Barking is a typical phenomenon for domestic dogs, but often becomes a cause of irritation for the animal’s owners and strangers, who involuntarily hear monotonous sounds day and night. A dog that loves to voice becomes the cause of conflicts between neighbors. Owners of noisy animals have a reasonable task - to wean their dog from barking without a reason. Before taking concrete steps, it is necessary to understand the mechanism of four-legged behavior in conditions that stimulate loud barking of dogs of most breeds.
Barking is an animal’s way of communicating with its brothers and owner. Barking is not scary until the sounds become too much. A person is not able to withstand the endless barking of even his beloved dog at night. To stop your dog from yapping, find the cause of the restless behavior.
Why does a dog bark: looking for the reason
The first thing that owners of “talkative” dogs should understand is that the animal never barks in vain. First you need to find out why your pet is flooded, and then choose a correction method. The cause of uncontrollable barking may be:
Another reason why a pet barks at everything and everyone is poor socialization or its complete absence.
It is important to teach your dog to react normally to children, cats, other dogs, public transport, cyclists, and strangers.
The critical period is from 4 to 8 months. The puppy is introduced to all possible situations and praised for its calm behavior. If for some reason he was not socialized, he will have to instill skills in an adult dog - preferably with the help of a dog handler.
Educational methods for weaning off barking
To stop a dog from constantly barking on the street or at home, you will have to dig deep. First, you need to be confident in your leadership. If a dog walks ahead on a walk, enters and leaves the room first, eats before its owner, ignores commands, it considers itself the leader. Until she learns otherwise, no adjustment will work.
There are several ways to train your dog to be quiet. They need to be used in combination - one method will not work. Systematicity is also necessary - if you give up once, previous efforts will go down the drain and you will have to start raising your pet all over again.
We ignore the yapping
Often, owners do not notice that they themselves provoke unnecessary behavior.
While the dog is barking, owners can give toys, food, tease it, console it, or reprimand it. All this is considered a pet for the signs of attention for which he began to bark.
This behavior is completely wrong. You cannot encourage a dog or show interest while it is barking. Let it flood. Sooner or later she will get tired and give up. A few repetitions and the dog will understand that trying to attract attention is futile.
The exception is when a pet warns with a voice about a perceived danger: the arrival of guests, neighbors, noise behind the wall, etc.
Then you need to calmly approach him, make it clear that he was heard (lightly stroke or praise, but not violently) and command “Place” or “Sit.”
We teach commands
A dog cannot help but bark - this is its way of expression. But she needs to be taught to control her emotions.
The commands “Voice” and “Quiet” or “Silence” will help with this. The dog is specially provoked to bark, at the same time I command “Voice”.
Then they say “Silence” or “Quiet” and wait until he calms down. You can squeeze your mouth so that your pet understands what is required of him. Success is reinforced with treats, and mistakes are reprimanded.
It is advisable to accustom him to commands from puppyhood. An adult dog is several times more difficult to train. When the pet unconditionally fulfills all requirements, increase the time between rewards.
A clicker is also used - it is clicked upon successful completion in order to develop an additional positive connection between the sound and the reward.
Let's turn our attention
A good way to stop your dog barking at home or on the street is to switch it from the source of irritation to something else. For this:
Simply switching your attention is not enough. It is necessary to stop attempts at the first yelp - when the dog is not very excited.
Afterwards, when she becomes silent, give her a treat and praise her. This way the pet will understand that he is being rewarded for his silence. Gradually increase the interval from the moment the dog stops barking until the reward.
This technique is used when the animal reacts violently to loud sounds - a bell, a knock, noise outside the door. They deliberately provoke him (they call or knock), and then they turn his attention and reward him for silence. Repeat ad nauseam every day until your pet calmly tolerates any irritant.
Getting used to loneliness
Often dogs begin to cry furiously in the absence of their owners. And they wail for hours until they find themselves in the company of people again. At the same time, they can spoil things.
Often those who like to “be indignant into the void” feel like they are in charge, are too cowardly or not tired enough.
Solve the problem using several methods at once:
You cannot return when the dog is yapping. But you can stand at the door, wait until he stops talking, go into the apartment and stay for a while. If the animal behaves calmly, it is praised and left.
