How to Stop a Dog from Barking

Ever wondered how to stop a dog from barking? You’re not alone. Barking is loud and can be overwhelming if it continues over a prolonged period. Considering that our canine kids have such great hearing, it’s a wonder they can handle the sound of their own barking! (We humans only have six controlling ear muscles but dogs have up to 18).

Luckily, there are steps you can take to stop a dog from barking. And you’ve come to the right place because in this article we’ll list four ways you can curb your dog’s yappetite.

Settle in and get reading; we’ll show you how in only a few minutes…

Find out how to stop a dog from barking in 4 steps

Dogs have a number of sounds that can easily be bundled under ‘barking’. However, your canine friend will turn to different codified sounds in different circumstances for a range of reasons. If you’re interested in finding out how to stop a dog from barking, also read how to speak dog. Then you can unlock what your dog’s growling, whining, howling and facial expressions mean too.

But first here’s how to stop a dog from barking. Woof!

1. Be understanding

Understanding how to stop a dog barking first means understanding what’s causing them to bark in the first place. Some of the primary reasons dogs bark are boredom and pent-up energy. Most dogs need regular mental and physical stimulation and can become quite anxious or doleful without it.

Be sure you know your breed and can cater to their particular exercise needs. A Pug for example can get by with a routine stroll, while on the other hand a Border Collie should get in around 15km of sprinting daily! Dogs (and humans) are at their best when energy intake and expenditure are in balance.

If your dog’s not getting enough playtime or training they’re going to have to let it out somehow, and that somehow could just be barking. Read about why playtime for dogs and cats is so important.

2. Reward your dog for not barking

Research shows how positive reinforcement for dog training can be the most effective method of training your pooch.

The simple principle is not to react when your dog behaves badly (unless you need to step in to ensure their or someone else’s safety). Rather, it’s all about rewarding them when they stop doing the ‘bad’ behaviour and do what you want them to.

At a practical level, when your dog barks you need to ignore them. We know you might be reading this with the ringing of tinnitus in your ears (we’ve all been there at some point), and we know your pain, truly. However, you need to hang in there and just do nothing. Until your dog stops barking – that’s when you give them a treat, pet them or praise them.

Your dog is a highly intelligent and trainable creature who loves you and wants to make you happy. They’re also instinctive and can easily get distracted by exciting sensory experiences which they may react to by barking. Don’t try to reason with or talk them through the behaviour. To stop a dog barking, just don’t engage with them while they’re barking.

Then when the behaviour stops, ie: they stop barking, you should see this as an action. In other words not barking is doing something. This is when you give your dog positive attention and your dog’s brain wiring will quickly make the association between the act of not barking and the love you give them.

With a few repeat sessions of rewarding for not barking – your dog will remember it furever. Then if they bark, you know they’re trying to tell you something urgent that actually requires barking.

3. Call on a professional dog trainer or behaviourist

Finding out how to stop a dog from barking then helping them achieve that can be sped up with a pet behaviourist. If you’re worried that turning to a professional means defeat, don’t worry, it doesn’t. After all, we rely on teachers to teach our kids and doctors to help them get better. So the question may not be why would we call in a professional dog trainer or behaviourist but, rather, why wouldn’t we?

To take the analogy a bit further… teaching your kids at home could work, but it could take a lot longer and you’ll need a clear schedule. Same goes for your dog, if they’re barking excessively, a professional may ease the situation faster and bring both your dog and you faster relief. In essence, you want a happy dog, and sometimes a trainer or behaviourist can help them get there faster.

Once they’ve removed the figurative thorn from your dog’s paw (bark), you can take it from there.

Here’s a funny dog barking video for the lighter side of things:

4. Visit the vet

Another reason your dog may bark, snarl or growl more than usual is that they’re in pain. Their ability to write and express themselves verbally is non-existent – they can’t articulate what or where the pain is. What they can do is vocalise their predicament.

If your dog is being more vocal and showing any other physical changes, such as agitation or a change in posture or movement, they may be hurt. If you’re unsure it’s best to ask a vet who knows how to assess your dog’s condition. It may be you don’t need to stop a dog barking, but instead help them get better!

If you have a dog insurance plan you won’t have to worry terribly about the testing or treatment costs. This way you can focus your attention on your dog’s wellbeing rather than the fees. Read stories from a Schnauzer named Harvey and a Russian Blue cat named Steve to see how being insured can help greatly.

Pet insurance is free for one or more months when you buy your PD Insurance plan online. Why not get a quick, no-obligation quote now?