bark on command

Question
spooky_witch2002@yahoo.co.uk

hi!

i own a four month old Australian Shephead who i'd like to teach to bark on command. what is the best way of doing this?

thanks!

Answer
Teaching a bark on command is one of the easier tricks because you will be taking advantage of something a dog does naturally.

Start by finding a situation that causes your pup to bark. Sometimes it's a doorbell or teasing with a favorite toy, anything that encourages him to make noise.

Next decide on the command word you will use. Most people use "Speak" or "Bark".

Ring the doorbell or do whatever makes the pup bark. Each time you hear your pup bark immediately give your command word "Speak" in an excited tone of voice and then provide tons of praise and a treat.

The next step is to set up a situation so you can give the command *before* the dog actually barks. Give your command word in an excited tone of voice, then ring the doorbell (or do whatever causes the dog to bark) and when he barks, praise and a treat.

The final step is just using the word itself until the dog responds. Soon, your pup will be barking to your command alone. You will be surprised at how quickly he learns this trick!

Remember the 4 P's of training: patience, practice, praise, and persistence. Make the sessions short and fun, between five and fifteen minutes.

Good luck!

SH