My dog barks! Why and how to teach him to stop?

A dog never barks without reason, the first question to ask is, why is he barking?

Has he spent enough? Is he bored?
Is his guard instinct too developed?
Is his barking incessant, or just punctual?
Does it bark when you are away?

Has my dog spent enough or is he bored?

A dog that has spent enough will be less likely to bark!

There are several activities to offer:

Physical expenditure:

Generally, it's about walks. They must last at least 30 minutes to 1 hour per day.

You can enjoy more sporting activities, such as mountain bike, cani-rando, cani-roller, cani-cross, agility, etc.

Olfactory expenditure:

Your dog loves to sniff, this is also the first sense he develops at birth. The walks are a good way to satisfy this olfactory need. You can also throw his bowl of croquettes in the grass, so it will take longer to eat. There is also the matte snuffle or search mat.

Intellectual expenditure:

All dogs love to learn new things, from basic education (sitting, lying down, to your place, not moving, etc.), or exercises that require more thought (Tricks, clicker work, shaping mental stimulation games, etc.).

Masticatory expenditure:

Few owners know it, but your dog needs to chew! You can offer him a stuffed kong, a chewing bone, etc.

All these activities must be daily. Just like you, your dog needs to do several activities in his day. A dog that has enough activity will be more tired and therefore less energetic in its barking!

Is his guard instinct too developed?
Of course, some breeds are more predisposed to the guard (German Shepherd, Malinois, etc.). Their genetics have made dogs more alert to their environment, they will tend to scan the horizon to monitor the whereabouts of intruders. But in general, most dogs have a guard instinct.

If you want this instinct does not develop, I suggest you socialize your dog during his first months. The more he encounters new people and new situations, the less his guardian instinct will take over.

Another solution to mitigate his nature of watchdog: to hide his sight. Install screens in places where it tends to go barking.

What to know: If your dog feels insecure, he will abbreviate more intensely. Plan for a comfortable and private place, a safe place!

Is his barking incessant, or just punctual?
The intensity of his barking can be a good indicator to find the solution that suits you best.

When a dog barks just when someone walks past the gate, and stops immediately, there is nothing wrong. One of the dog's modes of communication is barking, in the same way as for us with verbal language. You will understand then that we can not silence a dog completely!

On the other hand, if your dog barks for a yes or no, it probably indicates that all his needs are not met. Check that he has enough physical, olfactory, intellectual and masticatory expenses.

In addition to satisfying his needs, you can teach him an indication to limit his barking, "stop", "hush", "shut up", "leave you", etc.

To stop his nuisance barking, two solutions:

Give him one of the above indications, diverting his attention, help yourself with a toy, a treat or get away from the cause of his barking, and as soon as he turns away, reward him.

Give him an occupation that lasts a bit in time (Kong stuffed, chewing bone, plastic bottle with treats inside, butcher's bones, etc.), in times when you know he can bark . For example, schedules where there is more passage such as school trips, the arrival of a guest, the passage of the postman, etc.

Does he bark only when you are away?
If your dog barks only during your absences, it indicates that he has difficulty remaining alone.

Know that loneliness is not innate in dogs, so it is appropriate for us to teach them.

Teach him to be alone from an early age, even if you are at home with him. That is to say, do not allow him to follow you everywhere (in the bathroom, in the bedroom, etc.), in this way, he will learn to look after himself and you can help by leaving toys, a kong, a treat to chew, etc.

When you leave, always think of occupying it, for example, you can give him his meal scattered in every corner of the house, or leave him his toys only during your absences.

Before leaving, do not do a ceremonial, better go away quietly, so as not to worry more.

My personal experience:
My dog ​​Yakutsk, a dwarf poodle, has a tendency to bark. Before it was part of my life, I thought we could fully control the barking of a dog through a good education.

To understand our history, you must know that Yakutsk was born at home. In the litter, he has always been the loudest, the first to moan, grunt and bark. His mother and Tata Braque of Weimar are not barkers, so he could not imitate them. Yakutsk is the type to bark for everything and for nothing. It took me to establish an education to limit its barking, I used the indications "you leave", and "stop", I divert the maximum attention, and I take care to fill all its needs. Thanks to these efforts, we live in harmony with a dog who knows how to stop his barking, if we ask him.