How to Stop Your Dog Barking

How to Stop Your Dog Barking

Excessive barking can be frustrating to deal with as a dog parent, but there are ways to alter these behaviours. 

It is important to remember that barking is a completely normal behaviour and that in many situations it is normal for dogs to bark. However, excessive or abnormal barking can be disruptive to daily life. We’ve listed some tips and tricks below that you can try to reduce abnormal barking behaviours. 

It is first important to identify your dog's trigger for barking. For example, the vacuum cleaner. There are several different methods that can be used. Using a blend of these techniques can also be useful. 

Getting your dog more comfortable with the trigger/desensitisation:

This method involves gradually increasing your dogs exposure to the trigger in a safe manner. To do this you start with doing only the first part of the trigger and rewarding no response. In the vacuum example, this would mean regularly starting the action of opening the cupboard or plugging in the vacuum (reaching a point just before there is a reaction) then rewarding the dog. Gradually over time you should be able to get slightly further with the action with no response. This is the same technique that can be used to reduce firework reaction - start playing firework noises very quietly for short periods then gradually increase exposure. It is important to remember that this method requires your dog to be in a calm and safe environment and takes a lot of patience and practice. 

Work on a quiet cue:

It is possible to teach your dog a quiet cue. To start teaching this, when your dog stops barking you say ‘quiet; once and firmly then give them a reward. With practice, you should be able to start saying the quiet que during barking (it is sometimes easier to start when barking is tapering off), then rewarding any silence. 

Distraction:

You can distract your dog with something more interesting, such as play or anything they really enjoy. It is important to make the distinction between reward and distraction here, so that they don’t think they are being rewarded for barking. Over time, they should become less sensitive to the inciting causes. 

Calming behavioural supplements:

Some dog parents report that calming supplements can make a difference with overall demeanour and behavioural responses. For example, Omni’s ‘Stress & Anxiety’ supplement contains compounds like L-tryptophan, Passionflower, and L-theanine in order to utilise their calming properties. 

While these tips can help a lot of dogs, it is always useful to consult your vet on any behavioural issues in case there may be any clinical reasons for their behavioural changes. They may also be able to recommend a behaviourist to assist you.