A dog that is barking is annoying. Continuous barking is intolerable for owners and neighbors alike.
So here’s can you do to stop your dog from barking in seconds:
- Distract your dog.
- Spray water and lemon on their face.
- Move them away from what is upsetting them.
- Clip their collar on and walk them.
- Use specialist products to stop a dog barking e.g. static and vibration collars, or a Barkfix ultrasound trainer which uses high pitch ultrasound.
You can train your dog to stop barking on command by using a raised hand in the stop position and firmly but calmly commanding them to stop. But that process does take some time and patience for your dog to learn.
When they do stop on command, make sure you give them a tasty treat so that they know if they do what you ask, they get a nice reward.
Dogs are born pleasers, and they love food, so make sure you use those traits to your advantage.
Distracting them will stop most dogs in seconds, but not all. Moving them away from what is causing them to bark often works.
Slipping on their leash and going for a fast walk will help the bored dog, but if these tricks don’t work, then try a bit of harmless technology to startle them into good behaviour.
Don’t yell even if it gets rid of your frustration; to your dog, it just sounds as though you are barking along with them, so they will keep right on barking.
To achieve your goal (a quiet dog NOW), you have to get more creative with your dog.
Distract Your Dog From the Source of their Bark
Here are a few tips that you can try when your dog starts barking. Some will startle them into stopping barking in seconds, but all dogs are different, so the effectiveness depends on your dog.
- If you can do something to distract your dog, you can often stop the barking in seconds. For example, if your dog is barking at a passing dog, try tossing small treats onto the ground.
Food is usually enough to stop them from barking in seconds and cause them to concentrate on hoovering the grass for treats.
- If your dog starts barking at a visitor at the door, make a loud noise to shock them into silence, then tell them to sit and be quiet. If they do, reward them immediately.
If there is a guest at the door, don’t let them in until your dog stops barking. A plastic bottle filled with pennies makes a startling noise to shake at them when they start barking. It will shock them into silence in seconds.
- If your dog barks at things they see outside your home, this is often because they have a clear view from your yard. The answer is to block the view by managing your home environment.
Use privacy fencing to block off their view and make sure that they are exercised well throughout the day. What they can’t see won’t set them off. Make sure they have things to chew and play with during the day. A bored dog will bark at themselves just to get some relief from the monotony of their day!
- Excess energy can lead to overzealous barking when your dog hears a strange sound. Make sure your dog gets enough exercise during the day, even if it means paying a dog walker to exercise them if you are at work. It will be worth it. A tired dog would rather sleep than bark at shadows.
You can train your dog to stop barking on command by using a raised hand in the stop position and firmly but calmly commanding them to stop.
But that process does take some time and patience.
When they do stop on command, make sure you give them a tasty treat so that they know if they do what you ask, they get a nice reward.
Dogs are born pleasers, and they love food, so make sure you use those traits to your advantage.
Move Your Dog Away from What Upsets Them
Once again, training your dog to obey certain words, such as ‘stop,’ ‘no’ or ‘quiet’ is well worth the effort.
But if there is something such as a loud car roaring up and down the road, which is setting your dog off, then moving your dog away from where they can’t see or hear the car is so much easier.
Taking your dog inside, closing the doors and window, and turning the television on while giving your dog a chew toy to vent their frustrations on, will stop them barking in seconds.
It is easier to make a dignified retreat than try to stop a dog attacking the fence and barking like a mad animal when it sees that noisy car.
Whatever it is that sets your dog off, if they persist in barking, moving them away from the aggravation will cut the bark in seconds. And giving them something challenging such as a treat-dispensing toy to attack will be more effective than remaining and having your dog get wound up over nothing.
If your dog barks during a storm what with the lightning and thunder, do the same. Close your house windows and doors, close the drapes, put on some music, and give your dog something challenging to do, like get the treats from the toy!
With dogs, I have found if you remove them from whatever is setting them off, distracting them, and giving them a challenge to solve, the barking stops in seconds, and blessed peace returns.
