How to Help Your Dog Calm Down and Stop Barking

Barking is how dogs tell us what's on their minds, whether they're excited, nervous, being protective, or just want our attention. But when barking gets out of hand, it can be super annoying and even worrying.

But It might also mean there's something else going on, like your dog being bored, scared, or not getting enough exercise. Figuring out why your dog is barking so much is key to handling it the right way.

Why Do Dogs Bark?

Dogs bark for various reasons, this included the following: 

1. Alerting: Dogs often bark to alert their owners of someone or something approaching. This kind of barking is meant to warn you and let you know that there might be a potential threat or visitor. It’s a natural instinct for dogs to protect their territory.

2. Socializing: Dogs are social animals and may bark to greet people or other dogs. This type of barking is usually friendly and is a way for dogs to communicate with others around them.

3. Excitement: When dogs are excited, such as during playtime or other fun activities, they may bark to express their joy. This type of barking is usually accompanied by a wagging tail and a happy demeanor.

4. Needs or Boredom: Dogs may bark to get your attention when they need something, like food, water, or to be let outside. This is also known as attention-seeking barking. When dogs are bored, they might bark out of frustration or to get some interaction from their owners.

5. Stress or Anxiety: Dogs can experience separation anxiety, isolation, or confinement anxiety, leading to excessive barking. When they feel anxious or stressed, barking can be a way to release their pent-up emotions.

6. Guarding: Some dogs bark to protect their possessions or property. This type of barking is often territorial and can be triggered by strangers or other animals entering their space.

7. Defensive: Dogs may bark to warn or defend against a perceived threat or danger. This can be a response to something that scares them or makes them feel threatened.

8. Frustration: Dogs can bark out of frustration when they can’t access something they want quickly enough. For example, if a dog wants to greet a guest but is confined to their crate, they may bark out of frustration.

9.Startled: When dogs are surprised by something unexpected, they may bark as a reflex. This type of barking is usually short-lived and stops once the dog realizes there is no real threat.

You must also know that some dogs may experience psychological issues, such as separation anxiety, that cause them to bark or howl excessively. Medical conditions, such as hearing loss with advancing age, can also contribute to excessive barking. These conditions require a visit to the veterinarian, behavior vet, or a certified applied animal behaviorist to diagnose and treat.

How To Calm Down and Stop Your Dog from Barking

Barking is a natural, normal behavior that most breeds are born knowing how to do. To train a dog to stop barking or to bark less, there are a few methods you can try:

Manage the Environment

Managing the environment is the first step. Once you understand which types of barking your dog is likely to display, you can work on changing the ways your dog is exposed to barking triggers. For alert barking inside the home, privacy film on windows can reduce barking without any training at all. If your dog barks at a sound, playing soothing music or using a white noise machine can help your dog relax and reduce the alert barking.

Another example is meeting the daily needs of your dog. Once the dog is content, the need for attention-seeking barking will disappear.

Use Positive Reinforcement

Training is another way to stop some forms of excessive dog barking. The most successful method is positive reinforcement, which strengthens or increases behavior by delivering something the dog wants right after they perform the desired behavior.

To reduce barking, you can teach your dog to bark a certain number of times and then cue them to a second behavior, like running to a mat, and deliver a treat there. With enough practice, your dog will bark a set number of times before going to their mat and waiting quietly for their treat. Whenever your dog is quiet and well-behaved around a stimulus (such as a new person), offer them a treat. Over time, your dog will learn that good things come to them when they’re not barking.

One note of caution: If your dog is already excited around guests, adding delicious food may lead to an increase in “excitement” barking. Contacting a certified trainer or behavior consultant may be helpful.

Teach a ‘Quiet’ Cue

Begin using a calm verbal cue such as “quiet” to let your dog know that it is time to stop barking. Start with training sessions where you reinforce quiet behavior. For example, if your dog barks while playing, stop the game, wait for three full seconds of quiet, then mark and feed the dog a treat or resume playing to reinforce quiet. Repeat this step until the dog stops barking as soon as you stop playing. Next, add the cue, “quiet,” count for three seconds of quiet, then mark and feed a treat.

Once your dog learns the calm verbal cue, “quiet,” you can use it during times of unwanted barking, such as the ring of a doorbell or the sound of other dogs barking, to prompt the quiet response (aka to stop the barking). When your dog stops barking when they hear the cue, toss them a treat or two as reinforcement. If you are having any trouble with your barking dog, a certified professional can help with meeting your training goals.

What You Shouldn’t Do

It’s also important to know what you shouldn’t do to stop a dog from barking.

Remember that barking is a behavior that serves a communicative function. The pet parent’s first step is always to assess the underlying motivation for the barking before deciding how to handle it.

Don’t Reinforce Attention-Seeking Barking

If your dog barks for attention or to get something from you, it’s important that you don’t reinforce their barking by attending to them at that moment. Instead, identify what they need and use positive reinforcement to teach a replacement behavior. For example, if a dog learns that sitting by the door is what gets you to open it and that barking doesn’t, they will be more likely to sit by the door instead of bark.

More importantly, pet parents must assess their dog’s daily routine to ensure that all physical, mental, and emotional needs are met. A satisfied, content dog will not need to use barking to get attention.

If your dog continues to bark even after you provide what they need, consult with a veterinary behaviorist, a certified applied animal behaviorist, or a certified behavior consultant.

Never Punish Your Dog

You should never use punishment for dog barking. Examples of punishment would be:

• Yelling or making loud noises
• Throwing objects
• Spraying water at your dog
• Using anti-barking devices, such as citronella-spraying collars or shock collars

Scaring or threatening a dog may temporarily interrupt the barking behavior, but in the long run, it can make the problem worse. Using aversive stimulation may cause aggression and phobias, and they will lead to high levels of stress that block your dog’s ability to learn. They may even associate the distress with you, leading to your dog avoiding you in certain situations. Or worse: They may begin to display defensively aggressive behaviors directed at you.

How to Prevent Dog Barking

You can also reduce your dog’s barking by:

• Increasing your dog’s amount of exercise and playtime
• Keeping a consistent daily schedule
• Ensuring your dog’s food and water needs are met
• Providing mental stimulation with puzzle toys or treat-dispensing toys
• Using positive reinforcement to teach your dog to ask for what they need quietly
• Buffering the outside by using privacy film and leaving on music or the TV to create white noise

These steps will go a long way toward preventing the habit of excessive barking from developing in the first place. A content dog is a quiet dog. 

An informed pet parent is a happy pet parent! For more tips on how to take care of your fur baby, be sure to check out our blog. You can also follow us on Instagram @JoyrideHarness. We love sharing cute photos of our canine customers wearing their Joyride gear! 

 Source: PetMd