Dog Barking Solutions

Most dogs bark to let you know that something is wrong. This can mean they need food, their water dish is empty, there is a cat in the yard or there is a stranger at the door. Some forms of barking are acceptable when controlled, whereas other forms of barking are not favorable at anytime. Barking to just bark, or barking to get humans to pay attention are two forms of barking that cause problems for the both dogs and owners, as neighbors are very unhappy with this type of noise.

Toys and exercise

Dogs often bark when they are bored or when they have lots of pent up energy. Exercising your dog frequently and providing a variety of dog toys in the yard or kennel will keep the dog content and busy while you are away, eliminating or greatly reducing the amount of barking.

Citronella Collars

There are safe citronella collars available on the market that are triggered by a dog's barking. They spray a gently mist of citronella directly into the nose and face area of the dog of the dog when it barks. The dog is startled by the hissing noise of the spray device as well as the moisture. In addition dogs dislike the scent of citronella, and quickly learn that staying quiet eliminates these issue. The spray is triggered by the muscles in the dogs throat, and do not require a human to trigger the spray. This is a great device when dogs are barking when owners are away.

Changing the environment

If your dog is barking when you are away but doesn't bark while you are in the house try moving the kennel area to a quieter spot in the yard. Building a full privacy fence can also help as this eliminates the area that the dog can see. Make sure the dog has adequate food and water, as well as a shaded or sheltered area depending on the climate.

Provide a distraction

If your dog barks repeatedly while you are home determine if it is trying to get your attention or if it is being territorial. Dogs that bark to get attention should receive no attention at all while they are barking. Avoid giving a command to the dog, simply walk away. When the dog stops barking return and give attention. This lets the dog know that you will spend time with him or her when they are quiet. If this option is not practical, carry a small spray bottle with a very diluted vinegar and water solution or just plain water. When the dog barks squirt a small amount of water on the nose and ignore the dog until it is quiet. This should distract the dog and as soon as it stops barking praise the dog. Avoid waiting too long or it will start barking again. An empty soda can filled with pebbles can also be used to cause the distraction. Simply shake the can quickly when the dog barks, the noise will distract the dog and the barking will stop.

If your dog has a tendency to bark it is important to ignore the dog or provide a distraction consistently to help it understand that you want silence. It is equality critical to praise the dog and spend time with it when it is behaving correctly.

Get my FREE Secrets to Dog Training 6 Day Course!  

Get FREE instant access to the Secrets to Dog Training 6 Day Dog Behavior Problem and Training course ($27 value).

Name:
Email:
(We hate spam just as much as you do. You can unsubscribe any time).