How to stop a dog from barking uselessly: instructions for dog owners

Barking for a dog is a means of communication, and not so much with its own kind, but with a person. Please note: breeds close to their wild ancestors (huskies, malamutes, wolfdogs, basenjis) either cannot bark at all or produce sounds more like a wolf howl. However, if a dog needs to warn its owner about something, they switch to barking - a kind of “artificial language” for communicating with a person. But they “talk”, as a rule, too loudly and too much, which disturbs the peace of not only the neighbors, but also the owners themselves. This is especially true for miniature breeds, such as Russian Toys, Spitz dogs, or guard dogs: Caucasians, German Shepherds, etc. By the way, sled huskies also like to speak in their own “language” - they howl protractedly in different voices.

And sometimes this loudness becomes the reason that people, under the pressure of complaints from neighbors or their own insomnia, are forced to abandon their four-legged friend, because no matter how much you scold them for being too “talkative,” it’s all to no avail.

By the way, experts identify 12 different types of bark in dogs (1).

However, there are ways to stop a dog from barking in vain, and now we will tell you about them.

Causes of dog barking

Barking is a means of communication. But no longer with his fellow tribesmen, but with a person. Breeds that are closer to their wild ancestors (husky, basenji, ridgeback, malamute) produce sounds more like the howl of a wolf.

They use barking on rare occasions to warn their owner of danger.

Russian toy terrier, spitz, miniature schnauzer, on the contrary, are excessively “talkative”. They are ready to bark at people passing along the landing, their toys, passersby, and animals running past.

They can bark to beg for a tidbit.

Reasons for dog “concerts”

A pet's warning "tirade" when meeting another dog, barking at a stranger knocking on your gate - this is an integral part of the behavior of a four-legged pet. But if a dog barks at everyone, you should wonder what happened to it. Perhaps someone greatly frightened your pet, and she began to assert herself by barking? Or was the dog poisoned by spoiled food and is now not happy about anything?

Let's name the most common reasons for dog barking:

Features of the breed. Some dogs (poodles, spitz) tend to bark often just like that - out of love for the process.
The young puppy's longing for its owner. For a young dog that has not yet become a disciplined member of the “pack,” any separation from its owner is a drama that must be “barked out.” This problem is easy to fix. You should go for walks with your four-legged friend more often, and do not suddenly leave the apartment. And, of course, train a cute puppy.
Disease. If a well-balanced dog suddenly begins to bark both within the walls of its home and on the street, you should take your pet to the veterinarian.
The dog's fearful disposition. Fearful pets try to cheer themselves up by barking, and at the same time show other dogs that they are ready for a fight (which is not true).
Joyful excitement. If the dog vocalizes before a walk, there is no need to worry.
Manipulative behavior. A dog barks at its owner to achieve something (delicious food, an opportunity to play).

Why do they bark?

Some individuals, as soon as they hear the doorbell, burst into piercing barks.

They can do the same when they are alone.

There are several reasons for excessive barking:

Lack of communication, boredom.
Unbalanced, too emotional character.

Both reasons have the same source - self-doubt or “falling in love.”

If they “babble” with the animal and treat it with a treat from the table, then there may be two options for the further turn of events.

First, the pet will feel like the “leader of the pack.”

He will believe that he is allowed to do whatever he wants.

The dog will dictate his terms and express them with his voice when he sees fit. The owner has no orders for him.

The second option is the opposite.

The dog will not be able to determine its place in the “family hierarchy”.

As a result, the pet will become unbalanced. He will be easily excited, barking with or without reason.

He will demonstrate his insecurity by barking hysterically.

This happens especially often with representatives of small breeds. After all, they are the ones who are pampered more often than others.

From puppyhood, your four-legged friend is taught the command “Quiet!”

This helps avoid unwanted barking in the future.

How to teach a puppy not to bark out of boredom or loneliness

It is no secret that the easiest way to eliminate unwanted aspects of a dog’s behavior is when its temperament is just developing (in puppyhood).

Here's how to react to a dog's unreasonable vocalization:

In a raised tone, command: “Ugh!”
Lightly slap your dog on the rump when he barks. Note that the spanking should be done with the hand, and not with a leash or stick.
After expressing your dissatisfaction with your pet’s behavior, retire to another room.

If you are used to yelling at a barking puppy, but do not give him clear commands, the animal will decide that you are playing with him. And he will bark whenever he wants to attract your attention. Don't get into a fight with your pet! Change your behavior.

As soon as your puppy decides to bark to get your attention, command “Quiet!” and immediately go into another room. As soon as silence reigns in the room where the pet is sitting, return. Pet the puppy and give him a treat. At first, the naughty dog will be confused, but will soon understand that the owner is thanking him for the silence.