Distraction, moving away, and instigating a challenging problem to solve will work beautifully to distract the barking dog.
Make Sure They Do Not Get Bored
Dogs do get bored. Lying around all day is ok for a day, but if that’s all they do every day, you may have a seriously bored dog on your hand.
A bored dog will soon find something to do … like chewing your new expensive shoes to pieces (as my daughter’s Spoodle did one time she was left alone). Or pulling the stuffing out of your lounge suite.
Bored dogs bark at the postman, they bark at the people walking by, they bark at the bird sitting in the tree, and they bark … just because they can. And once this becomes a habit, it is very hard to stop.
Before barking becomes a major problem, get that dog out and walk the legs off them so that they will be too tired to bark. They will also be more inclined to listen to your commands to stop barking when they are tired.
Most dogs understand ‘let’s go walkies’, and they will miraculously stop barking within seconds when they see you reach for the leash!
Products That Can Help
These are the last resort, its best not to use them at all. Only use these products if everything above has not worked.
Water and Pet Corrector Sprays
You can try a lemon-based water spray in their face when they bark.
It will shock them from barking in seconds. Make the water nice and cold, and the lemon smell will put them off barking. You will have to be quick though. Do it while they are barking, or they won’t understand the reason you are spraying them.
There are also loads of pet corrector sprays you can buy as well
Handheld Ultra Sonic Devices
There are many humane non-barking devices if your dog refuses to stop barking. An Ultrasonic handheld control means you can just point and click a button at your dog, and it will give your dog instant feedback for bad behavior without hurting them.
These types of controls emit a high-pitched tone specifically targeted for a dog’s hearing range. Your dog soon gets the message that the high sound means ‘stop barking now.’
They achieve instant results, without hurting your dog, the ultrasound audio signalis only recognizable to a dog’s ear. The sound is outside the human range of hearing, and it doesn’t cause any damage or harm to your dog’s ears.
This is how the gadget works.
- Your dog is barking madly and won’t stop, which is driving you (and your neighbors) crazy!
- Take the hand control and aim it at your dog.
- Push the button, and you will see a light flash, so you know it’s working.
- Your dog will stop immediately and will probably look a bit surprised.
- The ultrasonic sound interrupts your dog’s behavior – they stop barking. They learn to associate the bad behavior with the audio cue and form a conditioned response. They stop barking.
- If you add some positive encouragement such as patting your dog, ruffle their ears, and maybe occasionally give a tasty treat, they will learn that barking is not good, but non-barking gets them hugs and kisses!
- The signal emitted is in the range of 25KHT, which is outside the human range of 20KHT. The range of use is up to 17 ft (5 m).
- The control is lightweight and is an elegant design that you can easily put in your pocket for inside or outside use.
There are many devices, from collars to different designs, but the Barkfix Ultrasound Anti Bark dog trainer is a small yet effective device and costs around $39.99
You can find many ultrasound bark control unit designs online.
I like the fact that the owner has control of the gadget (the dog is not wearing it, so it can’t chafe, or get caught on something and cause injury). It is safe for the dog and works by surprising them with a high-pitched sound that stops them barking instantly.
The device is an instant distraction that stops them in mid bark.
Backed up with positive encouragement for stopping their barking, and an occasional treat, you can get your dog to stop barking in seconds.
Final Conclusion
Barking is a natural part of your dog’s life, it is how they communicate with people and other animals.
But a consistent barker can become a problem. Whether your dog is lonely, bored, excited, fearful, or whatever the reason, they will bark to communicate those feelings to us.
We are their pack leader, so they expect us to fix it, whatever “it” is that is bothering them.
Their barking can lead to loss of sleep at night, frustration, and irritation not only with your family but with the neighbors as well.
The last thing you want is to be reported for disturbing the peace.
The moment your dog starts barking too often, attack the problem using any one of the solutions listed above. The sooner you train your dog not to bark, or to stop barking in seconds when you command them too, the easier life will get for you all.
Writer: Jean Brewer
