Mannerly Mutts Dog Training

A very common dog training question that I am asked is “how do I stop my dog from barking?”  As is the case with most training questions, this cannot be completely addressed in a quick conversation. Also, it cannot be solved that way either.  I realize that many dog owners have been living with this problem, sometimes for years. They think there is a quick fix that I can share.   There are no “magic wands” in any dog training. Management and/or avoidance may be useful in the short term bur are band aides not long term solutions.   This does not mean the solution is hard, but it is a situation in which training and communication are required.  Teaching your dog to bark less when it is a nuisance involves showing them how to do so. It also means teaching them what cue communicates this need. 

I think the first place to start is to understand what barking is.   Barking is the way that dogs communicate various things, and it is completely normal.   It is not a sure sign that your dog is becoming aggressive.   That being said, something normal and not threatening does not always need to be allowed.   It is one of those things that a command can be put on like “quiet”.   I don’t like to take away a dog’s ability to communicate. However, I do like to control it in appropriate situations.  Here are some examples of situations where nuisance or appreciated barking can occur:

1. There is a funny odor or sound (perhaps neither of which I notice at first) in the house.
2. There is a stranger approaching.  I may want that stranger to hesitate because of my barking dog. This will give me time to find out what they are doing here.
3. Someone knocks on your door or rings the door bell.
4. Strange wild life or dog in the yard.   It is helpful for me to know before I let the dogs out. They are all trained to be recalled from those situations.  It is better to know what is out there. Just because your dog can recall, it does not mean certain animals won’t attack your dogs!
5. An automobile or delivery truck arrives at your property.
6. Frustration for a toy or attention.
7. Demanding their food.
8. Needing to go to the bathroom or wanting to go outside.

One of my dogs, I am convinced, kept me from getting mugged or worse in Worcester Mass.   Jazzabelle was not barking at the stranger creeping up until I saw him.   I felt every pore of my body pop with sweat. I realized he was sneaking up on me in the woods.   Jazzabelle took that cue, started barking, and I did not quiet her.   I got out of the woods safely. I urged the man to stay away and take a seat. While we left, he did as I asked.   Yeah Jazzabelle!   So there are times some dog owners appreciate their dogs ability to bark.

Most dogs, except some breeds and occasional personalities, are going to bark.   Asking them to never bark is like asking a human to never speak.  Also as I had mentioned, this is a necessary part of their communication mechanisms.   What we can do is teach them not to bark when we give them a command.   We can also change behavior to help the dog feel more confident. It will become more self-assured and therefore, less likely to bark due to feeling vulnerable.

Every dog is different, and every dog learns differently and responds differently to different methods.  Additionally, the solution often involves a combination of methods. It may also include training tools. These are worked on over time. They are then maintained throughout the owner and dog’s relationship.  How to teach your dog to stop barking via a verbal or visual cue will differ for individual dogs..

Here are some things to think about:

1. As with training anything, you need to work up to distractions.   If you just wait until the biggest distraction comes along, this will not be effective training.   You need to be proactive instead of reactive.
2. Regarding number 1, you can set up “fake” situations that cause your dog to bark. For instance, do not wait for a stranger to come over. Instead, have your spouse set up a situation or use a remote control doorbell. This can help you prepare your dog for what you want them to do with the proper training.
3. Redirection is ONE of the things that may help.   My dog, Boris, will pick ball over stranger (human or dog) approaching the house.   You can begin to ween off a play or food reward with a proper training regime. This regime is designed to increase distraction. It is still only ONE aspect of this.
4. Obedience training in general will allow you to give a command that does not lend well to an unwanted action.   This is called counter conditioning.   Many times if a dog goes into the command down (taught well and to a standard) they will not bark.   Other times, it will take time for them to learn to relax. Another command, “quiet,” can be used to help them do this.
5. If the distraction comes, you need to get up block or contain your dog.   The more you let your dog practice, the more they think it’s their job to bark. They will cease listening to you.   If my dog is not listening, then it is time for me to get up and control things.   Ideally, I want my dog well trained enough not to have to do this.   Sometimes, something unexpected ends up in your yard or driveway. Or perhaps you’ve been lax in training (it happens).

I have heard the advice  to teach your dog to “speak” in order to be “quiet”.   That is not really true, and in fact can backfire on people that do not study dog training.   You can actually teach your dog to bark at you if you’re not careful. If “speak” is not well thought out, it can lead to constant demands.

The following is another example of training gone wrong by accident. Before I became a dog trainer, I taught my neighbors how to keep Neptune from barking at them. I showed them several techniques.    They were all very friendly with Neptune, but we still didn’t want him barking as a greeting.   We instructed them to tell Neptune to sit when they came home and give him a food reward.    I now know this was a predictable outcome. Neptune barked at them every time he saw them. He did this because he wanted the cookie LOL.  So we had to change those directions up a bit, and really think about what we were “teaching” Neptune.  We had actually taught him “speak” as a greeting instead of “quiet” as a greeting.  Oops.

These are just some ideas, as this is a bigger topic than just this blog post.   Remember every dog is different in how they learn. Each dog has its own idea of what they find rewarding. They also have their own perception of what their jobs are.   It is our job to know our dogs. We achieve this by training, playing, and spending quality time with them. This helps us get the best results. It enriches the relationship and communication.

© 2024 Robin Rubin DBA Mannerly Mutts