BARKING

Before you buy more aspirin or call the police for a noise complaint on your own dog, try to figure out what your barking dog is saying. Barking is part of canine communication, just like speaking English is for most of us. If your dog barks before having an accident in the house on a rainy evening – pay more attention and let them out when they need it. If your dog barks at the mail carrier, acknowledge it (“I know ‘Comet’. The mail is here.”) and be glad your dog will “protect” their territory (your home). If your dog barks AT you, IGNORE them. They do not understand “quiet” or “enough” unless you teach them first.

Try training your dog to “speak” on command, reward a woof or two each time you ask for it, and when they understand that, teach them your request for silence. The INSTANT they are quiet… reward, reward, reward.