Excessive Barking

Embedded thumbnail for Woof Relay – SIRIUS Adult Dog Training

Woof Relay – SIRIUS Adult Dog Training

The best way to teach a dog to be quiet on command is to teach them to speak on command.   That’s the only way you can practice telling them to be quiet.

 
Training:  Excessive Barking Woof/Shush
Embedded thumbnail for Training Shush 1 - Training the Companion Dog 2 – Behavior Problems

Training Shush 1 - Training the Companion Dog 2 – Behavior Problems

Putting a behavior on command requires repetition.  The only way to practice shushing is to practice barking.  Use an accomplice and an appropriate stimuli to train the dog to bark on command.

 
Training:  Excessive Barking Woof/Shush
Embedded thumbnail for Training Shush 2 - Training the Companion Dog 2 – Behavior Problems

Training Shush 2 - Training the Companion Dog 2 – Behavior Problems

It’s easy to lure a dog to stop barking: simply present a treat for them to sniff.  They can’t bark and sniff at the same time.  You needn’t always reward them with the treat, but you should praise them as soon as they stop barking.

 
Training:  Excessive Barking Woof/Shush
Embedded thumbnail for Barking Challenge - Training the Companion Dog 2 – Behavior Problems

Barking Challenge - Training the Companion Dog 2 – Behavior Problems

An older dog is no excuse.  If you don’t want your dog to bark at the door, teach them to “Shush” on command.  Challenge extended!

 
Training:  Excessive Barking Woof/Shush

Excessive Barking

Some dogs get extremely worked up when visitors ring the doorbell, or when dogs walk by the house. Some spaniels and terriers bark at the drop of a hat. And our good friend Larry Labrador will bark whenever a leaf falls from a tree three blocks away. Barking is as characteristically doggy as wagging a tail or burying a bone. It would be inane and inhumane to try to stop your dog from barking altogether: "You’ll never bark in this town again!" After all, some barking is extremely useful. My dogs are much more efficient than the doorbell and much more convincing than a burglar alarm. The goal then, is to teach dogs normally to be calm and quiet but to sound the alarm when intruders enter your property.

 
Training:  Excessive Barking
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Excessive Barking

Dr. Ian Dunbar  |  Wed, 11/21/2007 - 11:46

Some dogs get extremely worked up when visitors ring the doorbell, or when dogs walk by the house. Some spaniels and terriers bark at the drop of a hat. And our good friend Larry Labrador will bark whenever a leaf falls from a tree three blocks away. Barking is as characteristically doggy as wagging a tail or burying a bone. It would be inane and inhumane to try to stop your dog from barking altogether: "You’ll never bark in this town again!" After all, some barking is extremely useful. My dogs are much more efficient than the doorbell and much more convincing than a burglar alarm. The goal then, is to teach dogs normally to be calm and quiet but to sound the alarm when intruders enter your property. The barking problem may be resolved to our advantage by management and education: first, immediately reduce the frequency of barking before we all go insane; and second, teach your dog to "Woof" and "Shush" on cue.

Reduce the Frequency of Barks

 
Training:  Excessive Barking
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