As we all know, dogs bark. In fact, barking is part of their very nature. For dogs, to bark comes as natural a behavior for them as it is for a bird to sing or for a frog to croak. However, a dog barking can become a very troublesome when the barking is goes persists with no signs of ever stopping.
Most dogs will start to bark for normal, healthy reasons. This barking behavior can be for many reasons such as to warn its owners or to defend its family or property by scaring away intruders or other animals. But unfortunately, all too often a barking dog does not always stop at that. Once a dog starts to chronically bark, it can seem impossible to teach a dog to stop barking.
One of the most typical reasons for dogs to bark is due to loneliness or boredom. The best way to prevent a dog from barking here is to give your dog plenty of exercise and play time. If your dog receives plenty of play and exercise then it is more likely to want to rest or sleep while left alone when you are gone instead of barking.
An easy and effective what that you can proactively teach your dog to stop barking is to find a time when your dog starts barking, but, make sure that you keep a bag of dog treats nearby. Then, after your dog starts to bark, use a command to tell your dog to stop barking like "be quiet", or "stop barking". Wave the treat in front of your dog's nose after giving the silence command to your dog. You will find that your dog will stop barking and instead focus his attention on the treat.
It is important that you praise your dog for stopping barking, and then you can give your dog the tasty reward only after a few moments of silence. You should repeat this exercise regularly until your dog learns to stop barking at your command.
If you dog continues to bark chronically while in the process of the training, then it is important for you to be sure to keep your dog in the back yard and as far away from neighbors as possible until you can successfully train your dog to stop barking. If your dog is barking when in the house, consider closing the drapes and playing soft music to cover any sounds from the outside that may trigger dog barking.