How to deal with unreasonable barking

There are various ways that can stop barking in vain. It is necessary to start raising a puppy from the “young claws”. It is necessary to persistently explain to him what can be done and what cannot be done.

This applies to education in general and unnecessary barking in particular.

If time has already been lost, proper education alone will not be enough. Other measures will have to be applied.

A fairly effective method is impact on the ears. The owner must approach the pet and press them with firm movements, without causing pain. The intense impact on the ear canal will surprise the dog. She will shut up.
This method will help you cope with inappropriate dog barking. You need to squeeze your mouth tightly. This is how the owner makes it clear that the dog is behaving incorrectly. She is rewarded with a treat when she becomes silent.
You need to teach your pet to follow the command “Come to me!” . When he starts barking loudly, they call him. The dog stops making a sound because he gets distracted and runs up to his owner. If the barking stops, a treat is given.
If an animal yaps when left alone at home. In this case, he is provided with toys, balls and tasty bones. Your pet will have something to brighten up his leisure time. He will calmly wait for his owner to come home from work.

Behavior correction: basic methods of education

Correcting the behavior of an adult dog is not only more difficult than training a puppy, but can also take much longer. The main thing to remember when raising a dog is systematic training and patience.

If the methods of behavior correction described earlier did not produce results, then, after mandatory consultation with a veterinarian and dog handler, you can move on to more radical methods of behavior correction.

Additional methods

Such methods include food additives impregnated with various drugs, castration (sterilization), sedatives, corrective collars or cutting of vocal cords.

Any food additives, whether drops or tablets, must be prescribed by a veterinarian. Corrective collars - electric shock, ultrasonic or spray - can be used after consultation with a dog trainer.
The most radical methods of behavior correction - sterilization and cutting of vocal cords - are carried out only in a veterinary clinic and under general anesthesia.

Sedatives

Sedatives include various drops and herbal infusions, tablets and capsules.

Nutritional supplements consist of herbal infusions and can be used over long courses, but always after consultation with a veterinarian - each drug is individual and the body reacts differently in different dogs.
All sedatives - supplements and medications - have a sedative effect.

Separate from everything else are collars soaked in concentrated sedatives. The principles of aromatherapy apply here - when the dog is in a calm environment, the collar must be removed so that the dog can enjoy a walk and run around.

Anti-bark collars

Corrective collars can have several options:

Electronic collars. When the vocal cords are vibrated, the collar shoots out a small but sensitive and unpleasant shock. In order for a shock collar to be effective, it is important to put it on correctly - the electrodes on the box must fit tightly to the dog's skin. If you do not remove the fur, the dog will faintly feel the shock and this will only make him even more angry.
Ultrasonic collar. It operates on the same principle as an electric shock collar - when the ligaments vibrate, the collar produces impulses, only not of current, but in the ultrasonic range.
Spray collar. Also, when the ligaments vibrate, it releases aromatic compounds. Such a collar is harmless to the dog’s health, but the smell is unpleasant for the pet - most often such collars contain citrus aromas, sharp and strong.

Vocal cord cutting

The most radical way to get rid of barking is surgery. Cutting the vocal cords is a serious surgical procedure that often leads to complications and even death of the dog. Incorrectly or inaccurately performed surgery can lead to swelling of the larynx, as a result of which the dog will not be able to breathe.

In addition to the most terrible outcome - death, cutting the ligaments can lead to disability of the dog, since swelling of the larynx can cause breathing problems.
Such an operation, of course, will solve a “loud” problem, but it can lead to a change in the dog’s behavior and not for the better - a dog without a means of communication can become cowardly or, conversely, aggressive.

There can be many complications from surgery, because the operation is performed under general anesthesia, and anesthesia itself can lead to various chronic diseases of internal organs. In addition, the operation leaves many extremely painful scars on the larynx: the dog will not be able to eat normally for a long time and will experience constant pain until the scars heal.

Before deciding to undergo surgery, the dog owner needs to think very carefully and consult with a veterinarian and dog handler.

The dog barks at people - how to stop it

It is very unpleasant when a dog barks at passers-by. This behavior indicates that the animal is not socialized enough.

The dog simply doesn’t know how to behave in society and it’s the owner’s fault.

To wean yourself from reacting to people with your voice, you can do this:

They take the dog on a short leash.
They go to a crowded place. You need to walk at a brisk pace or run.

The dog does not have time to concentrate on someone, so it will not react to passers-by.

When the pet gets used to running among people and not making a sound, they move on to the next stage. They also go for a walk in a crowded place, but walk at a slow pace. If the pet reacts to people, the leash is pulled sharply.

You can pat the dog by the ears or distract him with a toy.

You can also stop barking at others by distracting the dog with commands. She begins to follow the orders of her owner, so she stops reacting to strangers.

There are cases when dogs rush at neighbors in the entrance.

They believe that this is their “territory” and fiercely protect it from strangers.