If the dog is kept in an enclosure, then he will 100% vocalize at other people, cats, guests, “calling out” to the neighbor’s pets.
The question here is not whether it is possible to wean a dog from barking - you will have to be content with minor adjustments in behavior: walking well, paying attention, praising when it makes a voice on the case and scolding when it barks just like that.
Why does a puppy howl and how to wean him off
Any puppy, once in a new home, will howl at night. This is fine. He is frightened by the new environment, the baby misses his mother and brothers and sisters.
Therefore, you should prepare for several sleepless nights. The following measures will help calm your puppy:
- from the nursery they take a rag that smells like parents and littermates - because the smell of the owner and the new home is still unusual for the kitten, a “piece of homeland” will help him calm down;
- they temporarily set up a place not far from the owner’s bed - gradually they move it to a permanent one;
- at night, put a heating pad wrapped in a blanket or towel - the warmth will create the illusion for the puppy that he is not alone;
- the first 2-3 weeks protect the baby from stress, spend as much time with her as possible.
If your kitten still howls, there is a method to stop your puppy from whining at night. As soon as the baby whines, they come up to him and say “Ugh” in a stern tone. At first, the dog will not understand what they want from him, but after 2-3 days he will stop bothering his owners.
The baby cannot be beaten, punished, or shouted at. It is forbidden to take a tomboy into bed. It is easier to stop a puppy from whining at night if you played and interacted with him a lot during the day.
If the puppy has settled into his new home and starts howling at night after 2-4 weeks, he is taken to the veterinarian. Perhaps the kitten is sick or his teeth are changing.
Additional ways: when parenting doesn’t help
Correcting behavior through consistent training is the best method to stop a dog from barking. However, if there is not enough time or the pet has increased nervousness, they resort to special means.
Sedatives
Treats, tablets and drops containing sedative herbs – valerian, mint, lemon balm – will help relieve anxiety.
The medications are given to the pet according to the instructions, without exceeding the dosage. Before use, especially if the animal has allergies, you should consult a veterinarian.
Anti-bark collars
Equipped with microphones and sensors that respond to sound and produce an irritating signal. They are considered an inhumane way to stop a dog from barking.
How to stop a dog from barking at night in an enclosure
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DOG TO BARK AT NIGHT
Lyme
: Dogs live outside the city in an enclosure. At night they bark very often. I'm afraid that the neighbors will soon present an ultimatum. Please advise if anything can be done in this situation.
Little warrior
: Laima writes:
I'm afraid that the neighbors will soon present an ultimatum.
How I understand you! Having moved outside the city, our Tagira began to bark. Moreover, he lies for any reason: whether a person is walking 100 meters away, whether a dog is running, whether someone is barking in the distance somewhere. In short, sometimes it gets really boring. And he constantly wakes up the child. They recommended an electric collar, but so far there is no extra money. I’m thinking of working on the beast when it gets warmer: now it’s very difficult to run out of the house, since because of the cold, blankets are hung up and all the holes are plugged. And now you have to either yell out the window, or, already angry and boiling like a kettle, run out and call on the dog to cooperate. Sometimes the Magic Pendel helps.
volcodav
: Laima writes:
Dogs live outside the city in an enclosure.
They bark very often at night. Maybe there is a point. Let Asians out of the enclosure at night. And walk with them more. Asians are becoming gibberish. If they are limited in space.
Vladimir Saratov
: Elena L. writes:
so all their Caucasians couldn’t wake me up at night.
Maybe you celebrated the meeting, so you couldn’t?
Vika
: malikhat writes:
I know one thing - that at home, at work - they won’t just ramble into the void!
Vladimir Saratov
: Elena L. writes:
From a distance “Woof!”, she “Woof, woof!”, again from there “Woof!”, She answered “Woof!”
What about the translation?
zubari
: Elena L. writes:
And we, on the contrary, are all in enclosures for the night.
Then silence. They only react to sounds near the site or if dogs are barking somewhere nearby. It’s like you wrote about my dogs!
Vladimir Saratov writes: What about the translation?
Free!
cherhan
: Vladimir Saratov writes:
From a distance “Woof!”, she “Woof, woof!”, again from there “Woof!”, she responded “Woof!”
