How To Get My Dog To Stop Barking So Much

A quick inside scoop as to how to get your dog to stop barking excessively throughout the day, or night.

It can be exhausting to have your dog be barking uncontrollably,  and not knowing what to do to make them calm down. After all, dogs usually seem to like barking at night, making us ever the more desperate to find a solution to this which can often be the main complaint of your angry neighbors! 

Before we give a rundown of some suggestions, check out our other article “My Dog Doesn’t Stop Barking, Why is This Happening?". will give you an understanding as to what the source of the problem might be for your nonstop barker. 

Redirect Your Dogs Focus

All dogs have it in them to interact with humans, this is why they can be trained effectively. The main thing we want to do is to redirect their focus from whatever it is that may be causing them to bark, and onto us. Usually, the simplest way to get your dog’s attention away from what is making them bark is by having some kind of leverage at our hands, you guessed it, you’ll have better luck with a treat! This is the perfect incentive to communicate to your doggo what it is that we want them to do; in this case for them to stop barking. 

Prevent Your Dog From Barking

The idea is to gradually give them a quick reward as they stop barking. Positive reinforcement is the best and healthiest way to train a dog. For this to work effectively, you must give them a treat every time they bark, since you don’t want your doggo to think you’re rewarding them for barking!  Rather once you manage to get your attention onto you, the best is to have them do a command they already know how to do (e.i. telling them to sit or stay, or go to their bed). The moment they perform these commands is the perfect time to give them the treat. If your dog is too agitated or excited, it's possible that they might not respond right away. For these hyper doggos, you just have to be a little patient and start over until you get their attention on you. 

Be Persistent With Your Dog

You always want to reward your furry friend for any good behaviors as they achieve them, and though it can be tough at times, persistence is key with this one. This gets us to our last tip if you’re still struggling to find the RIGHT moment to give your dog a reward. You got to really keep an eye out for that moment right before they even bark or do the unwanted action, in the first place. As a dog owner, chances are you know your four-legged pal better than anyone; so the look in their eyes or tilt in their heads right before they go for it is exactly the indication of the moment when you want to redirect their focus to you and give them that dog treat!

Essentially, we want to build great communication between us and our dogs. The more we do these things, the more we get to know and understand each other better. As you approach this with patience, you will start picking up on their indications of what it is they do before an unwanted behavior like barking. At the end of the day, your doggo wants to be a good boy/gal, and understanding this information is perfect for building a stronger bond with your dog, and most importantly, getting them to keep calm, bark a bit less, and of course, not wake the neighbors!