It is a fact, dogs bark for communication purposes. Some breeds bark more than others but all dogs bark sometimes. It is when a dog barks excessively and without good reason that everyone gets frustrated. We all want communication from our dogs but nobody wants a dog that barks and barks for no apparent reason.

There are quite a few reasons why a dog will bark. If your dog is bored because he is in the house or the same yard all the time he may start barking to entertain himself. Dogs love social stimulation and interacting with others. Try to have more playtimes or take more walks. This may help your dog if he is barking excessively out of boredom.

Dogs can also start barking excessively when they become nervous or scared. When a dog is appropriately socialized they will be calm and more relaxed around various people and in various situations but if a dog is not used to these new things he may bark from anxiety. Train your dog to be calmer by taking him to different places and around different people. Give him a food reward while he is quiet and well behaved. This usually works well as the dog will start associating the pleasing treat with the new situation rather than nervousness.

Dogs will try to get your attention when they need something by barking. You want your dog to communicate with you but you do not want this type of barking to become out of control. If you respond to his barking by giving him what he wants he will continue to bark every time. Attempt to reinforce other communication behaviors by using praise and treats.

Sometimes dogs bark from separation anxiety. They just don’t want you to leave them and they bark until you come home. This is disruptive to the neighbors and others so it is definitely something you need to avoid. It may be easier to do this if you begin when your dog is still a pup and put him in the crate before you leave. That way he is happily in his own space and he will not miss you quite so much. Also never make a big deal out of leaving but just quietly slip away. He will probably notice that you are away but he won’t be so vocal about it.

Dogs bark to protect you and there are situations when we all would appreciate that. However, every single day when the mailman or mail person! comes to deliver the mail is not one of those times! This is atime when socialization and training can really pay dividends. Go with your dog to meet the mailman, let them become acquainted and hopefully your dog will not bark at him everyday. Another way to get him to stop barking at inopportune times is to distract him with a game or a treat. But in the case of your dog barking to protect you remind yourself that there may come a time when you will appreciate that so limit your training to people you know.

A professional dog trainer can offer you some tips and techniques to stop excessive barking but sometimes just more socialization and more playtimes will help stop the excessive barking. The one thing you should consider though is that your dog is usually barking for a reason and you should find out what that reason is. Then you can deal with the barking.

You will enjoy your dog more and other people will also enjoy your dog more if he doesn’t bark excessively. Try to stop the negative behavior of excessive barking while your dog is a young puppy and when he is older you will know that if he is barking he has a good reason.

Principal training tips for your pet dog plus learn what dog training videos I used to train my dog in a few minutes a day.

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This entry was posted on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 7:59 am and is filed under Labrador Retriever Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.