How to stop my Dog From Barking

The age old question – How can I stop my dog from barking?
The answer to this question depends on why your dog is barking, whether it is in your presence or absence, and if it is a sign of a behavioural problem. Many dogs will bark for attention, and they get it when the owner goes to try to quieten the dog with attention or food, thereby reinforcing the barking behaviour. The barking is reinforced by a reward in this case. Therefore, the first step is not to give attention to your barking dog. Using a water spray when your dog is protest barking is a good deterrent. If the barking is caused by passing pedestrians or other stimuli, you may need to keep your dog away from the stimuli, such as keeping him in the back yard, or inside, so the barking doesn’t annoy your neighbours.
Using a halter and lead, you can stop a dog barking by pulling on the lead which closes the mouth and distracts the dog. As he stops barking, give the ‘hush’ command.

How do I prevent a barking problem in my puppy?
Early socialisation is important in accustoming your puppy to different people, animals, and situations, so that they do not become over-excited or anxious. Control of your dog through obedience training, and establishing leadership over your dog will stop bad habits developing, or, if they do, will help to overcome them.
Training your dog to ‘speak’ and ‘hush’ .
The aim is to train your dog to bark on command, then saying ‘hush’ just before the barking subsides, and rewarding the silence. Use stimuli that will cause the dog to bark and say ‘speak’, and reward him. Remove the stimulus, and say ‘hush’, and again reward him. As with most obedience commands, numerous repetitions are necessary for lasting learning.
You can also train your dog to stop barking by offering a food treat while he is barking, while giving the command ‘hush’, as your dog will have to stop barking to sniff the treat. When the dog is quiet, praise him and give the reward.
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•Anti-barking devices are available (Static and Citronella). You either agree with them or you Don’t – a very personal decision. I have heard from many people about success with boths types of bark collars but you must supervise when training with these types of collars. Seek advise from your pet store or vet. E Collar website has some of the latest and humane technology with correction collars for re-calls, naughty behaviours and excessive barking. If you’re considering a citronella collar, this collar emits a spray of citronella each time the dog barks and is sufficiently unpleasant to deter most dogs. Some dogs only require to wear the collar for a couple of weeks to stop barking, although others will require training as well, since they learn when the collar is off or on.
•Distractions such as loud noises (loud whistles, stones in a can etc) can be useful for some dogs, to provide a distraction and deterrent. Provide a reward if the noise results in silence.

What if my dog is still a nuisance barker?
It may be a good idea to consult your veterinarian or an obedience trainer to get advice on the best approach for your situation. Also, some dogs have behavioural problems such as separation anxiety, which requires specific behavioural modification and Training.

Leah & Angela OMeara (Houndog -specialists in pet sitting Brisbane and Doggy Daycare)