Dealing With The Excessive Barker

Dogs communicate with barks, and if your dog is barking, there is usually a reason for it. Dogs may hear something that we cant, or they may just bark out of boredom, he may bark just to hear sounds and stay busy!

If you give your dog lots of exercise, toys, attention and have made your yard very interesting teaching him not to bark should be fairly easy.

Start his training with his collar and leash, if he barks while on the leash a sharp jerk and a firm no will show him that his barking is wrong.

Graduate to the more advanced methods of training if it is necessary. Gradually a firm no will be the only correction that is needed, and your neighbors will be lots happier!

If he barks only when you are not home, try leaving your radio on a talk station, this may convince him that you are there and keep him quiet.

If this fails, tape a normal family discussion on evening, you will need a continuous play tape to use this method, every once in a while, throw in the word "no".

When you leave, play the tape, it will remind him that there is always someone around, and that he isn't supposed to bark.

If all else fails, pretend you are leaving the house for the day, be very accurate in your actions, even jingling the keys to make him think you have locked the door.

You will need to be a really good actor as dogs are very perceptive, and will pick up on it if you aren't.

Have a cut lemon handy, when he begins to bark, open the door and say a sharp no, then put a drop of lemon of some other bitter liquid on his tongue, This will have to be done numerous times to get the point across to him, it takes time, but is well worth the effort.