How to Stop a Barking Dog and Get a Good Night Sleep
Posted: Tuesday, January 15, 2008
by Ben Sayer
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Perhaps one of the most persistently complained of dog behavior problem is barking. Fortunately, the question of how to stop a barking dog is something that most owners should be able to answer provided they properly understand the underlying causes of this particular type of dog behavior problem, and implement strategies to address it...
Firstly, it's important not to forget that dogs are supposed to bark. It's an inherent dynamic of their psyche, it's one of the ways they communicate. Consider this, if someone was entering your back yard with a view to burgling your home, you'd want your dog to bark, right?
Fear Based Barking
Most dog barking problems develop during 6-8 months of age, during a period where your dog's barking is more likely to be fear based than protective. The problem is exacerbated in dogs with limited socialization. The less confident your dog, the more likely they are to be prone to excessive barking. Positive experiences and reinforcement of your dogs level of confidence can have dramatic effects on their levels of barking, particularly during this phase of their development.
Whether your dog is young or older, it is essential that problem or fear based barking is not reinforced by your response to it. You want your dog to feel confident. When your dog displays uneasy behavior (such as shackles risen) it's often our natural reaction to try to reassure. We might pat them, and tell them ok, but frequently in doing so we communicate with a slightly concerned tone. We of course are concerned...we want our dog to be calm! But to our dog, they interpret this as us reinforcing that there is something to be fearful of. The best response is to simply and confidently tell your dog there's nothing wrong. Adopt an 'everything is great' attitude, and your dog will follow.
Assertive/Alert Barking
Beyond fear based barking is your dogs need to assert themselves as being 'on alert'. Frequently this results in them spending an hour barking like crazy at the garden hose rather than achieving any purposeful 'watchdog' role. This too can be curbed by understanding why it is that your dog is acting this way.
Your dog understands that its their duty to alert their owners. What they often need to have reinforced is that whilst their job is to alert their owners, barring extreme circumstances, they are then supposed to hand responsibility to responding to any perceived threat over to you. That is to say, you're the leader, your dog is part of your pack, and you must take responsibility for that dominance.
How do we achieve this? Firstly, give credence to your dogs barking. Take a look why they might be creating a fuss. Don't just tell your dog to be quiet from inside the kitchen, head on out and see what's the cause. It might be a neighbour, it might be the mailman (it really might just be the garden hose). But whatever it is, do your part and see. If your dog persists with barking once their role is fulfilled however, then its not only appropriate but essential that you let them know they are overstepping the line. You're the master. Once your dog has seen you have assessed the situation, then you should confidently and clearly reprimand them for continuing to bark. Take it one step further. Call your dog over, and with your sitting next to you take hold of their collar with one hand. With your other hand, carefully but firmly place your left hand over your dogs muzzle and press down (be sure the pressure is not uncomfortable). At the same time, issue a single command in a calm but confident voice, such as "Quiet". Don't yell at your dog. They will hear this as similar to a bark and it only serves to reinforce that there is something worth barking at. Its imperative to remember that dog's don't communicate the same way we do. By commanding them to be quiet calmly and confidently, together with imobilising your dogs head with your hand, you are exerting your dominance in a manner similar to that which might be displayed by a normal dog pack leader when silencing a noisy dog. By doing this anywhere up to a dozen times, your dog will begin to associate the command "Quiet" with the need to stop barking.
You can in fact set up this conditioning without having to wait for situational barking. Find something that triggers your dogs warning barking. It might be knocking on the door for example. After one or two barks, stop knocking and do something to get their attention. As soon as their attention is drawn to you and they stop barking, say "Quiet" or whichever command you have selected, and reward your dog. Positive reinforcement when your dog stops barking can be assisted by aids like food treats. Apply this when first training your dog with this technique, and gradually decrease the use of food treats. You should aim to get to the stage where you can simply pat your dog or say "good dog" or a like comment. Its important to apply this technique only when your dogs barking is unnecessary. As stated earlier, there will be situations where you want your dog to bark, and the bark response is not something you may want to extinguish completely.
Dog Barking Triggers
If you can't get your dog to stop barking at anything and everything, attempt to eliminate some of the triggers which set off the dog barking. This might be as simple as removing their exposure to the trigger. For example, put them in their enclosure if a neighbor is expected. Say your dog guards the north side of your fence from the neighbor's dog it might seem obvious but remove your dogs access to his post. With the absence of temptation comes salvation.
