Stop Dog Barking – How To Stop Your Dog Barking At People & Keeping You Awake All Night

One of the great benefits of owning a dog is the security they provide to your home. A dog that barks at strangers is a deterrent to thieves. But what do you do when your dog just won’t stop barking? They keep your neighbors up all night and scare the post lady so much she won’t drop off parcels anymore. It’s embarrassing to have friends over when your dog barks at them consistently the whole time they are there. A dog that barks is annoying and dangerous.

Identify Why Your Dog is Barking

Your dog isn’t barking because they find your neighbor annoying or because they know it gets on your nerves. Dogs bark for a reason. They may be cold or hungry or just simply be bored. They may sense imminent danger and be trying to warn you of it. Often dogs bark during thunder storms because they are frightened. The first step in stopping your dog from barking is to work out the reason why they are barking.

If your dog barks when you are not home they are probably bored. Try to get them some new toys every few weeks so they have more to do. There are some great toys on the market which are designed to have food inside which is difficult for the dog to get out, this can help fill up the long day.

If your dog is frightened of thunder storms there isn’t really a lot you can do to stop it. If you can, let them inside with you and calm them down. The same applies if you think your dog may be cold or hungry. You need to feed them or let them inside. If you live in a particularly cold climate you may wish to invest in some rugs or jackets for them.

Training A Puppy Not to Bark

The best way to train your dog to not bark is to start when they are a puppy. Let them bark at strangers for a few moments then ask them to stop. If they do, make sure you reward them with a pat. Make sure you never let you puppy bark at you, this can be a way of them trying to gain control over you at a young age.

Don’t ever reward a puppy for barking. If you puppy is barking in the backyard, don’t go out there and pat them. If you can’t think of a reason for them to be barking, such as them being cold or hungry, they are simply doing it for attention. By patting them or letting them inside, you are reinforcing this behavior which will continue into adulthood.

Part of being a puppy is learning to be alone. Most of us can’t be with or dogs all the time and must leave them on their own at some stage. Dogs are pack animals, and want to be with their pack, or family always. This makes it very difficult for a puppy to understand that they need to be alone sometimes.

Try not to make a big deal about leaving for the day, or lavishing your dog with attention when you come home. Doing so simply makes your dog think that being home alone all day is a big deal.

A quick verbal NO is usually enough to stop a puppy from barking. You can also try clapping your hands or making a sharp sound.

Bad Barking Behavior in Older Dogs

Your dog may not even be aware that you are unhappy with their barking. They may think they are doing their duty in protecting their family. Make sure your dog knows that your are unhappy by verbally reprimanding them with a small sharp NO. Screaming at them constantly to shut up is just going to aggravate and confuse them further.

If verbally correcting your dog is not effective, try a squirt of water when they bark. It only needs to be a small amount of water, you don’t want to hurt or frighten your dog, just let them feel unpleasant. After a while they will associate barking with the unpleasant water squirt, which should cause them to stop barking.

If your dog is growling at the same time as barking, this is aggression. Do not squirt him with a bottle of water as this will only make the dog more angry. Aggression in dogs is a whole other problem which needs to be addressed separately from barking.

It’s important to let them bark a few times if there is a reason for it, for instance a stranger approaching the house. In these cases always ask them to stop barking first before you punish them with the squirt bottle.

There are some products on the market which can help stop dogs from barking. Noise emitting devises omit a high pitched noise when dogs bark. Humans can’t hear it but it is irritating to dogs. You can set it to work at particular times, such as night id this is a problem for you. These devises only cover a certain radius, so you won’t be effecting your neighbors dog.

Many people think that their dogs are perfect angels only to discover form a neighbor that they turn into devils when they are not at home. If this is the case you need to put in place a few measures. Make sure your dog has plenty of things to keep them busy during the day, and that you leave the dog with plenty of water and a nice place to sit. If the problem persists, you can try some of the bark collars or noise makers described above.

Barking All Night

Noise emitting devises as described above are great for dogs who bark all night. There are similar collars on the market that give a slight pinching sensation to the dog’s neck when they bark. Keep these products in mind as a last resort, try and rely on behavior modifications before you use bark collars or similar products.