Hello blog. Yesterday, Bailey barked my ear off when the UPS man drove down our street. This morning, he repeated the barking song when a neighbor was taking a morning walk long the sidewalk in front of our home. Bailey is quite the security guard. He is eager to sound the alarm at any given moment.
There are a number of reasons why puppies bark. Hearing your dog barking is a joy the first few times. "Yea! He has a voice," was our thought. But you may want your puppy to quiet down after the novelity of new puppy barks sets in. But first, consider why the puppy barks.
It could be to warn you when a stranger approaches or worse, when an intruder tries to break into your home. A puppy also barks when scared of something or in pain.
Sometimes barking is a simple matter of asking for attention from you. Whatever your puppy's motives are, there are a few things you can do to train a puppy not to bark... unless there is just cause.
We actually want our dogs to bark... but not at everything and everyone. We train our dogs to be alert dogs. We want to know when a stranger approaches our home... a stranger, not a family member or neighbor!
If you want to train your dog to bark only at certain times, the best way is to teach your dog when to recognize the appropriate times to bark. You have a few options; however, the tried and true "stop and reward" method works well, because it is effective and humane. There is never a reason to hit your dog.
Some people try and circumvent the training option all together with an electronic collar, known as a bark collar. Other dog owners opt for another type of collar which works on the same theory as the electronic version. The citronella collar emits a mist whenever your dog barks.
Dogs dislike this smell (at least most of them do). Whenever they bark, they smell this citronella scent. Eventually, the dog links the two together and avoids having to smell that odor by not barking.
Most vets and dog trainers feel that while these collars are great tools, they are no substitute for a good solid foundation in obedience training. Keep in mind that when it comes to getting a dog to behave the way YOU want, it is simple. Reward good behavior. Ignore the bad [be silent].
That's a good tip, blog. Have a good dog day!