What about the translation? Two long, one short - I won’t translate
volcodav
: cherhan writes:
Two long, one short - I won’t translate
sos
Catherine
: I regularly go out and swear, usually young girls bark. Does constant reassurance help or do they grow up? The neighbors simply closed the windows on our side. The neighbors' dogs bark, of course, but if ours barks. so I'm fighting! For example, now Tolstoy is banging on the door of the enclosure and will not calm down until the morning, and in the morning he will calmly go to bed. And all because the bulldog has a leak at home and he really wants to go to her!
Elena L.
: Ekaterina writes:
And all because the bulldog has a leak at home and he really wants to go to her!
The reason is valid.
Elena L.
: cherhan writes:
Two long, one short - I won’t translate
What, did I really send it?
cherhan
: I read this on a Kiev forum. In the USA, dogs will be prohibited from barking for more than 30 minutes. In the city of Clifton, New Jersey, USA, local authorities are introducing a restriction on dog barking. Now, “noisy” dogs will be those that bark for more than 30 minutes for two days in a row. The fine for disturbing the peace is expected to be at least $250. The city administration explained that noise laws that can be applied to troublesome dogs already exist, but they are difficult to enforce in practice. In 2006, the Clifton Health Department sent out just 11 warnings to owners. Based on materials from Lenta.ru
Vika
: cherhan Well, they just put pressure on the dogs! You can’t even bark for more than 30 minutes a day! And who will detect it?
restalig
: Baltek Ghairat
jaramat
: Baltek Gairat writes:
Ideally, to a clean gypsy family that trades in drugs.
cherhan
: Baltek Ghairat
Vladimir Saratov
: Baltek Gairat writes:
But this is how angry people are that we are not like them.
Golden words, we are different! Baltek Gairat writes:
The German, absolutely safe and sound, is shamefully hiding in the booth,
And you were incredibly lucky, when we had a similar incident, we had to fight off the Caucasian from our dogs, and still the Samurai managed to tear off his balls, they lay separately from the dog on the asphalt.
Now I sometimes have nightmares that the gate opens and all my dogs run away, but I can’t catch them! Baltek Gairat writes: Borik’s mother called and took him away.
And in this situation, your mother is a hero, she calmly resolved the situation, mine would have had a heart attack!
jaramat
: Vladimir Saratov, never mind. What a manner of speaking, putting other people's eggs in your mouth. poor Caucasus!
Vika
: Baltek Gairat writes:
But this is how angry people are that we are not like them.
That we don’t save every ruble, that we feed and keep a lot of dogs, that we don’t dig in our garden, and in general we don’t have one, that we don’t collect gossip with them. Yes, there are many more such “whats”. Our dogs collectively bark less than their mongrels, but guess whose barking interferes with their lives? They were planning to change their place of residence to one where there was more land. I swear, I’ll sell the house so that they won’t get bored. Ideally, a clean gypsy family involved in the drug trade. And sell the house as planned!
How to stop a dog from barking: 5 tricks for all breeds
Barking is a natural way of communication between four-legged friends, familiar to the ears of dog lovers. The problem with this style of communication only appears when it begins to irritate due to the duration and lack of reason. In this case, the owner has to look for several ways at once, since stopping a dog from barking is not always easy.
Why do dogs bark?
Before you figure out how to stop a dog from barking, you need to find the cause of the unwanted behavior. Remember that it is always there.
Calling barking a way of communication is not entirely correct, since dogs most often use whining or guttural sounds when talking to each other. If they bark, it is because they are overexcited. Usually they are brought into this state:
Analyze the situation in which your pet breaks into barking. This will help to find out the cause of the excitement.
Alone
The pet, left alone in the apartment, tries to protect it from potential robbers. He barks to scare away ill-wishers.
Animals should not be left alone for a long time, as they quickly become bored. Particularly emotional and hyperactive dogs will try to attract attention even if the owner has simply gone into the next room. They can be calmed down with a long walk or active games. In the absence of sufficient attention, more serious behavioral disorders occur.
If the dog is cowardly and unsure of himself, then a long absence from a person can cause great fear. It will react to any noise, trying to scare away a possible threat. Other common causes of fright include thunderstorms, fireworks, or other loud noises.