If outright isolation from a trigger is not possible, before a barking trigger event occurs (such as the mailman arriving) call your dog and instruct it to sit. Provide your dog with praise and reinforcement for compliance. Better yet, eliminate the trigger as being perceived as a potential threat. Introduce them to the neighbor or mailman, let them give your dog a treat. If necessary, have them start off from afar, and reassure your dog calmly and confidently as they approach. Let them throw treats to your dog, and as they get closer, hand them directly. Engendering loyalty in dogs with your encouragement to others, or by way of controlled exposure to something causing your dog concern, is a great way to eliminate alarm.
Attention Seeking
If you can't stop dog barking because your dog wants attention, this requires some more interventionist methods, and the appreciation that your own actions may at some stage have contributed to the problem. Attention seeking barking is a learned response. Like children, dogs find out what works, or what they can get away with, and repeat it. If you let your dog into the house whenever he barks, whenever he wants to get in he'll bark. If you try and ignore them, the barking will become more persistent, often to the point of extreme frustration. Worse still, if you ultimately accede to their demands (say at 3am, out of desperation) it only reinforces that persistence results in success. Instead, try waiting for a point where they stop barking, then let them in. For particularly determined barkers, try coupling this with a deterrent, such as a squirt bottle, for more rapid results. Diverting this type of barking behavior may take more time, and success may be gradual, but it is achievable.
Boredom Dog Barking
If your dog is barking because they are bored, then your attention to their needs may be the simplest and fastest solution. There are a mass of dog related products on the market which are relatively inexpensive. Chew toys, balls, and a range of other toys can keep your friend occupied until you get home to give them their much needed exercise. Try altering their routine and give them plenty of options to keep them quiet.
Frequently, being able to isolate your dogs anxieties, needs or motivations is key to achieving that which you both want, which in your case is a happy (and quiet) pet.
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More commentsNice, informative article. I have Border Collies now and they generally don't bark but I certainly have been plagued by a barking dog before. You give excellent practical tips for effectively dealing with the problem Excellent article.
I have this cross breed of a Pomeranian and a Spitz age 3-4 mos. my dad allowed me to let her stay in my house for 1 wk and see if i can take care of her (FYI im still a kid so idk much about taking care of a dog) whenever im about to go sleep i find my dog sleeping on the floor in the living room so i said to myself "she won't wake up she'll just be sleeping there" so i let her be but after 1-2 hours she started barking i tried to keep her quiet but she wont stop so i just let her be until i need to wake up for school... after a few days that i let her be and ignore her she stops barking and just continues to sleep soo.... problem solved about barking.... but she still barks a little hehe LOVE the article btw it helps sooo much.. espicially for a kid like me THNX!!
Well written and well worth the read, Ben. Thank you for sharing the info.
My beagle is about 8 mo. old. Within the last week or so, he consistenly barks directly after my family & I retreat to our rooms. The barking is constant. If given time to stop, like mentioned in your article, he may quiet down for 30 sec-1 min., then the barking continues. Eventually, I traveled downstairs to examine what is wrong (sometimes (most times) I take him outside to do his thing, but upon returning in (after a drink or a snack) and he is put back in the cage, I starts barking again. My family & I are not home during the day. Both day and during the nightime our dog is secured in a cage and supplied with many toys (bone, ball, chew rope, etc.). As mentioned in your writing, he is currently at the age where most dogs start their consistent barking. I am wondering if because he sleeps during the day (don't know for sure, but its basically a given), if physcologically is thinks it's daytime when it's really nightime.
Can you provide any comments or things that I can try? (starting now, continuing, discontinuing )
Thanksfirst of all, your dog should not be confined to a cage all day and all night. I would have behaviour problems too if you did that to me. please buy a book or several and learn more about dog behaviour and psychology. It's not a rodent.Any dog that is left alone all day is going to have some difficult behavior. I have had dogs for more than 50 years and the one thing I can assure you of is that they do not like being isolated. Despite our breeding they love being part of a pack. If you do not spend time with your dog, why the f%#* did you get it in the first place? Sorry just think that leaving a dog all day is abuse. Do not understand Ben Sayer comment at all. Article os good behavior analysis of problem but it is difficult to be very specific unless you are dealing with the exact breed and environment.Ah, I see now the fact the dogs being left caged all day. We agree, dogs are not rodents. Whilst they are usually valued members of a family, they aren't humans either. Do you not have a yard though? Dogs can cope being alone for periods if they have plenty to keep them occupied. Being caged day and night is not healthy and may well contribute to the barking once he's out. Do you exercise the dog regularly?
