Is Your Puppy's Barking Driving You Mad?

Does your puppy’s consistent barking drive you and your neighbors crazy? If so, you may be at the end of your tether and unable to cope. The first mistake that people make is to think that they can stop their puppy from barking completely. It is important to understand that barking is normal behavior. Your puppy communicates by barking as you do by talking. It is only when the barking is excessive and inappropriate that you should take action.

The fact is that puppies bark for a reason and so it is important to find what the cause is before taking action. Puppies bark when they are lonely, anxious, bored or frightened. They also might be hungry, need to pee or simply just need to go out for some exercise.

If your puppy continues to bark excessively or inappropriately, then you should use commands like "stop" or "enough" in a stern voice. If this does not work, you should pull them away from what they are barking at and give a correction – a quick tug on the collar is a good idea.

Giving praise such as "good" is important when your puppy stops barking so that he knows this is a correct behavior.

If outside and your puppy is barking to come in but you do not want him to come in yet, you can use a command such as "stop" or "enough". You should do this in a stern voice through the door. Your puppy can hear your command through the door. Remember not to open the door until you are ready to let them in.

If this does not work then you could kick the bottom of the door from the inside. This makes a loud noise which can startle your puppy. This seems to work quite well.

You could also lean out a window and spray water from a bottle or hose. This action should stop your puppy from barking. If you do this action consistently, your puppy will eventually get a negative reinforcement for barking.

It is important to remember to give praise when your puppy stops barking. You must be consistent in praising positive behavior and giving a negative reinforcement for unwanted behavior.

Now that you know the reasons for your puppy barking, you should be able to take the best action in order to have a quieter life!

Visit the Training Puppy Tips website for more detailed information on stopping your puppy barking. You can use the same techniques for stopping your puppy growling.