Last Updated on September 20, 2023
As a pet owner, nothing beats the happiness of having a cute fur baby waiting for you at home. The idea of their tails wagging about and their tiny legs walking up and down the house is a surefire way to relieve stress after a long day at work.
But despite having all these perks of having a puppy, they sometimes still have their tendencies, one of which is excessive barking.
Now while it may be caused by multiple reasons, it’s a relief that there are a few tips and tricks on how to stop a puppy from barking. Aside from training methods, there are also other ways on how to deal with such a nuisance, especially during late nights.
I can almost hear you thinking, “how can you help me with my problem?”
I’m really glad you asked.
Now while dog training has been proven useful over time, excessive dog barking has been a long problem for pet owners, and today, we are going to take a look at a few useful ways on how we as pooch lovers can solve our canine’s barking problem.
Identify the Cause
Most of the time, puppies bark either due to their playful nature, their impeccable sense of warning thanks to their heightened senses, or even anxiety. Excited barking can be indicated by frequent tail wagging. A warning tone can be seen easily, while anxious puppies are given away by their body language.
Ensure that the barking triggers are not external factors, like separation anxiety, them being home alone, or even perceived threat. New puppy parents may take time to adjust, as usually, your pooch may bark more often as it is being housed in a new environment. For excited dogs with a happy bark, you may start by petting them gradually and establishing authority in the house. Once he gets a total sense of how things work, observe how his barking pattern changes.
Despite thriving off companionship, most puppies tend to bark at new faces. But sometimes, even familiar ones are on the receiving end of your pup’s wrath. When such an incident occurs, you may start by asking your dog to be quiet while your guest is around, and whenever he stops barking, offer him treats. Positive experiences are crucial to training your pooch.
You need patience with this one, and as soon as you have seen improvement with the first method and incorporate them into your daily routine, proceed with the next steps on how to handle other causes of additional barking.
Ignorance Is Bliss
Kind of like how we ignore people who tap our shoulder and look away, the same concept applies as a basic training program for our puppies. Excessive barking can be a form of attention-seeking. Our pets know that their loud noise can cause their owners to turn to them, pet them, and cater to their needs.
Either way, barking dogs find it fulfilling when their noise catches your attention.
For starters, it helps to familiarize your puppy’s simple behavior. If you notice that they bark for no reason at all, just ignore them completely and consider leaving the room if you have to. If they stop, even for short periods, it”s not a bad idea to reward them with a treat. By doing so, they get accustomed to a daily routine of receiving rewards when they do not proceed with inappropriate barking, and you get to know more about dog behavior as you observe.
As part of puppy training that may prove to be effective, you may also try figuring out why your canine friend is a barker. Aside from the factors mentioned previously, you might also want to take a look at his appetite pattern, his tendencies with having new people around him, and his obedience training.
Consistency Is Key
Hearing a puppy bark can cause us to raise our voice a little when speaking to our dogs. Another appropriate solution is to continually use a calm voice when attempting to train a puppy. Being responsible and consistent is one of the keys to making sure that training puppies can come at ease. It’s also worth mentioning that having a safe space day in and day out can play a huge role in making sure that your “doggie daycare” is up and running.
Being consistent helps establish a decent bond and trust between canines and humans. If you reward your dog with chew toys once they stopped barking, then make sure to do so consistently every time you wish to proceed with puppy training. It also helps to be mindful of your demeanor when rewarding your dog whenever he exhibits polite behavior. Establish a firm authority when dealing with barking. By doing so, your pooch realizes that you’d rather reward him for being quiet, and in doing so, helps establish communication between you and your pet.
Another factor you may want to look into is how your puppy reacts when greeting people. This can be considered as territorial barking. If your pup is easily startled with family members and guests, then it helps to advise them to speak in a firm, calm voice when around your pup. During appropriate times, ask them to approach your pet and make your pooch accustomed to having people around. Just like the other training methods, don’t expect to see results overnight. Obedience training does take time.
Eliminate Boredom
Dogs are social animals. Just like any normal living creature, anything that is routinary and stationary takes its toll on your puppies. As part of a bigger purpose, you can train your puppy to stop barking through simple outdoor activities, such as a walk in the park, or an outside jog. This action plan ensures that your pup gets enough physical activity and a daily ounce of mental exercise for the day.
Just like with house training, observe if your pup barks at other things outside your home. Consider some of the factors you are seeing, and reward him with treats whenever applicable. Verbal commands work well, too. Your pup must be accustomed to being rewarded whenever he is quiet. You’ll also be doing your fellow joggers a favor
Another thing you may want to consider is chew toys. During prolonged stays in the house, your puppy can easily get bored, especially when no one is around. This sort of instance can cause excessive barking. With interactive toys, he may be occupied enough to lessen the noise caused by being home alone. Both daily exercises and providing your pet with interactive toys may be useful tools for companionship.
Habitat
When moving to a new house, puppies can have a negative tendency. Depending on the area, they can either feel right at home or completely uncomfortable. If you are located in a place where a lot of vehicular noises occur, then you may want to expect that your puppy will bark most of the time.
What you can do is monitor his barking patterns, and identify what causes him to be noisy. A lot of times, puppies can be territorial/protective. During such cases, be physically present whenever scary sounds are present and give him treats whenever he stops making noise.
Barking has been proven to give dogs an adrenaline rush, which can be fairly difficult if not taken care of properly. One of the things you may want to look into is making sure that you calm your pooch in the correct manner, with treats and praise being given every time he stops barking. Whenever a new person walks into your home, he or she instantly becomes an unexpected sight. Notice how your puppy reacts, and try to see how you can be able to deal with his excessive barking, should they occur.
Give Them Room To Grow
Ah, yes.
We almost forgot that we were talking about a puppy.
Just like any starting individual, a puppy needs constant and consistent training. Whether you are a starting puppy owner, or you have been around dogs for a long time, it helps to give your fur babies a learning curve. Aside from identifying the cause of their barking, it helps to know their personality as well. Is he a playful pet? A serious, reserved type? Does he get annoyed with the simplest of things such as opening the front door?
Taking in the time in knowing your pet has its perks, and in doing so, you will be able to identify what kind of training fits him best.
Professional Help
In most severe cases, seeking the help of a certified professional dog trainer may come in handy, If the previously mentioned tips prove to be ineffective, then it’s best to pay your trusted veterinarian a visit.
It can also be useful to keep track and take note of your puppy’s behavior. Be wary of how they tend to react with new people, how they behave when outside the house, and when being trained to stop barking. These are useful information to a certified professional dog trainer.
In Conclusion
Chances are, the tips mentioned above should work. On rare occasions that it doesn’t, as a pet owner, you should be responsible for identifying key points that trigger your puppy’s barking.
It often starts by being present and available to cater to your pup’s needs. From a canine standpoint, I’d rather have my owner around me all the time. Observe how clingy a puppy can get every time you leave the house. Easily one of the earliest training methods you can incorporate is to let your puppy be used to you not being around. By doing so, you enable him to be independent and to have little worry whenever he is home alone.
Whether caused by fear, anxieties, or just plain excitement, our puppy’s barks are an indicator that they need us, and we as responsible owners should heed our fur baby’s call.