7 steps on how to stop a dog barking

There are many steps that you can take to help stop a dog barking. Barking for dogs is a way of communicating. Dogs bark for many reasons such as boredom, loneliness, stress or the need for attention. They also bark to warn or alert you of danger or just trying to get your attention.

Also, they can be barking because a stranger is on your territory. Sometimes the barking can become so excessive that it results in your neighbors being annoyed as well as yourself. To make a dog stop barking you need to start off by identifing what is causing your dog to bark in the first place, and once you are able to do this you can then move on to find a good solution to the problem.

Here are 7 steps on How To Stop A Dog Barking.

1. First of all, make sure that when you dog does bark that you don’t yell at your dog when he or she starts barking for whatever reason. If you do yell, this will cause your dog to bark even more because the dog will interpret your yelling as more barking. Instead, what you should do is praise and reward your dog when he is quiet and ignore your dog when he barks.

2. Make sure your dog is getting plenty of exercise. Your dog needs to go for a walk at least twice a day as this will allow for regular exercise as well as giving your dog the opportunity to socialize. If you dog is happy and content then he or she is liable to bark a lot less.

3. Instead of allowing your dog to bark for the sake of barking, teach your dog to bark on verbal commands such as “bark” or “quiet.”

4. Sometimes dogs bark because they are bored or are needing attention. When you are at home, make sure that you devote a certain amount of time playing with your dog and provide him/her with play toys. If you work all day, you can hire a dog sitter who will come to your house and take your dog to a park where your dog can run freely and be with other dogs.

5. Dogs bark out of frustration or to get attention. If your dog is low on food or water or needs to go to the bathroom then he will bark to let you know what his needs are. Also don’t let your dog out if you know there is another dog or cat that might cause your dog to have a barking fit.

6. Dogs also bark because they are territorial. They are just trying to alert you to the fact that someone is either close or on your property. The best way to handle this type of bark is to acknowledge what your dog is trying to tell you. If your dog continues to bark send him to a designated area so that he can calm down.

7. If all else fails, you can buy a no-bark collar which sprays a small amount of citronella when your dog barks. This collar is very effective as dogs dislike the smell.

If after trying all of the above steps you find that you have been unsuccessful at getting your dog to stop barking then you may want to consult with your dog’s vet to get at the root of the problem.