​How to stop a dog from barking

“Help! I’ve tried everything, and my dog won’t stop barking!” If this sounds like you, we feel your pain. Not only does barking suggest that your dog isn’t living their healthiest and happiest life, but it can also create a stressful environment for you and your neighbours. We all want our pets to feel safe and happy, and no one wants to become the neighbour who can’t take their dog for a walk or leave them at home alone without causing serious disruptions. 

To learn how to train a dog to stop barking, you first need to understand why our furry friends bark, as well as which techniques and approaches you can use to get your dog to stop barking and create a happier environment for your pet. If you’ve been scratching your head trying to figure out how to stop a dog from barking, we’ve got you covered. 

Why do dogs bark?

Just like human beings, dogs use their voice to communicate their wants and desires. There isn’t one reason why all dogs bark; it may be for a range of reasons, and if you want to treat the problem of barking effectively, you need to understand why they’re doing it in the first place.

Dog owners everywhere can run into issues with excessive barking, it’s just a part of dog ownership and something they may need to be trained out of if it becomes a nuisance. In the past, owners have used DIY methods to control barking, such as farmers firing a shotgun shell over the kennel when their dogs are noisy, which is probably a bit severe. Others have mentioned throwing items at the dog or yelling back at them, which is still quite extreme. These methods are also impractical if the dog is still causing a noise nuisance when the owner is not there.

For a dog to learn good and bad behaviour, there needs to be a stimulus within a split second of the behaviour occurring — this way, they will be able to draw the connection and learn quickly.

Here are a range of common reasons why dogs bark: 

• Boredom and a lack of stimulation
• Fear and anxiety
• Territorial instincts 
• Attention seeking behaviours

You may be able to quickly identify why your dog is barking based on the times and places they exhibit this behaviour. For example, barking at other dogs on walks could be an issue with territorial instincts or a fear of certain breeds of dogs. If your dog barks when left in the backyard or other area when you’re not at home, the issue could be anxiety at being left alone or boredom from being left without any stimulation. 

If you’re unsure why your dog barks, your vet or an animal behaviourist may be able to shed some light on this, too. Once you’ve established the reason, you can start to look into techniques, plans and devices to stop your barking dog. 

Positive reinforcement training techniques

Dogs respond well to positive reinforcement, especially when applied consistently and within a short time frame. Often, we may feel tempted to rouse our pets for displaying bad behaviours because we’re frustrated. The problem with this is twofold: dogs can struggle to connect your negative response with their barking, and it can also create a poor relationship between you and your pet, making enforcing discipline all the more difficult. 

On the other hand, positive reinforcement is a way to train your dog to stop barking that rewards good behaviour and allows you to connect these rewards with the kind of behaviour you want your dog to continue. Consistency is key to making this approach work — whether you’re using treats, positive words or affection to reinforce good behaviour, make sure you do this consistently when your dog doesn’t bark at a potential trigger, and do so as quickly as possible, so your dog can connect the reward with their behaviour. 

Providing mental and physical stimulation

Excessive barking can often manifest your dog’s frustration caused by a lack of mental and physical stimulation. Just like us, your dog will become aggravated and even anxious when left in an enclosed space without enough exercise, and they also need to be challenged mentally to stay happy and healthy. It’s, of course, not reasonable for you to always be at home and devote full attention to your dog, which is where other forms of stimulation come in. 

While you’re not there with your dog, leaving them puzzle toys that release food or treats is a great way to keep their canine minds ticking over and distract them from potential boredom — especially interactive toys that stimulate their other senses with fun noises and textures.

Creating a calm environment

When dogs are stressed out and overstimulated, they may try to deal with this overstimulation by barking. Creating a physical space where your dog can have some calming downtime can be an incredibly effective technique to get your dog to stop barking. 

Choose a crate or kennel that your dog fits comfortably in, and fill it with blankets and toys that smell familiar and comfortable for them. Then, place this somewhere dark and quiet in your home. If your pet starts barking excessively, lead them to this quiet space and then allow them to get some quiet time to reset the pattern of stress and get your dog feeling safe and calm again.   

Addressing separation anxiety

While your work and life schedule makes perfect sense to you, put yourself in your furry friend's mind. They don’t know you're heading out to a barbeque for a few hours or an overnight trip where they won’t see you for longer. This uncertainty can lead to anxiety and feelings of being abandoned or neglected. 

To avoid this, try establishing a sense of safety and routine your dog can get used to. For instance, give them toys and other challenges to complete while you’re away, like tug-o-war treat toys and interactive maze food toys. Set up an area where your dog can have a quiet self-soothing time or leave a source of noise like a radio or TV playing. Establish these conditions to give your dog a sense of predictability when you’re going to leave the house. 

When you get home, ignoring your dog until they are calm and then rewarding this behaviour with plenty of pats, treats and affection can also help reinforce better behaviours. 

Asking for professional help on how to stop your dog from barking

Of course, sometimes you may be trying all the proper techniques for how to stop your dog barking and still feel you’re not making progress. Seeking help from a professional dog trainer or animal behaviourist is always an option, and you shouldn’t feel like you have to struggle with excessive barking when there is trained help available. 

A dog behaviourist has a wealth of experience and approaches, so take advantage of that. They can help you pinpoint the reasons for excessive barking and even suggest other solutions like establishing routines and techniques, anti-anxiety medication and collars to stop dog barking. 

A bark collar is going to be able to provide said stimulus to your dog at the time it is needed, and this is why they are so successful. Dogs are pack animals and learn to regulate their behaviour with stimulus from more senior dogs in much the same way. Collar stimulus can be static, vibration, tonal or chemical. Some collars even combine certain stimuli. These collars are all tested and safe, and by introducing the dog to the collar correctly, you will be able to see results quickly.

Remember, practice and patience makes perfect 

Whether your dog is feeling bored, anxious, territorial or just needs their good behaviour to be reinforced, remember that consistency and patience will always win the day. Learning how to train a dog to stop barking isn’t an overnight process, but with commitment and practice, you will see more positive results. 

If you are looking for extra help, check out the range of collars to stop dogs from barking from DogMaster. From citronella collars to vibrating dog collars, ultrasonic bark deterrents and static correction bark collars, we have various humane and effective collar options to help train your dog to stop barking and start enjoying a better relationship with them.