How Do You Make a Dog Stop Barking?
Barking Dog
How do you make a baby stop crying?
Seems like the beginning of a joke just waiting for a punch line, doesn’t it? Well, how DO you make a baby stop crying? You can put a pacifier in its mouth…but that only works if it’s crying because its pacifier fell out and it wants to suck on something.
Maybe a better question would be: “how do you help a baby stop crying?” inescapably linked with “why is the baby crying?” Is it wet? Soiled? Hungry? Thirsty? Overtired? In pain? Cold? Hot? Wanting to be held/in need of human interaction? Because you can’t answer the first question without first answering the second one. Babies cry to communicate a need in the only language they have available to them.
You get the idea. And, because this is a blog about dogs, I’m sure you can see where this is going (spoiler alert: it’s not about babies…) One of the most common questions I get via email, from clients, friends, and work colleagues is “how can I make my dog stop barking?”
To answer the question, just like we did with the baby example, let’s first rephrase it and provide some background. The question should be: “How do I help my dog to not need to bark in order to communicate with me?”
Barking (like crying or screaming in babies…) is one of the many ways dogs communicate with us. Because dogs don’t speak English (which is no doubt one of the reasons we love them so much…), they communicate using body language. If we don’t know how to interpret what they’re saying, or are just not paying attention, they may resort to “yelling” (barking). If you’d like more information on how to understand dog body language, check out this video on YouTube: What your dog is desperately trying to tell you
The reasons for barking are many, and can vary, even in the same dog, depending on the context. Before we can address the barking, we must determine the reason for it. After all, barking is the expression of the underlying issue, not the cause…
Some of the reasons dogs bark are:
o to ask people to go away (“Hey, scary person! Get out of here! I don’t want you to pet me; I don’t even know you.”)
o to ask for attention (“Hey Mom! Don’t you see me? Come play with me! Throw my ball!”)
o because they are excited (“OMG! The park! Another dog!”)
o because they are bored (“Well, there’s nothing good on TV and you’re not home, so…I guess I’ll see who else is around…”)
o because they are trying to tell us something (“Someone’s at the door! Someone is walking past the house!”)
o because they want to be fed (“Um…hello? Did you not see me staring longingly at my bowl?”)
o because they want to go out (“I neeeeed to peeeee! Perhaps you didn’t notice me standing at the door for the past ten minutes?”)
o because they are anxious when alone (“OMG. I’m freaking out. When are you coming home?”)
o And so many more…
Once we’ve determined the reason (and there is always a reason, since, as you’ll remember from my last blog: dogs do what works), we can start to address the expression. Of course, the “cure” depends on the underlying cause, but as a general rule of paw (dewclaw?), when we address the anxiety, physiologic need, trigger, lack of stimulation and enrichment, etc., the barking problem will usually resolve itself. If you’re stumped, seek the help of a reputable positive reinforcement dog trainer or a certified Control Unleashed instructor (CCUI).
A word on what NOT to do. Punishment, bark collars, shock collars, etc. can make some of the underlying issues above worse, and cause barking to increase when the collar is not on/person is not around, since they don’t address the root cause and they don’t help the dog learn what to do instead. If a trainer suggests you use any of these methods, you might want to think long and hard about whether that trainer is the right one for you and the trusting four-legged creature in your care.
I hope you found this helpful. See you in the next one. Now go make a dog smile today!