In this case, a representative of large breeds is severely reprimanded. It will be good if he wears a strict collar. Don't forget to wear a muzzle.

Small dogs (Japanese chin, Yorkshire terrier, dachshund) are picked up and taken outside.

What to do: the dog responds to the call

A call to the intercom or to the apartment is a danger signal for the dog. She realizes that someone outside has come and begins to react violently.

She does this in order to warn the owner.

You can stop your animal from barking at the sound of a bell in the following ways:

Ask someone you know to ring the doorbell and then quietly go in. The animal is calmed, petted and not allowed to bark.
You can also teach him to carry out a certain command when the doorbell rings - “Sit!”, “Lie down!” It is necessary to reward the animal for calm behavior and restraint.
There is another effective method. They ask a friend or relative to persistently ring the doorbell. They walk calmly and do not react to sound. The dog also eventually understands that there is no need to bark.

The animal should not pay attention to the noise in the entrance. To do this, they ask someone to rustle and talk loudly outside the door.

The dog is calmed down, and if it makes a voice, it is severely scolded.

Why does the dog bark at everyone?

There are many reasons why a previously calm and silent dog may start barking incessantly. Loud barking is almost always based on anxiety. A dog's anxiety is caused by various factors:

A game. The pet enjoys spending time with its owner. He barks loudly and abruptly, attracting attention to himself. Trying to show importance in the game.
Need. An animal needs something, and it can only say so by barking.
Experience. An animal, hearing suspicious sounds or seeing approaching danger, will notify its owner with a loud bark. The reaction will also follow if strangers or strange dogs come to the house where the dog lives.
Fear. Occurs in a pet during a period of long periods of being completely alone. The dog begins to think that he has been left for good, then he can no longer control his emotions and barks loudly.
Boredom. The dog has nothing to do, and there is not much choice - it can start gnawing on surrounding things (shoes, furniture) or, alternatively, bark or howl loudly.
Negative. An animal, like a person, reacts sharply to a number of stimuli. If people can afford to shout words, then a dog can show dissatisfaction or aggression with the help of a ringing bark.
Jealousy. The owner devotes a lot of time to another pet or one of the family members. The dog attracts the attention of his loved one in accessible ways. In this case, barking is a sign of jealousy.

To figure out which of the many reasons was the reason for the incessant barking, it is worth observing the dog. It is necessary to analyze when the loud barking begins and under what circumstances the noise stops.

Some dogs accompany sharp sounds, such as a telephone or doorbell, with a ringing bark. In this case, you need to turn down the volume of the melody and check your pet’s reaction again. It is clear that the problem cannot be completely solved, but it is worth trying to reduce the number of unwanted attacks.

Barking at other animals

It is difficult to wean an adult dog from paying attention to other animals. In order for the dog to adequately react to its four-legged relatives, it is accustomed to society from childhood. To do this, they go for walks with other dog walkers.

The owner must teach the pet to communicate with other people and animals.

The puppy is taught to be calm around pigeons and other birds. As early as possible, they are taught to use the commands “Fu!”, “No!”.

When time is lost, and an adult dog barks at its relatives and cats, a strict collar is put on it.

When she tries to bark, she is abruptly pulled back.

Tips from a dog trainer

It is better to start training a dog with the socialization of the puppy. But if the dog is already an adult, you need to be patient and follow some rules:

All commands must be spoken calmly and only once. You cannot repeat the command several times, otherwise the dog will remember that it can be done the third time and will ignore the owner’s demands.
A correctly and quickly executed command or termination of an action should be rewarded instantly. Each owner must choose a reward independently, based on the characteristics of their pet - it does not have to be food or a toy; for some dogs, stroking and affection is enough. After the pet has learned the command and follows it unquestioningly, the reward can be gradually removed.
Training should be daily, albeit short. Only systematic training will bring results. Not only the frequency of classes is important, but also constant repeated actions, without variations - there should be no deviations from the execution of commands.
You cannot break down and yell at your pet. Any excitement or excitement of the dog owner is transmitted to the pet and can greatly increase its excitement.

How to silence?

There are several ways to silence an animal. Actions can be very diverse, choose those in which you can be consistent - this increases the chance of success.

Cover your mouth

If a dog barks and lunges at other people and animals, then you, as a careful and “affectionate” leader, should cover its mouth, showing that such behavior is unacceptable.

You have an advantage, use it. Put on a leash and, if the dog begins to behave inappropriately, tighten it, close its mouth and force it to sit.

Next , move, attracting the pet’s attention to you - this way you distract her from the objects to which she reacts.

This way the owner receives attention that builds respect and avoids conflict situations between the dog and the outside world.

Bring a gift

Another way to keep your dog's mouth closed is to encourage him to bring a "gift" to you, a guest, or someone in your home. You can teach her to enjoy carrying objects.

