Stop Puppy Barking

... and more free puppy dog training tips

However, when your dog is a puppy, they are still in the process of learning how to communicate with other dogs (and people), and you can work towards getting your dog to stop barking without being forced to do the cruel and painful de-barking surgical procedure.

Ways to Stop Puppy Barking - dog training tips

1) Come Up With a Command

The first step is to come up with a command that tells your dog to stop. This command should be separate from all other commands you will use. That means “No” will not suffice, and “Stop” is not a good idea since many people will use that command for other behaviors. A good one to use is “Hush.”

When your puppy barks, say “Hush” loud enough to gently startle your pet. Assuming your dog has stopped barking, give them a treat. Continue this a few more times. Eventually, when your dog barks and you yell “Hush,” start to wait for a few more seconds of silence each time before you give the treat. Eventually your dog will start to learn that long term silence after the word “hush” gets rewarded.

2) Teach the “Speak” Command

More effective with puppies than with older dogs (though still a neat trick with older dogs nonetheless), teaching your dog to bark on command, allows their barking to be more under your control. When your dog barks on command they get a reward, but when your dog is barking not on command they do not. Eventually your dog will get less joy out of barking on their own.

3) Don’t Ever Reward for Barking

In all aspects of your puppy’s life, do not reward them for barking. This means that you should not give them their food when they bark, you should not throw the ball when they bark, you should not even reward them with attention when they bark. Barking cancels all positive things that you do for your dog. Your dog will quickly learn that barking gets them nothing, so it will use it to communicate less.

Some breeds will always be prone to barking, so if you are truly against a barking dog, it is best to stay away from some of the worst barking dog breeds. But if you buy a puppy that is not one of these breeds, training them out of barking is possible if you follow these tips at a young age.

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