In this article I am going to show you how to prevent your dog from barking excessively. My dog is a very active cocker spaniel, who used to bark a lot: when the doorbell rang, when he knew he was going for a walk, when he wanted to play, when he was expecting food, when he wanted our attention… He barked and barked and barked and it was almost impossible to stop him once he got started. Some neighbors complained, and it was driving me crazy!
Then I decided to do something about it. I decided to learn about dog training. I bought several dog obedience programs and after extensive research I found the most common reasons why a dog barks and how to stop it. Below I have written some of the techniques I successfully put into action and could help you prevent your dog from barking.
First of all, the number-one cause for unwanted barking ( the kind of barking that’s repetitive and is directed at nothing) is nervous, agitated energy - the kind he gets from not getting enough exercise. Most dogs function best with one and a half hours’ exercise every day, which is a considerable time commitment for you. Of course, this varies from dog to dog, depending on factors like breed, age, and general level of health. You may think that your dog is getting as much exercise as he needs, or at least as much as you can possibly afford to give him - but if his barking is coupled with an agitated demeanor (fidgeting, perhaps acting more aggressively than you’d expect or want, restlessness, destructive behavior) then he almost definitely needs more.