At night
Dogs are not cats. At night, their vision deteriorates greatly, making spatial orientation difficult. They can be frightened by any shapeless silhouettes or swaying shadows. That is why four-legged pets try to spend the night next to their owners.
On the street
Sounds on the street are much brighter than in a quiet apartment. Other animals walk here, children run around, cars and cyclists pass by. A barking animal is scaring off a potential threat or is simply displaying dominant behavior.
If the dog lives in a kennel, then he may really miss his owners. Loud barking attracts attention, signaling the desire to take a walk and get affection.
In front of the door
An animal barking right under the door usually responds to a knock, bell or intercom. Depending on who is standing on the threshold, it may bark with happiness, fear, or simply take a defensive position.
Without a reason
If there is no obvious reason, then the pet may be sick. With the help of barking, he tries to notify a person about his illness, while the pet will strain himself until they pay attention to him.
Another reason is a call to action. Pets are skilled manipulators, understanding that owners react differently to sounds made. If a dog barks, he may want to eat, go for a walk or play.
Unreasonable barking often occurs in older dogs who have lost their hearing. The ability to perceive sounds is distorted, so the voice is heard for no obvious reason.
What to do if your puppy cries at night
There is no use in tearing out your hair. It's better to make an action plan. Perhaps our advice will help you. On a scale of 10, how hard is raising a small puppy? Many answer: “11 points.” But there is good news: it will soon become easier, and your hard work will pay off in a big way. Many dog owners compare raising puppies to caring for a baby, and they are right.; This article is dedicated to all puppy owners whose pet cries at night or does not want to fall asleep at all.
Needing Attention Often puppy owners complain about the following situation: the puppy falls asleep in the evening, but in the middle of the night wakes up and whines, whines, whines, refusing to lie down. Sometimes this continues for several nights in a row, and drives the owners into a frenzy. What can be done?
The puppy's place (bed or crate) should be located where the animal can see everything that is happening in the room, and at the same time he will have the opportunity to rest quietly (for example, a corner of the room). The place should be equipped with a comfortable bed. Place a chew toy there and a bowl of water.
If the puppy sleeps in a crate, partially cover it to create the equivalent of a “cave.” Never use your puppy's bed or crate as a punishment area. Place treats there during the day to let your puppy know what a wonderful place it is. A whining puppy should be ignored; otherwise, you are encouraging undesirable behavior. The puppy concludes: Crying + I get attention = crying allows you to get the attention of the owner. If you then decide to raise your puppy by ignoring his crying and whining, he will decide that he was not heard and will cry even louder. This may continue for several days. There is only one solution: don’t despair, continue your line of behavior (ignore).
And remember: on the puppy’s first night in his new home, he will not let anyone sleep until he falls asleep himself.
How to teach a puppy to calm down
- First of all, the puppy must learn to be alone. Leave him alone in the room periodically throughout the day (immediately after he goes to the toilet).
- Stick to a specific daily routine. Make sure he plays a lot in the evening and is tired. Take him outside for a while, then say, “It's time for bed,” and leave the room.
- A puppy's bladder can withstand as many hours without walking as the puppy is months old (the rule works until the animal is 6 months old). Thus, a three-month-old puppy can tolerate 3 hours, a little longer at night. If the puppy went to bed at 10 pm, wake him up at 1 or 2 am to take him to the toilet, and then at 4 or 5 am.
- When your puppy wakes up to go to the toilet, do not talk to him or turn on the light. Pick him up from his bed, take him to the place you use as a toilet, wait until he does his business, and without saying a word, take him back to his place. This will help him understand that bedtime is still ongoing. If he whines between these trips, you can safely ignore him, because you will know for sure that he does not need to go to the toilet.
- Teach your puppy to play with chew toys. There are special toys in which you can put some food, and by chewing the toy, the puppy will be able to get it. Give your puppy a safe toy to chew at night to help him calm down.
- You can purchase a special diffuser in pet stores (for example, Adaptil brand). It emits pheromones with the same odor that comes from a nursing dog. This will help the puppy feel safe.
Is it possible to stop a dog from being noisy?
The easiest way to understand how to stop a puppy from barking is that babies quickly absorb new information, so they can be trained more quickly.
It's more difficult with adults. With age, habits become more ingrained, so new skills are not easy to come by. If you have adopted a grown-up pet, be patient. Sooner or later, one of the popular weaning methods will definitely work, but it will take a lot of time and effort.
