Dogs bark because of many reasons. They may give warning, playing or asking to play, exciting, as a reaction, or fear. But some dogs will bark even at the slightest noise, movement, or normal thing and they can be noisy and frustrating. That’s why you need to train your dog and know how to train your dog to stop barking.
Before training your dog to stop barking, remember that you can’t prevent dogs from barking since it’s their nature and how they communicate. To train dog to stop barking is to control the barking, so you can make them silent if they do inappropriate barking.
Train your dog to stop barking need patient and consistency. You have to understand your dog first, what makes him bark and what the bark means. You also need to know what you need, what you can’t do when training your dog to stop barking, and how to train your dog to stop barking.
Understand Dog’s Barking
To train your dog to stop barking, you must first know the situation which make your dog barking. It can be caused by passerby passing by the window. You can prevent him from barking by closing the curtains. Figure out what makes him barking and remove the reason if you can. If you can’t do that, you can train him to follow your orders to stop barking by the method below.
You also need to understand what the bark means. One bark can mean that he is happy and other can means a warning. Learn to understand the tone and noise your dog makes, it will make you understand more the reason your dog is barking and to control it.
Quiet Command
The next how to train your dog to stop barking is to train him “quiet” command. To teach your dog “quiet” command, you must first make the dog to bark. You can give your dog command to “speak” and wait for him to bark. When the dog start barking, hold treat in front of his nose. When he stops barking to sniff the treat, praise him and give the treat. Repeat until he starts barking after you say “speak”
After he can follow your “speak” command, you can start to teach him “quiet” command. Tell him to “speak” and when he starts barking, say “quiet” while holding the treat in front of his nose. Praise him and give him the treat.
At first you can train your dog in quiet place, when there is no reason for him to bark. After he can do the command, you can change the situation by having some stimuli which makes your dog barking. Tell him “quiet” and give him the treat if he stops barking.
Limit Dog from Opening His Mouth
Another how to train your dog to stop barking is to limit dog from opening his mouth. It doesn’t mean you need to force him physically. You can do it by make the dog holding something on his mouth. Dogs like to retrieving and pick up things and carry it to show their pleasure. Naturally they can’t bark when they are holding something in their mouths. Be careful not to give the toy when the dog is barking since he could mistake it as a reward from barking. You can do it like to change your dog attention to the toy or thing and make him retrieve it.
You can also gently close the dog’s mouth, for example when the dog is wearing the leash, you can lift the leash so the dog’s mouth close. After that you can try to make him look at you or move his attention to you.
Make Your Dog Accustomed to The Thing That Makes Him Bark
You can also train your dog to stop barking at something that cause him to bark by gradually making your dog accustomed to it. Start by giving him the thing that makes him bark at a distance. The distance should be where he doesn’t bark when he sees the thing. Give him a treat and move the thing a little closer and give the treats again. Gradually change the distance and give him the treat after that. Repeat the training multiple times. It may take you days or weeks until your dog accustomed and stop barking at the thing.
Being Dog’s Leader
You also need to build good relationship between you and your dog. You have to make your dog thinks of you as his leader, owner, and friend so your dog trusts and will follow you if you give him order. You also need to show your control and confidence whenever you need to handling your dog’s behavior. You can gain it through training, spending time together, setting limits and showing appreciation. Remember not to yell the dog to be quiet and to be consistent when you’re training him to stop barking. If you yell at dog’s barking, it means that you are joining them and they will bark back at you. Don’t let the dog get away with inappropriate barking some times and not the other times.
Keep Your Dog Active
Make sure your dog gets enough physical activities. Excessive barking usually a result of pent-up energy. That’s why the solution is to release the energy in other ways. Dog that do a lot of activities is less likely to bark because your dog is bored or frustrate. You can give your dog a walk or some games or toys to play to.
Be Patient
Be patient! If your dog doesn’t stop barking after your command, don’t be frustrated. Dog will not follow unbalanced leader. If you’re frustrated, then he will mirror your negative energy and do more barking since it releases his frustration. Keep calm and control the situation. Remember that you are the leader.
When training your dog to stop barking, don’t expect to get the desired response immediately. You need to make the dog understand and remember your command first before he can easily follow our command. You may take a little while, days or weeks. Be patient and be consistent. Take your time and don’t force your dog to immediately follow you since he will eventually follow you and trust you if you consistently being with him and treat him right.