How To Stop Your Puppy From Barking
Does your puppy’s barking drive you or your neighbors mad? If so, you may be at the end of your tether and unable to cope. The first mistake that people make is to think that they can stop their puppy from barking completely. It should be understood that barking is normal for puppies. Your puppy communicates by barking as you do by talking. It is only when the barking is excessive and inappropriate that you should take action.
When puppies bark it is for a reason so before any action is taken you should find out why. Puppies can bark because they are lonely, bored, anxious, frustrated or frightened. They also might be hungry, need to pee or simply just need to go out for some exercise.
If your puppy continues to bark excessively or inappropriately, then you should use commands like “stop” or “enough” in a stern voice. If this does not work, you should pull them away from what they are barking at and give a correction – a quick tug on the collar is a good idea.
Giving praise such as “good” is important when your puppy stops barking so that he knows this is a correct behavior.
When your puppy is outside and starts barking to come in, you can use a command such as “stop” or “quiet” if you do not want them to come in just yet. Do this in a stern voice through the door. Puppies can hear through the door. Remember not to open the door until you are ready to let them in.
If this does not work then you could kick the bottom of the door from the inside. This makes a loud noise which can startle your puppy. This is quite an effective method.
Another idea is to hang out the window and squirt water from a spray bottle or hose. This action should stop your puppy from barking. The more you do this, the more your puppy will get a negative reinforcement for barking.
When your puppy stops barking, do remember to give praise. You must be consistent in praising positive behavior and giving a negative reinforcement for unwanted behavior.
Now that you know the reasons for your puppy barking, you should be able to take the best action in order to have a quieter life!
Visit the Training Puppy Tips website for more detailed information on stopping your puppy barking. You can use the same techniques for stopping your puppy growling.