In addition to age, it is important to consider the breed. Some representatives are characterized by increased “talkativeness” by nature. There is no way to get rid of it, so it is better to become familiar with this feature before purchasing a puppy.
Weaning methods
First, try to avoid irritating factors. During the operation of a noisy washing machine, the launch of New Year's fireworks and other loud sounds, take your pet to the back room, distracting him with games.
Remember that the animal must be trained from the first days of its appearance in the house. This will prevent the consolidation of unwanted habits.
Training course
Sign up for training courses. At the kennel club you can learn in detail how to stop a dog from barking at home or on the street. You can sign up for individual courses with a professional trainer or study together. The second option is more preferable, as it strengthens the bond between the animal and the owner.
If you are confident in your abilities, you can try to correct the behavior yourself. The main task of training is to develop a reaction to specific sounds while ignoring others. You will have to work on the problem that has arisen regularly, since the lack of discipline will result in zero results.
Ignoring
Try not to be manipulated. If the dog barks when you are alone in the restroom, calmly finish your business without allowing him to go with you. Soon the animal will understand that such tricks do not work and will give up.
Do not try to calm your pet, imitate it or treat it with something tasty. Remember that such a response is seen as a reward, which means that the unwanted behavior, rewarded with attention, will continue indefinitely. Approach the animal only when it has completely calmed down.
This technique is not applicable only to the security function, when a pet is trying to warn of danger and protect its human family. In this case, prohibiting commands are suitable.
Switching attention
The technique of switching attention works no worse than other methods. A distracted pet quickly forgets what prompted it to voice. Try to puzzle your pet with the following actions:
Lightly slap the rump or click the muzzle, as if inviting him to play.
Spray the face with water from a spray bottle.
Massage your ears or gently grab them.
The dog whines in the absence of its owners
There is nothing worse when a dog howls or whines under the doors, throws tantrums when he is left alone at home. The problem needs to be solved gradually.
To begin with, you can teach him to lock the dog in one of the rooms. Close the door and don't pay attention if he scratches the door or whines. After a while, open the door, scold your pet and give the forbidden command in a stern tone. You can lightly lift your pet by the scruff of the neck and slap him on the rump with a newspaper.
Once the dog calms down, praise him. Don't constantly run to your dog when he starts to tantrum and don't teach him to reward him with treats. The dog will quickly understand that whining is an effective means of attracting attention and getting treats. Repeat the exercise several times a day, increasing the time amplitude until you achieve results. If the dog starts whining as soon as you leave the house, come back and scold the dog. Give the command “Get in place!” and take him to the litter.
Advice! Do not let your dog out of the house or enclosure for a walk if the dog begins to howl. Don't open the door if he scratches or whines. Don't follow the animal's lead.
Do the same when leaving home. So that the dog doesn't get bored:
- Leave a bone, toys, teeth sharpeners.
- Before leaving, organize a long active walk and engage in training.
- Feed before leaving. A tired and well-fed dog will sleep and rest when you leave home.
- When leaving the dog alone, give the command “Place”. As soon as your pet goes to his bed, reward him.
Mistakes and prohibited techniques
The foundations of successful parenting are consistency and confidence in your actions. Having understood the rules, pay attention to the reverse side. Not all owners know what not to do if the dog barks, and because of this they make mistakes at the very beginning. Prohibited activities include:
Physical punishment
. Physical force can only be used in one case - during a direct attack for the purpose of self-defense. For educational purposes, such treatment will lead to mistrust, cowardice or increased aggression.
Screams and curses
. Even commands should not be shouted, but spoken in a calm but firm voice. Don't try to threaten violence. This will only lead to overstimulation and have the opposite effect.
Lack of regularity in education
. Without daily repetition of the material, your dog will never remember what you are trying to teach him.
Ignoring until the cause is found out
. This is a good training method, but only if you understand what causes the barking. Otherwise, you may not notice a fire, an intruder, or the illness of your beloved animal.
Fulfilling whims
. If the reason for the barking is a fragrant cutlet on your plate, then under no circumstances do not give it to your four-legged manipulator. Carrying out the desired actions after a certain sound will quickly become ingrained in the cunning dog’s memory.
