5 Best Tips on How to Stop a Dog from Barking

It’s impossible to completely silence your puppy’s barks, and at times, dog psychology training might not be effective. Just think, is it really feasible to make a child stop speaking for a long stretch of time?

Not even worth thinking about, right? It’s the same with your canine friend. Barking is natural for dogs… even after teaching a puppy its name.

It’s how they communicate. Our dog Buck is my best friend, and one of the barkiest dogs I’ve ever met. But sometimes problems can develop. I’ll be honest, that barking drove us nuts! Believe me, I had trouble with that.

But it’s one thing to say that the problem is tricky. There has to be a solution somewhere. Especially in the case of dogs that seem to go non-stop virtually the whole day. And as the pack leader, it’s your job to step in and control excessive barking.

Thankfully, I’ve learned a few easy ways to control it, which should help you too with your own puppy:

What You Should NOT Do When Trying to Get Your Dog to Stop Barking

Before we come to the pointers in how to stop a dog from barking too much, here are a few ways that you most likely WON’T get your pup to stop barking:

• Yelling at him or her – scaring your puppy or getting her more excited is a surefire way of worsening the situation
• Having a negative attitude – if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that positive conditioning and reinforcement works way better than a negative approach
• Being inconsistent with rewards or punishment – that’s a top way to lose out on any progress you make

Having said all that, here are a few ways you can use to get your dog to stop barking:

1. Remove the Cause

Don’t give your dog any reasons to bark! Simple!

Most barking stems from a dog’s territorial nature, or a way to raise alarm among pack mates about something they’ve noticed. It’s why most barky pooches can be seen hanging around the window or the fence.

So close that window. Raise the fence. Or if you can think of any other thing that can cut-off that stimulus your dog gets for barking, consider it.

The quickest trick to stop your puppy from barking is to take control of his or her environment – be it at the window or when out in the yard. Also, what comes after…

That means if you or your family appear to be fueling his barking by reacting to it, you should stop. Those reactions are like a reward for barking, and only spur your dog on.

2. Take Charge

If you feel like your dog’s barking is focused on a particular thing – be it a location, another person, or a thing taking control of your dog’s environment. Stand between your dog and the object of her attention, and with your body and that energy, make it clear to her that this is off-limits.

Also, teaching your dog the “quiet” command comes in handy just for this sort of situation.

3. Release the Energy

Make sure your dog is getting enough of a workout daily. That means plenty of play, of course, and also mental stimulation. Play games and do exercise that challenges your dog, and keeps boredom at bay.

And play them enough. Remember – a tired dog is one unlikely to be bored or frustrated, and therefore unlikely to bark for every little thing.

Depending on their age, size, and health, a dog’s needs for stimulation may vary. Check with your vet whether you meeting them for your own pup.

4. Get Help

If nothing you’re doing is working – and despite advice from your vet – you need help. That’s all you can do beyond a certain point. You need a professional dog trainer to figure out what you’re unable to.

Good professional trainers are well versed in a variety of possibilities behind your dog’s behavior. And in the ways of dealing with it. If you can’t seem to get your dog to stop barking too much indoors no matter what you do, go the professional way.

And unless you’re absolutely sure about them, ask your vet for a good recommendation. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

We hope the above tips helped you with how to train a dog from barking away inside. If you have more tips of your own, do mention them in the comments section below!