End the Frustration: Easy Strategies for Training Puppies to Stop Excessive Barking

No More Noises: How to Stop Unwanted Barking from Your Puppy 

Barking is one of the main ways that puppies communicate with humans, and it’s a perfectly natural method of expression for them. However, it can sometimes become bothersome to the family or to neighbours if it becomes excessive. Some puppies might even bark all throughout the night for the first couple of days after being brought home. 

This is a problem that all dog owners will encounter at some point, whether they’ve just got their first dog or are experienced owners who are into how to become a registered dog breeder and give the best advice to your new puppy parents.

Puppies bark for a variety of reasons, and it’s important to understand why they do it so you can take steps to stop excessive barking. It should be made clear that there is no surefire way to stop a puppy or dog from barking completely, and it would be cruel to do so – after all, it’s how they express themselves. 

The goal should be to teach a puppy the acceptable level of barking so that you can keep the peace at home. To better understand this behaviour, we’ll talk about some of the main reasons why puppies bark.

Why Puppies Bark

Boredom

When puppies have nothing else to do, they may start barking out of boredom or frustration. If this happens, make sure your puppy has plenty of toys and activities available that will keep them occupied throughout the day. Taking them for walks, playing fetch and teaching them some basic commands are all great ways to tire them out mentally and physically.

Attention

Puppies may also bark when they want attention from their owners. This type of barking is usually accompanied by whining or pawing at your feet. To discourage this behaviour, make sure you give your puppy plenty of positive reinforcement when they behave appropriately instead of rewarding them with attention when they bark. Additionally, it’s usually best to ignore the barking until they stop on their own.

Territoriality

Puppies may bark when they feel threatened by something in their environment such as a strange animal or person entering their space. In these cases, it’s important not to punish your puppy but instead focus on teaching them positive behaviours such as sitting calmly or coming back inside the house when asked. 

Greeting

Some puppies will bark when excitedly greeting someone new in an attempt to show friendliness – this is especially common among herding breeds like Border Collies who use this behaviour instinctively as part of their working heritage. In these cases, you can teach your puppy by not letting them free to say hello until they’ve calmed down. 

Pain or Illness

If your puppy has been unusually vocal lately and nothing else seems to be helping curb the barking problem, they might be trying to tell you something else is wrong such as pain or illness which could require veterinary care. 

Make sure you take your puppy for regular check-ups just in case there is an underlying medical issue causing the excessive barking. 

Fear

Puppies bark when they’re scared. They may be afraid of loud noises, strangers or unfamiliar objects. It’s important to address their fear in order to help them become more comfortable with new situations and people. Socialisation is one of the most important parts of puppy ownership, and gradually introducing them to new experiences will give them the confidence to stay calm and composed later on in life. 

Successfully Training Your Puppy Not to Bark with Positive Reinforcement 

Once you understand why your puppy is barking, you can take steps to prevent it from happening in the future. Here are some tips on how to stop your puppy from barking: 

Provide ample exercise

Make sure your puppy gets plenty of exercise every day so that he has an outlet for his energy and boredom-barking won’t be an issue. Exercise also helps reduce stress levels which can lead to excessive barking due to fear and anxiety.

Use positive reinforcement

Instead of scolding your puppy when they bark, try rewarding them with treats or praise when they stop barking. This will help them learn that quiet behaviour is rewarded while loud behaviour is ignored; this is much better than stern reprimands which are, counterintuitively, a kind of reward since they’re still a form of attention. 

Establish boundaries

Make sure that everyone in your household understands that certain behaviours are not acceptable (such as barking at visitors). Establish boundaries early on so that your puppy knows what behaviours are expected of them at all times – this will help teach them self-control over their vocalisations.  

Train proper greeting habits

If your puppy tends to bark when someone comes into the house, work on teaching them proper greeting habits so that they understand how to behave around visitors without having to resort to barking. 

One way to train this is, to begin with the family members in the household first – only respond to the puppy when they greet you at the door calmly and gently, ignoring them when they try to bark, jump or bite to get your attention. 

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Redirect their attention

When you catch your pup starting to bark for no apparent reason, distract them with another activity – like playing fetch or giving them a chew toy – so that his focus shifts away from whatever was causing the barking in the first place.   

Conclusion 

Barking is a normal behaviour in puppies but it can become quite annoying if not managed properly. Understanding why puppies bark and following some of the simple steps outlined above makes it possible to manage your pup’s barking habit before it becomes too much of an issue.