All of these mistakes will only delay the desired results, so try to avoid them. Owners with fragile nerves will benefit from training from a dog handler. This service is not free, but it is guaranteed to eliminate unwanted behavior.
Control your emotions when breaking up
Many inexperienced owners say goodbye to their pet too emotionally when they intend to leave him alone in the enclosure. By this they themselves encourage the pet to be nervous and afraid of this moment. As a result, the prospect of being left alone makes him anxious.
Don't repeat this mistake. When you leave, tell your dog in a calm voice to stay in the enclosure. Do not reassure with words: “Stay here, my dear, I won’t be long and will come soon.” The dog does not understand the content of this phrase, but he perfectly detects the alarming, pitiful notes in your voice. That is why he begins to get nervous and prepare for the test.
When you return, you can not hold back your emotions and show them in full force, especially if you have been away for a long time. Play with your dog, give him a piece of food he likes. Tailed friends quickly get used to this way of life if the owner does not make mistakes and behaves consistently.
Extreme and not recommended measures
In addition to the weaning methods listed above, there are other options. Most of them are inhumane and harmful to health, so they are used only in extreme cases.
Sedatives
The safest alternative is the use of sedatives made from herbal ingredients. They reduce excitability and cause drowsiness, but are not suitable for long-term use. Such medications do not solve the problem forever, but only help to cope with the situation at a certain point in time. For example, sedatives will be useful during a move, until the dog gets used to a new home, or during the New Year holidays, when fireworks are making noise everywhere.
Special collars
Another safe option is to use a collar with aroma oils. As soon as the animal begins to bark, the fragrant oil of lavender or citronella begins to evaporate. The dog hates the smells of these plants, therefore, having figured out the relationship, he stops raising his voice.
More severe options include an ultrasonic or electric collar. The first produces an unpleasant, frightening sound that is not perceptible to the human ear, and the second delivers a small electric shock.
The downside of such devices is not only the discomfort, but also the suddenness. Out of fear, the animal may whine, start howling, or even lose control of its bladder.
In addition, the animal does not always see the connection between the voice and the action of the collar. It begins to be afraid not only to bark, but to do anything at all. It is better to spend time training than to intimidate the animal.
Ligament cutting
The most cruel method, prohibited in a number of countries. Surgery on the vocal cords leads to complete loss of voice or a change in tone.
In addition to surgical risks (heart complications, severe bleeding, laryngeal edema, death), there is a high probability of developing mental disorders. Due to the impossibility of communication, fearfulness and aggression worsen. The recovery itself takes a long time and is accompanied by severe pain in the damaged throat.
Cardinal way
If none of the methods described above helped, and the sounds made by the dog are really a problem, then the most effective and at the same time the most dangerous method remains: surgery to cut the ligaments.
Before resorting to this remedy, carefully weigh the pros and cons, since this is an irreversible serious surgical operation that has possible serious complications and consequences:
- The general anesthesia used for ligament trimming has a number of possible side effects. It will definitely negatively affect the functioning of the heart and can even cause death. Small decorative dogs, which suffer from problems with uncontrollable barking much more often than representatives of large breeds, tolerate drug anesthesia worse than their larger counterparts.
- This is a complex operation requiring high skill of the surgeon. The slightest wrong movement or trembling hand will lead to damage to the larynx or heavy bleeding.
- One of the common complications immediately after the procedure is laryngeal edema . In the best case, the dog will be able to breathe, but the nutrients necessary for life will be administered through IVs. In the worst case, the swelling will completely block the throat, depriving the animal of the ability to breathe. In this scenario, the outcome is always fatal.
- The psychological trauma caused by such interference in the body is enormous. The dog is deprived of the opportunity to communicate with the world. With a stable psyche, the changes will not be very noticeable. But decorative dogs often develop complexes, fear, or even attacks of aggression.
- A long recovery period , accompanied by a constant sore throat.
- With a well-performed operation, the ligaments are only trimmed and not completely removed . In this case, the voice will be restored, but will be more hoarse, and its tone will change.
Surgery to remove ligaments is a dangerous undertaking that leaves a mark on physical and mental health. This is why many veterinarians refuse to carry out such interventions on patients. Before deciding to take such a step, the owner should think about whether this is really the only way out of the situation.
