A dog trainer has revealed three important tricks that can stop your dog from barking over nothing. Jack, from Dovecote Dogs, shared his tips in a social media post, speaking to his 84,500 TikTok followers.
Jack began: "Do you have a dog that barks relentlessly at sometimes absolutely nothing? Well here's three tips to help you guys out." He noted that many people try to deal with this by shouting commands over the dog, but this may be a mistake.
Why shouting doesn't work
Jack explained: "You're essentially shouting commands over the top of the dog. Our body language is facing the same way as the dog, so in the dog's mind, we are also barking at the same thing they are barking at."
He added: "They don't know what we're saying. All they can see is our body language is in the same direction as them."
Three tips to stop the barking
His first step is to "break eye contact" by stepping in front of the dog to make it clear you are trying to communicate. For the second tip, Jack said you should remain consistent with whichever command you choose.
Jack said: "It could be 'quiet,' it could be 'enough,' whatever it is be consistent with it. Wait for a small gap in your dog's barking, there will always be one, you may just have to wait for it. When you have that small gap, step in front and say your command."
He added: "The reason we wait for a gap is because we want to pair the command with actually being quiet. If we start using it while they're barking we end up pairing it with the barking."
Reward good behaviour
The final tip is to follow up with a reward. Jack concluded: "It will really reinforce this good behaviour. The way to do this is to offer them a reward in the opposite direction to what they were barking at."
He explained: "The reason is because it builds value in coming away from the thing they were barking at. It builds value in disengagement."
Why do dogs bark?
There are several reasons a dog might bark, including expressing emotions, signalling needs, or reacting to their environment. Possible causes include territory, excitement, attention-seeking, fear or anxiety, boredom, and pain or medical issues.
Dogs may bark to protect their home and owners, or to alert to unfamiliar sounds. High-energy barks often happen when a dog is happy, such as when you come home or play a game. Dogs may also bark to ask for food, a favourite toy, or attention. If left alone, hearing a loud noise, or feeling trapped, they may bark. Leftover energy, restricted movement, or a lack of stimulation can cause repetitive barking. Older dogs in pain or discomfort may whine, howl, or bark to signal the problem.
