Q&A for How to Train Dogs Not to Bark

If the dog is a seasoned barker, then label his barking with a cue word such as "Speak." Then offer a treat. When he's eating the treat, softly hold his muzzle and say "Quiet," then reward him again. Repeat this enough times and you'll put both barking and silence on cue, so you can interrupt his barking and have quiet.

Different anti-bark collars work in different ways, but they are always unpleasant (which is what teaches the dog not to bark). Some collars definitely hurt (electric shock ones) and others are just mean (citronella spray). Since bark collars are on the whole not effective unless unpleasant, this seems a flawed way to treat a pet friend.

Some dogs are natural escape artists and it's in their blood. For those dogs, you need to prevent the dog running away with high fences and the like. Otherwise, if the dog runs off when on a walk, teach a rock solid recall. Do this by finding something super-tasty the dog loves to eat, and offering this as a reward when they return. Use a longline while retraining the dog, so they can't disappear completely.

Try to work out why the dog is barking. For some, it is excitement, and for others, it has become a habit. If it's a habit, teach the "Speak" and "Quiet" commands. If it's excitement, then get him used to the car by feeding him inside, or just making short trips and coming straight home, so it's less interesting and he's more likely to settle. Then praise the calm behavior to reinforce it.

An easy way to train a dog with your condition not to bark is to have a free day and have a schedule. Let it spend a hour in a kennel or room alone and then spend thirty minutes with it. Do this at a constant pattern until the dog slowly stop barking when you leave it alone.

If you have already tried to speak to your neighbors about the problem and nothing has changed, you can contact animal control. They might be able to help.

Figure out what his motivation is for barking. You can ignore it or desensitize him from the situation. Teach him a "quiet" command. You can also tire him out before he goes into his cage, so he sleeps instead of barks.

Try to show her that you will still be there right next to her when other people are in the room. Also, there might be a chance that she was taken from a owner she thought she would stay with and is just doing this to make sure that you will not leave her.

Try letting your dog out when the other dogs are not out or put a muzzle on him/her when they are outside.

No, do not give a dog any small or soft bones (most cooked bones). They could get stuck in their throat or splinter and hurt them. If you think your dog is choking or there is something stuck in her throat, take her to the vet immediately.