighbor’s dog is a fundamentally wrong tactic. The best thing to do in this situation is to talk to your neighbor, tactfully report the problem (he may not even know about it) and try to find a compromise.

Unfortunately, there are often cases when a dog owner does not want to educate his pet or simply does not know how to do it. In the latter case, try together to find out the cause of the dog's barking and share your recommendations on how to stop it. If the reluctance to solve the problem is fundamental, you can try to attract the public to it. Talk to other neighbors, you may not be alone.

The last and most drastic method will be to contact law enforcement agencies. In this case, you need to remember that the dog should not be held responsible for the careless attitude of its owner.

It is unknown what consequences an appeal to government agencies will have for the four-legged animal. You can resort to such a scenario only if all other methods have failed or if you are completely sure that the dog is barking due to poor treatment (hunger, cold, lack of water, etc.).

Tricks and Tips

Training a dog to bark for no reason is a very painstaking and lengthy process, but quite realistic. To re-educate her, it is first recommended:

• Make sure the dog's area or kennel is comfortable and waterproof. Create conditions so that the animal has access to food and water, as well as items that allow it to have fun.

• Check for worms, ticks, fleas and balance the diet.

The following techniques will help you get rid of your dog's excessive barking:

1. If your pet has a lot of unspent energy and barks out of boredom, spend more time walking in the fresh air. Give the opportunity to get exercise by moving a lot and following various commands. Natural fatigue will calm the animal for a while.
2. Your pet may bark to attract attention. The best thing to do in this case is to turn away in the other direction or leave the room. Without seeing the owner's reaction, the dog will understand that barking is not beneficial and will gradually give it up.
3. If the dog lives outdoors, you should introduce it to the area adjacent to the fence. This will help her become more aware of the world around her and respond adequately to potential irritants - smells and sounds.
4. Getting to know the stimuli. The owner should pay special attention to objects and noises that cause anxiety in the pet. After this, you should learn not to react to them during the game.
5. A good way to get rid of unreasonable barking is to train your dog to make sounds only on command. First, you need to teach how to perform the command “Voice!”, after which you can move on to the next stage - the requirement to stop barking on the command “Quiet!”
6. If a dog barks when its usual circumstances change, for example, due to a change of housing, it needs to be calmed. You should not leave her alone in the first days so that she can adapt.

Very often, dog owners make mistakes in training, which are very difficult to correct. Experienced dog handlers do not advise praising a dog when it barks joyfully at the sight of its owner, as this can become a habit. And, conversely, menacing calls can lead to even more boisterous barking.

What not to do

Any educational process is a complex and labor-intensive task, requiring from the owner not only time and a large supply of treats, but also patience. The most common mistake when training is trying to influence a dog with brute force or fear. Such training will not lead to anything good, except that the pet will develop mental instability or, even worse, embitterment.

The other side of the extreme is also undesirable - excessive softness or encouragement of loud barking, justified by “well, he’s just playing!” will also not contribute to positive dynamics.

Another mistake is the lack of systematicity - not a single one, even the smartest pet, will learn the rules of behavior at once. Patience and regular training are the key to successful training.

What should country house owners do?

A huge number of dog breeders are concerned about the question of how to calm a dog guarding a private home. This is indeed not an easy task, since passersby are constantly scurrying past the yard and animals are running. There is only one way out. Purchase a special ultrasonic device that emits a signal that only dogs can detect. It will be so unpleasant for them that they will immediately stop barking. As soon as they do this, the device will automatically turn off. All you have to do is adjust the signal strength. The device can operate at a distance of 8 meters.

Many people are surprised by the question of why a dog barks at night. Is there really something mystical about this? In fact, this fact also has a logical explanation. The animal always reacts to noise, including at night.

Using aids

If there is not enough time for training, or if the dog is highly excitable, you can resort to alternative means:

Sedatives - tablets, drops or treats with the addition of sedative herbs and mixtures - valerian, lemon balm or mint. Their use should be clearly limited by instructions and dosage.

Special collars are equipped with special sensors that respond to movements of the larynx and send irritating signals (electric discharge, mechanical vibration, ultrasonic signal). Such means are not always effective.

In some cases, dogs, frightened by the sudden impact, begin to bark even louder. In addition, the pet will not understand what he is doing wrong, which means he will not be able to correct his behavior.

Why does a dog bark often?

Barking is a dog's natural way of communicating. For centuries, this is how dogs warned their relatives and owners about possible dangers. For predators and thieves, this sound meant that they had been discovered and that they would no longer be able to make money here. Thus, many generations of modern dogs earned their bread by guarding and barking. But today, when most dogs no longer need to guard anything, noise has become a nuisance problem. It is normal and tolerable if a dog allows itself to bark while playing or on a walk. But when an animal starts barking at home, several times every day, it can drive even the most patient person to white heat.

Vocal cord cutting

Perhaps the most undesirable way to deal with barking. Such operations are most often the result of complaints from neighbors that have escalated into lawsuits. In addition to the obvious danger to the pet’s life, this procedure has many disadvantages:

• the need to use anesthesia, which can negatively affect the functioning of organs;
• difficult recovery period;
• risk of laryngeal edema;
• the likelihood of scarring making it difficult to breathe and eat.

Briefly about the main thing

1. Dog barking is your pet’s natural reaction to the reality around him.
2. The frequency and intensity of barking does not depend in any way on the size of the dog.
3. The reasons for barking can be both physiological factors (fear, reaction to pain, excess energy) and psycho-emotional moments (an attempt to attract attention, the desire to protect territory, joy, etc.).
4. Without correctly identifying the cause of barking, it is pointless to start training.
5. Any training should be based on patience and care. The use of intimidation or brute force is strongly discouraged. The correct actions of the pet must be encouraged.
6. The most effective way to combat barking is to switch the dog’s attention. To perform already known commands, a favorite toy, etc.
7. The use of additional measures - medications, collars - is permissible only if all other methods have proven ineffective.
8. Surgical intervention is an extreme and undesirable measure that poses a serious threat to the life and health of the pet.

Each dog is a four-legged individual with its own character, habits, level of adaptation, etc. The recommendations presented in the article are general in nature. Each individual case may have its own nuances. Send your questions and tips in the comments. Perhaps your life experience will help someone find the right solution to a problem.

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