Training for Barking Dogs

First off there are the traditional methods. Dog training and dog obedience schools help train the dog and also teach you how to handle your pet too, so that you can grow a lasting bond with your dog. Of course if you take your dog out and give him lots of exercise he’ll be a lot less inclined to bark. A tired dog has less energy to bark and a tired sleeping dog can’t bark at all! Here are some easy steps in training our dog not to bark. They are simple and need not be professionals to be able to pull it off. All you need is PATIENCE.

1. Reward Silence - When your dog is barking, distract it and wait for it to quiet down. Once it is quiet, provide a reward. 

2. Don't Let Him Greet Visitors - His excitement about visitors, delivery guys and other guests is largely due to their importance to him. If he routinely gets to greet people at the door then their visits matter. Deny him access to the doorway and ask your guests to ignore him when they arrive. Removing the importance visitors have for him can help reduce his eagerness to bark.

3. Provide More Exercise - A properly exercised dog is easier to train and also more relaxed. This helps solve barking issues. An exercised dog naps; an unexercised dog looks for something to do.

4. Deny Access to Barking Stations - If he has barking stations (by a window or door or the fence outside) deny him access. Managing the environment prevents him from seeing things that trigger his barking - such as dogs, animals or people.

5. Ignore Attention Seeking Barking

If he barks to get your attention and you respond, you've lost. If you are his focus when he's barking, ignore him. He'll move on to another strategy soon enough.

6. Provide Him with Something to Do

Dogs were originally bred for specific purposes. Without their jobs, they become bored and a bored dog is more likely to bark. Provide him with interactive toys for entertainment.

7. Use Training Tools

Make things easy on yourself by using training products. These provide quick results without harming your dog. Use dog crates, as it makes it easy to manage their environment. Crates solve a lot of training problems, including barking, chewing, digging, and more.

8. Teach Him Speak and Be Quiet

Teach him to speak and hush on command. Once he grasps these you'll be able to communicate with him when he begins barking too much. Then simply reward him for following your "Be Quiet" instruction.

The easiest way to stop a problematic barker is to control his barking while you are at home:

1. Set up a situation where your dog will always bark. For example, you can ask someone to ring your doorbell or knock on your door.

2. When your dog charges to the door and start to bark loudly, approach your dog, grab his collar and give the command “quiet” – no shouting please, it doesn’t help.

3. If he stops barking, praise and reward. He’s a genius and deserves it.

4. When he continues barking, close his mouth with your hand, wrap your fingers around his muzzle – use both hands if needed, and give the command for him to keep quiet. Praise if he stops.

Most dogs would be able to learn the “quiet” command with repeated training like this. Set up similar situations to "lure" your dog to bark and repeat training whenever possible.

Remember never try to hide or ignore your dog’s excessive barking. The more we try to ignore the situation, the worse it will be. Never cover their barking problems. The longer it is done, the worse your dog’s barking will be. If you don’t have the time to train them, always ask help from trainers and handlers. They are the expert on the field and will even praise your decision in asking for their help rather than covering the problem.