Barking is the only mode and means of dog communication. Desiring a dog always to be quiet and never bark is a useless expectation. Barking can be very useful as it can alert you whenever something is wrong or an intruder enters your territory.
But still, excessive barking can be a matter of great stress. The barking dog becomes a headache for both the owner and their family and in worse conditions, turmoil for the neighbors.
To cure this habit, the worst thing owners can do is yell back at the dog or punish and scold them. It makes the situation even worse because you haven't rectified the problem. To stop your dog’s excessive barking, you need to give them a lot of time and put in a lot of patience and dedication.
Why Do Dogs Bark?
Well, several methods exist to stop your mini friend’s habit of excessive barking. It is the same effort as we put into styling the cavapoo haircuts. But before we start with all those techniques to quiet a barking dog, we will first try to understand why a dog barks.
What are they trying to indicate or communicate via barking? Your dog's feelings and needs will determine how they bark. Here are some of the common reasons why dogs bark.
They Are Trying to Greet Others
Whenever dogs see people, children and other dogs, they get excited and like humans, they try to say hello, which in their language, is barking. They wag their tails as a gesture of greeting.
They Are Territorial
Dogs are very conscious regarding their territory. Whenever a stranger or intruder approaches a dog or owner’s space, they bark. Dachshund Puppies, Texas, are among the most territorial puppies. These dogs will bark at everyone passing by or at strangers if they sense any bad intentions. This barking habit is a good one as it protects your land and property against robbers.
They Want Attention
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If you don’t spend enough time with your dog, they will seek your attention using different tactics. They will try to get you to turn around, again and again, they will break something or create a mess. The most common weapon they use to gain and seek attention is to bark. They know whenever they bark, people will notice them.
They Are Releasing Frustration and Showing Anger
Dogs usually become unsettled and shift to an unpleasant mood if tied to only one task for a long time. They have feelings, so they get frustrated when someone tries to tease them. Therefore, they express their anger and frustration by barking louder.
They Are Defensive or Afraid
Yup, it's normal for dogs to become just as afraid as humans and their heartbeat increases with fear. In dogs, when they get afraid because of a certain stimulus, they become defensive, and as a result, they bark at people.
They Are Sick or In Pain
Whenever a dog is sick or in pain, they will start to bark slowly and barking will fade out and in.
They Have Separation Anxiety
Dogs, when left alone at home or left outside at night, do bark. It is due to separation anxiety from their owners. Barks with repetitive movements reflect that the dog is suffering from separation anxiety.
7 Tips To Stop Your Dog From Barking
Excessive dog barking can drive you and your neighbors insane. Stopping a dog from barking isn't tough when you know why your dog is barking. Now that you know why a dog might bark, here are the seven best and most effective tips you can try to stop your dog from barking.
1. Detect the Cause and Remove the Stimuli
The first and most effective way to stop your dog from barking is to figure out the cause. What is causing your dog to bark? Are they barking at other animals or at people passing by? Are they barking because of separation?
If the cause is separation, try to spend more and more time with them and try not to leave them unattended. If they are barking at strangers, try to divert them whenever someone passes by.
2. Be Consistent in Your Mission
Once you have decided to keep your dog from barking, then don't leave it in-between, as it will encourage your dog to bark even more. Furthermore, teach your other family members about the training and make them aware of the mission, so they are more vigilant and consistent.
3. Teach Your Dog Specific Commands
Teaching your dog the stop, run, sit and stand formula can promote impulse control in your dog. Spend your time teaching obedience and disciplining your dog; this way, whenever you give the command to stop barking, they will obey.
4. Distract and Ignore
If you know that your dog will bark at children whenever an unknown child passes by, you can distract and divert their attention by assigning them a little task, like fetching a toy, etc. Whenever your dog employs tactics to seek your attention, just try to ignore them, but don't scold or make eye contact. This will greatly discourage their habit of barking.
5. Provide Sufficient Mental and Physical Exercise
Instead of your dog spending most of their time barking, provide other activities to engage them. Proper physical and mental exercise is nourishing for the brain and will increase your dog’s life span. Especially Dachshund Puppies Texas need regular exercise for perfect health.
6. Set Up a Quiet Area
A buffer zone at one corner of your home can also be an effective way to cure your dog's excessive barking. In this technique, make all the things in the room dog-friendly, which improves their mood and they'll forget to bark; as a result, your dog's barking is eventually reduced.
7. Use Anti-Bark Gadgets
Some dog owners aren't readily available to teach and train their dogs. So they use no bark collars—electric, collar-type devices that give a low-impact mild shock whenever a dog barks excessively. These e-collars are available in several different sizes and shock intensity rates and are controlled by a remote-control device.
Final Words
Training with patience and dedication is always a better approach to correct behavioral changes in a dog. Always remember barking is a dog's mode of communication, so don't take any undesirable actions unless their barking becomes disruptive or excessive.
With our above-mentioned, easy ways to stop a dog from barking, you can quickly get rid of your dog's excessive barking.