Have a 8 mo. beagle. Consistently barks directly after my family & I retreat to bed. He is given time, like mentioned in the article, but the barking continues. After a while, i eventually travel downstairs to examine what is wrong. Usually I take him outside to go potty, then back in (sometimes a quick drink or snack is given), then back in the cage. Once he is left only (me being upstairs) the barking will continue. He is a variey of toys in his cage. This has just started within the last wk. Could he be physcologically mixed up, thinking it's daytime instead of nightime. (He is in his cage during the day and nightime; i imagine during the day he sleeps)?
Please provide comments and/or things I can try? (Things to start, continue or discontinue)
Thanksi have a beagal too that we rescued, its not just your dog to, i am having the same problem, and i can not find any solutions, the dog is driving me nuts to the point of me getting rid of her. i have ryed everything she just dose not want to stop barking at night, and she is too left in kenal in day when were working. i have decided to buy a shock color to see if that will save me some sleep. if that dont work, i just might have to give up, the barking is probibly why her last owner abandon her. if you find anything that works please share!
@ ARH
i have a beagal too that we rescued, its not just your dog to, i am having the same problem, and i can not find any solutions, the dog is driving me nuts to the point of me getting rid of her. i have ryed everything she just dose not want to stop barking at night, and she is too left in kenal in day when were working. i have decided to buy a shock color to see if that will save me some sleep. if that dont work, i just might have to give up, the barking is probibly why her last owner abandon her. if you find anything that works please share!
This don't work for me I have four shih tzu mixes that stay outside. I have never had a problem with persistant barking till we moved this past month. The first day here they barked at everything of course because it was all new to them. The new neighbor yelled at them to shut up till 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning. Now everytime they see or hear him they bark persistantly and when he hears them he yells at them. He has already had the cops over here to tell me I have to lock them up at night. I go out to play with them and when they bark at me he yells. Anytime they bark for any reason he yells at them to shut up. Today his kid was yelling at them to shut up. This was at 2:00 in the afternoon. I know he wont "give them a treat" I don't know what to do. I'm ready to pull out hair. If anyone knows what I could do please HELP!I have never heard of keeping shih tzus outside. I have had two shih tzus and neither was a barker ever. Other than take them inside, I would say you should give them a kennel with a cover to keep them from being anxious about the new environment and their own beds, and develop a nice bedtime routine, like giving them each a kong with peanut butter to chew on as they settle in for the night. My problem is my newer dogs are barkers, a cocker which is known to be a barker and a mastiff puppy which shouldn't be a barker. They are both young and I can't crate them because I crate while I am at work. So far though, the cocker is starting to settle down because I had to crate him when he was barking and I couldn't sleep, so now he gets on my bed and sleeps quietly. The mastiff only barks when he does in the yard. Still working on that. He will not stop.
I have a 2 year old austrailian shepard who just a few weeks ago started barking at night constantly. she is an outside dog because i just moved back home and my dad has 3 inside chahuahuas. My neighbor came over today and told me that he was on his way to complain. I have had her for almost 2 years and she has never done this before. I have another dog thats outside with her so its not like she is alone. the other dog doesnt bark, so i dont think that she is barking to protect us. I moved back in 2 months ago and she was fine. I bought her a muzzle and that didnt work. I cant think of anything. im fresh out of ideas. someone please help!
I have a Chow Chow , Border Collie mix of abou t5 months. I used to allow him to bark at household objects lying on the floor as entertainment to myself. He would very aggresive and violently bark at these objects. as he grew older i realized he is starting to bark at anything and everything he hears and observes in the backyard. I have subsequently been trying to train him to stop barking but to no avail. I think I allowed him too much rope at the beginning.
I now lock him up in the garage at night as he sometimes barks right through the night apparently in harmony with dogs barking in the far-off area.He still barks in the garage but tends to do it alot less than when he is roaming freely. Any advice on this matter?This is the saddest thing I have ever read. I feel sorry for this dog.
I Have a lovely Jack Russell. He is 3 this year. I've got to say he is perfect in every way except 1.
He barks to the extremes. He has the run of the house and our big garden every day. He goes out for 2 long walks a day. He has bones and a variety of toys. He has his girlfriend teddy for his business. My son has 2 pugs who visit or comes on walks with us every day. he is very placid and loving. The problem we have is, He will constantly bark in the garden. He will bark with visitors He will bark at the hoover he will bark at any thing that rustles ie a crisp packet. He barks at the microwave. Any excuse to show off his vocals. He barks for ages and we hear the neighbours telling him to shut up. We have tried all sorts to stop him. We love him so much but just wish that he could pipe down a bit.
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