8 Ways of Reforming a Barking Dog

Sep 07, 2018

Encouraging a barking dog is a sure shot way of discouraging the presence of any visitors or guests anywhere close to your house. It might be a big boon if you are an anti-social individual intent on driving away any possible visitors from your house or generally distrustful of people.

However, this is usually not the case for the majority of the dog parents out there. One always nurses a desire of developing a large social circle either in a personal or professional space. Evenings involving your boss usually don’t end up boosting your hopes of a promotion if your dog indicates the warm welcome he wishes to accord to your guest by barking the house down. Humans are social beings and look to develop as many relations as possible which a barking dog acts as a major roadblock towards in most of the cases. Keeping these factors in mind, let’s take a look at 8 different ways in which you can go about reforming a dog who loves barking at every stage:

Ensure an Active lifestyle: One should always look to ensure an active lifestyle for his/her dog in order to ensure that the body is well-worked at every stage and does not enjoy sufficient energy for frivolous activities like barking. Chew toys, as well as regular exercise in the playground, can play a critical role in ensuring an active lifestyle for your Fido.
Encouraging the correct attitude since childhood: A dog replicates the behavior which is usually encouraged as a puppy when he grows older and stronger. It is recommended to discourage the act of barking from the very first instant with a stern rebuke which can effectively guide the dog correctly from an early age.
Tapping the dog’s nose: A dog’s nose is one of the most sensitive parts of his body. One should attempt to lightly tap him/her on the nose in case of a bark, repeating the same exercise frequently to send the message home in a direct while at the same time effective manner.
Understanding the cause behind his behaviour: Dogs are well-equipped to sense danger in the vicinity and attempt to protect the owner from any harm by barking loudly. The pet parent should attempt to understand the behavior of the Fido and analyze whether a potential threat exists in the vicinity.
Utilise Specialised devices: There are several anti-barking devices and collars like Ultrasonic Bark stop collar and Citronella anti-bark collar which can be utilized for training the dog in a proper manner. At the same time, these devices should be used judiciously and with practiced restraint as barking is simply a dog’s mechanism of expressing himself.
Attempt to familiarize him with regular visitors which can help him develop camaraderie: It is advisable to familiarize your dog with regular visitors at the house in a gradual manner so that he can observe their actions and understand that they mean no harm to the family. A dog who is able to develop a sense of confidence and comfort levels in such a manner is less likely to feel bark at strangers as well considering his previous exposure and interaction.
Avoid indicating a sense of anxiety in your behaviour: Dogs are capable of sensing when the pet owner is in a state of stress and accordingly prepare themselves for any potential formidable threat. Considering this, it is advisable to adopt an air of confidence and belief which convinces your Fido that there is nothing to worry about hence decreasing his inclination to bark in a safe environment.
Instructing a dog to bark based on the situation: There are several instances where dogs are able to sense danger and hence react appropriately in case of a threat faced by burglars or thieves. Considering the advantage they present in the form of guard dogs, one should not look to completely eliminate their inclination to bark and instead train them to react only when deemed necessary based on the situation. It is advisable to encourage a “barking sign” involving a specific finger movement or action which can guide the dog with regard to the moment when he should start barking or refrain from doing so.