Curing puppy barking fits can be a challenge.
Some puppies bark more than others. For many breeds, barking is part of their inherent genetic makeup and stopping them from doing it is like asking them to stop breathing. Puppies bark for very specific reasons--appropriately for communication and defense and inappropriately for attention and excitement--caused by you and their environment. Anxiety and sadness from being left alone for long periods of time are the leading causes of inappropriate barking fits, along with the need to seek attention and an excess of energy. Whether your puppy has chronic bark fits or only barks when the door rings or to protect his territory, there are a few tricks you can use to train them.
Instructions
1. Exercise and play to help release pent-up energy. Daily walks and weekly trips to the dog park should be a part of your puppies' routine. Dogs, in general, but especially puppies, love to play and run, so leaving them alone in the house or outside in the yard all day while you are away will only increase their energy reserves. Puppies should walk a minimum of 30 minutes a day and trips to the park should not be used solely as poop runs. Like children, puppies tire when exercised appropriately and the more tired they are, the quieter they are.
2. Show them who is in charge. Training a puppy to stop barking on command is like teaching them any other trick. It takes time and patience. If a puppy starts barking when it shouldn't be, tell it to "settle down." Avoid words like "No," and "Stop," as these are too general. Show it the treat and when it's responded to your command by ceasing barking for five seconds, give it the treat.
3. Encourage quiet time. Once your puppy has quieted down and is enjoying the treat, praise it like you would for fulfilling any other command. Words of encouragement, like "Good boy," and constant petting do well to show your puppy that what it's doing is appreciated.
4. Use no-barking commands in conjunction with other training techniques. If your puppy has already begun responding to commands like sit, stay and lie down, you should use these when controlling barking fits. When it begins to bark, reprimand it, and make it lie down. A puppy is less likely to bark in a crouched position and will also begin to associate not barking with commands it already knows and understands.
5. Be consistent. The one mistake that dog owners make is in their own consistency. Pick a command for no barking and stick to it. Some dogs respond better to one-word commands like "Settle" or "Quiet," but the word you choose is solely your discretion. If there is more than one person in your household, make sure you are all using the same word and are on the same page about when it is and isn't appropriate to bark.
6. Reprimand barking fits and reward good behavior. Training a puppy to stop barking will take some time and he will slip up from time to time. When a mistake is made, reprimand the puppy using your normal tactics. Making it sit and stay, in a doggie time-out, is a great way to reprimand it for bad behavior. On the flip side, always remember to reward good behavior so that you are consistently reinforcing it.
7. Phase out food treats. Once your puppy begins to respond to your command of being quiet, you should begin to increase those quiet periods without the help of a food treat. Dogs will do just about anything for food. After a few weeks of solid response, begin to slowly phase out the treats you are giving and replace them with praise and petting.
8. Don't encourage barking behavior. Sometimes humans inadvertently create reasons for their puppy to bark. If it is prone to barking then getting it excited and worked up will only encourage that desire. Dogs feed off of their owner's energy. Do not plead, laugh or get angry when your dog has a barking fit. Be calm, stern and in control and your dog will mimic your behavior.
9. Let them bark. If your puppy likes to bark, you should allow it to do so. There is a time and place for everything. Take your puppy to the dog park or other outdoor space where dogs are allowed and appreciated and allow it to have it out. Hound dogs, for instance, need to be allowed to bark. Adding bark sessions into your puppy's daily activity will have you both breathing a little bit easier.
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