subject: Getting Your Dog to Stop Barking [print this page] Getting Your Dog to Stop Barking Getting Your Dog to Stop Barking
There are a lot of dog owners faced with this problem every single day. They have a dig which is behaving just fine at home, but once it gets out of the house is unstoppable when it comes to the sound effects also known as barking. What to do in this situation and how to stop it without using excessive force, which one should never did against their dog.
It is really amazing how many owners constantly ask professional trainers this question. The answer is not complicated at all, because there are some basic do's and don'ts to that. The most common mistake a lot of people make is that when their dog is barking they go up to him and pet him and act all nice. Most of the time they even tell how good the dog is, therefore giving him false feedback which makes the dog think he did a good thing. The dog will not understand you, when you tell him to be quiet and try to reassure him that his home and he is safe. In human terms that would work, but in dog terms you are rewarding him for barking. That's a no-no. So the best thing to do is not to reward your dog for barking.
Another good example is when you come home and the dog is barking at the door, and you open the door and come in. Even the other way around, when the dog wants to go out and barks and you let him out. In both cases you're still rewarding him for barking.
You will teach the dog when he or she is not barking. You should use a strong voice, preferably a NO said with intent, so that the dog listens feels your intent. After the dog gets the message, only then do you reward him for being quiet. The dog must know that being quiet is the right thing to do, not the other way around. This might sound simple, because it is, but still many underestimate the power of this simple technique.
You should always reward the quiet and other good behavior. Only in this manner will you end up with a great pet and companion. I urge you to try out this technique, as simple as it may sound is highly effective. It doesn't matter if your dog is old or is just a puppy. The same principles apply to all dogs.
