by Craig Clemins
In many cases, dogs will bark when they have absolutely nothing else to do. When dogs feel a lack of attention, they may act out and misbehave. Many times we want them to behave, so instead of being firm with them, we tend to give in and give them what they want. This teaches them that this behavior will get them the attention that they want. It is important for us to learn the proper way to deal with these behaviors and the proper way to teach our dog that this is unacceptable.
One of the first things that your dog needs to learn is that barking in order to attract attention will not be tolerated. Some dogs lack so much attention that they start to anger their owners as a way to get attention - its not positive attention but its better than nothing. This belief needs to be changed and you'll need to train your dog that this is not what you want. To do this most effectively you'll need to practice reinforcing your commands with an action.
Next time you tell your dog to be "Quiet", after saying "Quiet" reinforce the command by spraying water at your dog. This is known as negative reinforcement and is a great way of teaching your dog to associate words with action. Repeating this sequence a few times will teach your dog that the "Quiet" command is followed by the water being sprayed - something he doesn't like. Through a little practice your dog will soon learn to keep quiet without needing to spray water.
If the barking comes with a lot of growling and aggression, its not advised to use the negative reinforcement approach. Instead get your dog to his vet as soon as possible as their may be a medical problem that needs to be attended.
If your dog barks when you leave the house, make sure you do everything you can to minimize the barking. Ensure your dog has a comfortable place to rest and plenty of food and water. Make sure your dog doesn't see other people as this may only excite him and cause more barking.
Another way to stop your dog barking is to stop praising him unnecessarily. Excessive praising is counterproductive because it teaches your dog that regardless of what he does, he will be praised. When he does what you've requested, don't get carried away, just give him a quick pat and leave it at that. This will teach your dog that if he wants more praise, he'll have to work for it and do more of what you're asking for.
Also you will want to give him something fun to do when you leave, give some food, some chew toys and make sure he can't see others while you are away. Use negative and positive reinforcement with you dog, starting with the negative. Then when he has learned the activity and does it, then you can calmly praise the action. - 20511
To get more thorough information about (http://tinyurl.com/d4qfsk) how to stop a dog barking, as well as a wide range of dog training tips and tricks, visit (http://www.dog-solutions.com) http://www.dog-solutions.com
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New Unique Article!
Title: Secrets to Stop a Dog From Barking
Author: Craig Clemins
Email: heather.jane.hunter@gmail.com
Keywords: dogs,pets,animals,family,home,living
Word Count: 498
Category: dog
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