Although a dog might be classified as man's best friend; best friends are the ones that can annoy us the most.
Of these peeves, a dog's bark can not only be loud, but often times an excruciating pain to endure.
When a dog will not simply stop barking, what do you do? Yell at the dog and tell him to stop, meanwhile making as much racket as the dog? First of all, distinguish why your dog is barking.
Dogs bark for many reasons.
Although some of these reasons may be justifiable, many are not.
To avoid senseless barking, you need to identify what gets him going.
Certain noises, motions, or even actions can entice your dog to start barking non-stop.
When you have recognized these triggers, it is then time to take steps to correct them.
A great way to begin is by repetition.
Pick one phrase to say consistently and repetitively when your dog starts to bark.
At first, you might find this just as annoying as the dog barking, however, you need to remember a dog responds and learns through repetitious behaviors.
When the dog is done barking, simply give the dog a treat.
It is best to use the treat they seek most so they will want it consistently.
The key to being successful with this approach is to be consistent.
Every time your dog barks, you say the phrase over and over so they can hear you, and then reward them after they stop.
Eventually, your dog will attribute a treat with stop barking.
Using different approaches to this might be inhumane or just not good for both you and your dog.
A dog can grow to resent the approaches you take.
It can also lead to increased bad behavior.