How To Stop Your Dog From Barking Excessively

Understand that barking is the normal way that your dog communicates. But if it barks excessively, that needs to be controled. Discover how to stop over-the-top barking from your dog. Click “Next” to continue..

1. Condition Your Dog With Rewards

If your dog is feeling restless and no observable stimuli is causing it to bark, don’t react to it. Do not give it a treat or reward to in an attempt to quiet it down. This makes the barking problem worse since your dog will think that barking is the solution to getting what it wants.
When the dog quiets down, only then give it a reward. Stop rewarding it when it barks again. Through this process, your dog will learn through conditioning that it should not bark excessively.

2. Get Your Dog Tired

Take note of the amount of exercise that your dog is getting. Some dogs have a high requirement for activity and exercise. They get restless and moody if they don’t get enough movement during the day. Besides, when you burn off some energy from your dog, it is less likely to bark. This is because a tired dog is less likely to be a noisy dog.

Sometimes, one walk a day may not be enough for energetic dogs. Some dogs require at least 2 walks a day. This is time consuming and you may need to hire a professional dog walker if you don’t have the time to spare. Consider letting your dog run around freely in a yard if you have one. That will let your dog burn off energy by itself.

3. Feed Your Dog Regularly

Do remember to keep your dog well-fed as well. Dogs become restless when they are hungry. And a restless dog may bark excessively to get foods and attention. It is definitely advisable to have a set meal time routine for your dog. That way, your dog will have an expectation on when it will get fed and that may reduce its barking. On the other hand, its water bowl should be topped up throughout the day. Your dog should never be left thirsty.

Also, keep your dog warm. If it is feeling cold because of climate changes, it may bark incessantly as well. Keep a warm, well-insulated corner in the house for your dog. If it stays in a kennel outside, make sure that the kennel is well-insulated from the cold weather.

4. Bring It To A Vet

If your dog is still barking after it is well-fed, warm, and not disturbed by external stimuli, something else may be causing it discomfort. Bring your dog to a vet to get it checked.

Sometimes, when a dog yelps or barks, it may be having internal pains that are due to health issues. This pain or anxiety that cannot be treated through training. Thus, a professional diagnosis from a vet may be helpful in this case.