How To Control Unnecessary Dog Barking

Barking is your dog's primary form of communication, but there are times when your pet will be barking when he doesn't need to. Some dogs bark even when it is unnecessary, because they have been led to believe they will get what they want by barking excessively.

Take for example my own experience with my dog Bernie. During the hot summer months, we'd let him into the house where he can get some sleep since it's definitely cooler in the inside. We use Bernie as a guard dog, and he's been absolutely great with that. He stays up all night in his special spot in the garden watching the surroundings better than a top-rate secret service agent! So we let him into the house just right after lunch where he sleeps soundly until it gets dark. At times when we forget to let him in, he would bark at the door at exactly one in the afternoon. How could it get any better than that!

Pretty soon the barking started at eleven, then at nine or even seven in the morning. He just loved to come into the house and snuggle up on the little rug we had provided as his bed. He had his own sleep space outside, but Bernie had learned that if he barks, someone will let him in.

We all decided to ignore all the barking before lunch. Bernie would do everything - whine, roll and bark whenever he'd see any of us passing through the living room. When he'd bark at the door or window, someone just came up to him to say an authoritative "No!" But come one o'clock, someone would open the door for him whether he was barking or not. He'd see us taking our lunch from a glass door that opens from the living room, and later on he's just sit or lie there, with that heartbreaking look on his face, eyes so soulful that sometimes, you're just too tempted to give in.

Never make the mistake of giving in to your dog because he's acting terribly cute and lovable. Dogs learn by classical conditioning and they'll explore all ways to get what they want and need. They're just like us, except for the reasoning part. So teach your dogs the way you would teach your kids. Just as you can successfully address all the whining and complaining in a young child, the same tactic works on dogs for unnecessary barking.