Dogs have different reasons for barking but they generally fall into three categories.
To communicate a need or want such as the need to go for a walk or that they need food or water.
To alert you as to the presence of a possible intruder. It may be a person or another animal but the dog is following his territorial instinct to protect his home and family.
To relieve boredom or frustration.
In order to effectively deal with a barking problem you, as the dog's owner, must ask yourself whether you're providing your dog with the sufficient exercise and activities to keep him from suffering from boredom and getting frustrated. You need to answer honestly before you can effectively deal with the problem.
As a rule, dogs bark to let you know that they see, hear or smell a stranger in the area. It might be either a person or an animal. This is the right kind of barking as we actually want them to do exactly that.
Even a small breed can be an effective watch dog in this way. The issue with this barking is that it needs to be controlled, meaning that once we acknowledge the barking and ask them to stop, they should stop.
Barking problems lead to neighbor problems and no one wants that.
The fundamental concept to keep in mind is the Alpha dog principle. If your dog thinks he's in charge he won't have the sort of respect for you that will cause him to obey your commands willingly and will go on barking long after you've asked for silence.
This a cause of many owners giving up their dogs. Let's not let that be the case.
You must go into the training with an attitude of patience and a good relationship with your dog. One tactic is to allow the dog a few seconds of barking and then ask him to stop. Distract him with a spray bottle of water misting him in the face. You can also use a noise distraction such as shaking a box or tin of pebbles.
As soon as he stops barking reward him with praise and a treat. Repeat this until he learns the behavior. Don't allow him to bark excessively even in play situations or he'll associate the two and confuse acceptable barking to this unacceptable form.
Just like human babies, puppies learn fast that barking, howling and whining are the ways to get attention from their humans. They learn to bark for food and water and for special treats.
They're taught this by the behavior of their humans. If you rush to cuddle your puppy or give him a treat every time he barks or whines, he soon has the formula to achieve his aim.
This learned behavior carries on when the dog is grown and can be a real problem.
Imagine a twenty year old man sitting down and crying loudly if his mother won't let him have a snack.
Early on you must make it clear to your dog exactly who really is the boss. He needs to understand that you'll give him treats or attention on your terms and not on his. This understanding at the start of your relationship establishes you as the pack leader and will make your time together a lot more pleasant for both of you.
Besides communicating with us, dogs bark to communicate with other dogs. Keep this in mind with regard to your dog's area. If he can see other dogs he'll be much more likely to bark than if he has an adequate area that doesn't allow him to see out.
Along with plenty of exercise you need to provide your dog with toys and activities to cut down on the boredom of his time alone.
These tips should relieve most barking issues and help you and your dog be welcome members of the neighborhood.
