Helpful Tips to Stop Excessive Barking

There is no feeling more frustrating than trying to silence a dog that is barking excessively. Excessive barking can occur in a number of situations for various reasons. One common instance of excessive barking occurs when visitors come to your home. The doorbell rings and your dog launches into a barking tirade that it seems will never end. Another example would be excessive barking as a sign of stress during separation from an owner.
 
Regardless of the scenario, there are steps you can take to help prevent your dog from barking excessively. The keys to succeeding in this process are patience and consistency. Remember, it is important to be firm, but reasonable when training your dog. It is not going to help the situation to get carried away. Also, your dog won't learn in just one training session. It will take consistent training to change its behavior.
 
Don't yell
A common reaction to excessive barking from many owners is to yell "shut up" at the dog. Remember that your dog is an animal, not a human. It has no idea what the words "shut up" mean. In fact, you are only reinforcing the barking when you raise your voice because the dog thinks that by yelling loudly you are joining in on the barking.
 
Instead, use a soft, but firm voice with the command "quiet." You can get your dog to understand the action you want along with the word "quiet" through training. When your dog is barking, use a firm tone and tell them "quiet." Wait for them to stop barking naturally (even if it's a few seconds to take a breath), and when they do reward them with praise and a treat.
 
This will help your dog associate the term "quiet" with a calm attitude and teaches them that listening to that command results in a treat. Ignore your dog
If your arrival home after running errands or a long day of work gets your dog worked up into a barking frenzy, the best thing you can do is ignore your dog. The barking is a cry for attention from your dog. If you make eye contact or physically reward that behavior with affection then you are teaching your dog that it is not only OK to bark, but that it will get what it wants from doing so.
 
When you come home, walk past your dog and make no contact with it until the barking stops. Pay close attention though, because the moment your dog stops barking is when you should give them affection and attention as a positive reward for being calmer and quieter.
 
Desensitize and prepare your dog
With time and effort, you can also desensitize your dog to the stimuli that bring on excessive barking. If the front door and doorbell are a particular problem, work to desensitize your dog to these stimuli. Start by having your dog sit and stay in a particular spot where they can see the door, but are not near it. Move towards the door and make contact with it, making sure your dog stays.
 
If it stays put, reward your dog for that behavior. Gradually work your way up to turning the knob, opening the door, and having someone stand outside the door. At each stage, your dog should be trained to stay put. Expect setbacks at times, especially when you progress to having an individual outside the door or ringing the doorbell. Remain consistent with praise and treats, as well as corrections.
 
In the case of separation anxiety, a good way to prevent excessive barking is to prepare your dog. A tired dog is a happy dog; and a happy dog doesn't bark excessively. If you are going to be gone for long periods of time, find the time in the morning to take your dog for a walk to release its energy before leaving. This will help your dog settle in for the day and avoid excessive barking in your absence.

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