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Train your Dog to Bark Less
Dogs bark to communicate, there is nothing wrong with that, but as much as we love our dogs their barking can become excessive and annoying. In this article, we look at the canine vocabulary and tips to prevent your dog from barking excessively.
The Dog Whisperer – Dog Barking Interpretation
Dogs are more limited than humans in the vocabulary they can use; this is helpful to us as it helps us to understand them easier if we know how to understand their barking. Listen carefully to their growls, yelps, woofs, and barks, and you will be able to deal with excessive barking, and also you will find training your dog easier.
Here are what typical dog barking noises mean:
If your dog makes the same barking noise, again and again, it usually indicates the dog is bored, maybe because he is alone, or perhaps feeling frustrated that he can’t communicate how he feels adequately.
Usually done to make you aware of his presence and to ask where you are or what you are doing.
We often think of a growl as a warning to stay away, often that is the meaning, especially if it is low-pitched. Sometimes a scared dog will let out a high pitched growl bark to try and persuade people to move away.
Some breeds of a dog let rip with a long and loud howl; this is done if they are in pain or they want to warn other dogs in the pack that there is danger.
Often with a closed mouth, a dog will emit a high pitched whine. This is to his way of calling for help or more usually attention.
Dog Barking Training – Dealing with Excessive Barking
It is best to first isolate your dog from other dogs as when they are with others; they will take cues from other dogs and start a bark fest. In the same way, do not encourage your dog to bark more by yelling at him to be quiet. He will think that you are joining in with him in barking. As a quick fix, it sometimes helps to get your dog to lie down, this change of posture can sometimes stop barking at least temporarily.
Top Tips to Stop Dogs Barking
Don’t let your dog use barking to demand and get your instant attention. Withdraw your attention from time to time when your dog barks to reinforce in their minds that barking does not equal getting attention. You will need to be patient to make this work.
Teach your dog the quiet command, and be firm with it. Engage your dog by looking at your dog in the eyes to take his focus away from barking.
If he is barking to get your attention to alert you to something, look with him to find out what it is and then provide re-assurance and persuade him that all is well, and he can settle down.
If your dog barks at passers-by move her so that she can’t see them, and make sure she is not left outside alone for a long time, particularly at night.
Dogs respond to rewards, so provide a bonus when your dog obeys your commands to be quiet, you can do this after a few minutes and then over a long period so that your dog recognizes that there is a need to be reserved for more and more time to get a reward.
Distraction works, if your dogs are having a barkathon, cause a disturbance or remove him from whatever is causing him to bark, such as seeing another dog. Command your dog to fetch something or go to their bed, for example, followed up by a command to “stay.”
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