Arf Arf! Or: How to Help Your Dog Stop Barking
We love our dogs, but sometimes chronic barking can drive you nuts! If your beloved pet just can’t seem to quit yapping and yelping, or if you’re dealing with a neighbor’s noisy pet, these tips may help.
What is barking, anyway?
Dogs see themselves as protectors, and they have been bred for centuries to fill that role. Barking is their way of letting you know something isn’t right and alerting you that danger, strangers, or other scary things are nearby. If you have a chronic barker, they may need to be reassured that everyone is safe and sound. Learning what the dog is barking at is the first step.
Figure out the cause.
Try to think like your dog. Commonplace sights and noises might not be noticeable to you, but to your dog they could seem as a threat or something they want you to know about. Your dog might be freaked by the sound of the dishwasher, an exhaust fan tapping against a wall in the wind, or a neighbor walking outside. Understand the reason for barking and you’ll be able to address it.
Acknowledge the trigger, then thank your pet.
Understand what the trigger is, then look at your pet and say, “I hear that noise, Buster. It’s just the icemaker, and it’s okay. Thank you for telling me!” Thought it might seem crazy, if your pet believes you know what’s bugging them and they feel reassured, they won’t need to alert you any more.
Try covering their eyes and ears.
If thanking your pet doesn’t work, teach them that when they bark, they don’t get to hear or see the trigger anymore. This works particularly well if the cause is another dog or the mailman. If you cover your dog’s eyes and ears with your hands and give a consistent command (“no barking”), they’ll learn that it’s more fun to be quiet and get to look out the window than it is to bark. If you’re out for a walk and they bark at another dog, turn around immediately. Fido will get the picture faster than you think.
How to stop a neighbor’s dog from barking?
When neighbors aren’t considerate about stopping dogs from barking and the noise is a bother, consider trying a white noise machine made specifically to deter dogs from yelping. Special sonic frequencies aren’t audible to humans but often keep dogs from barking.
Get advice from the pros
If these tricks still aren’t getting the job done, make an appointment to see your local pet clinic or vet clinic to get some personalized advice. Educated animal surgeons are also experts on pet behavior and can provide specific training tips for your pet.