How to Quiet Your Barking Dog

Nothing is worse than having a dog barking in the wee hours of the morning ... until you discover that the barking dog is yours. Local councils will report that almost 50% of grievances relate to the noise of barking dogs. The key to producing appropriate barking levels is through the use of reward and discipline.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• A barking dog
• A spray bottle of water
• A small dog treat
• Time and patience

1. Identify what causes the dog to bark. Dogs usually bark as a reaction to their environment. They pick up visual cues, are bored or frightened. Once you know what may be causing the barking, you can react to the noise.
2. Remember that barking when people arrive at the door can be rewarded. When a friend or neighbor comes to the door, encourage the dog to bark. When the barking announcement is sufficient give the dog a voice command to cease. After he has responded reward the dog with a treat. Each time their is an arrival lengthen the time before giving the treat.
3. Know that the majority of times barking is seen as a nuisance or undesirable behavior. It then becomes a matter of disciplining the dog to bark. The use of a spray bottle of water will serve as a negative reinforcement for the unwanted behavior. Always give a command to cease barking before spraying the dog.
4. Remember that the use of both positive and negative reinforcement over a sustained period of time will bring about a change in the dogs behavior.
   The goal is to adjust the behavior of the dog for when you are not at home to an appropriate level.

Tips & Warnings

• Obedience school training can aid in limiting barking while teaching other skills.
• The use of a spray bottle is not designed to harm the dog. Never use caustic substances or other chemicals which may harm the dog.