How to Stop Excessive Barking When You Have Multiple Dogs
One barking dog is loud enough; two or more dogs barking together can incur annoyed neighbors and large fines, depending on your local noise control laws. Unfortunately, dogs were bred to bark in order to act as sentinels. Barking is instinctive to a dog. However, dogs can be trained not to bark, even if they have already gotten into the habit of barking at any little disturbance or when they are excited.
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Things You'll Need
- Clicker
- Bag of treats cut into kibble-sized pieces
- Collars and leashes for all dogs
Instructions
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Identify which dog starts barking first. The same dog will usually start barking and then the other dogs join in. If you can teach this dog to stop barking on command, then that dog can help all of the others stop barking. Identify what triggers your dogs--or the dog that initiates barking--to vocalize. Common triggers include strangers walking by, the desire to get attention, or anticipation of a very enjoyable event, like a walk.
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Make sure all of the dogs get a walk every day. Walk them until they begin to pant. This will get rid of the dogs' pent-up energies and help them to focus on training sessions. Only attach the lead and open the door when the dogs are quiet. If the dogs bark while getting ready for a walk, then the walk will inadvertently reward the dogs for barking.
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Get your dogs to associate being quiet with a treat. If there is just one dog initiating the barking, get that dog alone and clicker-train the dog to be quiet. Use special treats only for training so the dog will want to work for the treats. Press the dog clicker to make a click and immediately reward the dog. When the dog is looking expectantly for a treat after hearing a click, the association has been made. Whenever that dog is quiet, click and treat. Keep training sessions only a few minutes long to keep the dog's attention.
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Move the trained dog into a room with one other dog. If possible, initiate a barking trigger. For example, if the dogs always bark at the doorbell, get a friend to ring the doorbell. When the dogs bark, say "Enough," in a flat tone of voice and frown. Do not shout it. When the dogs are quiet, click and treat. If just one dog is quiet, only give treats to that dog. Eventually add the other dogs. When that works, try the same procedure outside in a fenced-in yard.
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure all members of the household know the command words so as not to confuse the dogs.
If these steps do not work, seek veterinary help, especially if one or more of the dogs seem to be barking for no reason at all.
Never shout at dogs to get them to stop barking. The dogs will think that you are barking, too.
Never feed the dogs their meals when they are barking. Only set down the food dish when they are quiet.
Never hit a dog. This may teach the dog that you are dangerous and the dog may defend itself by biting.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit barking brown dog image by Paul Retherford from Fotolia.com