Dogs who love prey will often pick up a toy and carry it around with them just to express pleasure.

Naturally, animals cannot make noise and hold a toy in their teeth at the same time. But be careful about giving a toy while barking, because your pet may accept the toy as a reward for barking.

Bark on command

Another approach that may work is to teach your dog to bark on command and then tell him to be quiet.

If you practice treats or verbal praise, wait a few seconds after your dog finishes barking before rewarding him. You don't want your animal to think she is being rewarded for barking when in fact she is being rewarded for being silent.

To initially encourage voting, you can ask someone to ring the doorbell. Have your dog on a leash during the exercise so you can distract and stop the barking with a gentle tug of the leash.

To make the feedback even better, let your dog know that he can bark at the doorbell, but then he should shut up and go to his place by the door, where he will watch for the arrival of guests. The owner commands “Quiet” and waits for the barking to stop. When the door opens, the dog should sit and watch silently on the command “Place.”

One word “Voice” should encourage the animal to bark again. Thus, by teaching the commands “Voice”, “Quiet” and “Place”, you get a trained animal under your control .

Such a pet is able to repel danger and protect the home.

Abstraction

Some dogs need a break and distraction to stop barking. In other words, something must prevent the animal from concentrating on barking.

Sometimes a verbal command is not enough. In this case, the interrupter may be another noise, such as an instrument that produces a high-frequency sound. This is an unpleasant sound for the dog, it silences him.

Other things that can help distract your attention are a bag of beans, a heavy rattling chain, or a jar of pebbles or coins. It works like this: the dog barks, you throw a noisy object in front of it, but without it noticing. Act as if the object literally landed from heaven. This way the animal will develop a logical chain: if you bark for no reason, something appears out of nowhere, possibly dangerous.

However, barking does not always require such serious intervention. If your dog barks near you, slam a closet door or drawer so that the noise distracts or scares him. But don't try to scare her, just quickly change her mood and focus.

The dog should not see that you are the cause of the noise. She must understand that barking for no reason becomes a catalyst for something, that it has consequences.

The thrown object should not hit the pet - just distract it.

Is it possible to stop a dog from being noisy?

The easiest way to understand how to stop a puppy from barking is that babies quickly absorb new information, so they can be trained more quickly.

It's more difficult with adults. With age, habits become more ingrained, so new skills are not easy to come by. If you have adopted a grown-up pet, be patient. Sooner or later, one of the popular weaning methods will definitely work, but it will take a lot of time and effort.

In addition to age, it is important to consider the breed. Some representatives are characterized by increased “talkativeness” by nature. There is no way to get rid of it, so it is better to become familiar with this feature before purchasing a puppy.

Extreme and not recommended measures

In addition to the weaning methods listed above, there are other options. Most of them are inhumane and harmful to health, so they are used only in extreme cases.

Sedatives

The safest alternative is the use of sedatives made from herbal ingredients. They reduce excitability and cause drowsiness, but are not suitable for long-term use. Such medications do not solve the problem forever, but only help to cope with the situation at a certain point in time. For example, sedatives will be useful during a move, until the dog gets used to a new home, or during the New Year holidays, when fireworks are making noise everywhere.

Special collars

Another safe option is to use a collar with aroma oils. As soon as the animal begins to bark, the fragrant oil of lavender or citronella begins to evaporate. The dog hates the smells of these plants, therefore, having figured out the relationship, he stops raising his voice.

More severe options include an ultrasonic or electric collar. The first produces an unpleasant, frightening sound that is not perceptible to the human ear, and the second delivers a small electric shock.

The downside of such devices is not only the discomfort, but also the suddenness. Out of fear, the animal may whine, start howling, or even lose control of its bladder.

In addition, the animal does not always see the connection between the voice and the action of the collar. It begins to be afraid not only to bark, but to do anything at all. It is better to spend time training than to intimidate the animal.

Ligament cutting

The most cruel method, prohibited in a number of countries. Surgery on the vocal cords leads to complete loss of voice or a change in tone.

In addition to surgical risks (heart complications, severe bleeding, laryngeal edema, death), there is a high probability of developing mental disorders. Due to the impossibility of communication, fearfulness and aggression worsen. The recovery itself takes a long time and is accompanied by severe pain in the damaged throat.

How to establish control?

Based on the reason, you can use different approaches to pacify the dog. largely due to the confidence that the owner displays. To gain confidence, the owner must understand the dog's reasons for barking.

With this understanding, the owner demonstrates calm, confident leadership and is in control of the situation.

The dog responds with calmness because it can trust the leader to take responsibility. From the very beginning of a relationship, you need to create a foundation that provides trust and inner confidence.

Remember that barking is one of the ways a dog communicates with us , so there is no need to try to get rid of this form of communication, but it should be controlled as necessary.

The ability to read your pet's signals is essential to building relationships.