DOG OBEDIENCE TRAINING
By Dennis Fisher.

How to stop a  dog’s non-stop  barking

This article is one of a great many articles written by Dennis Fisher about a very wide variety of subjects concerning different  dogs, such as obedience training, breeding, showing, health matters, training problems and other subjects.  All these articles appear on Dennis Fisher's websites.   Visit  http://www.allaboutgermanshepherddogs.com the site that has been set up specifically for German Shepherd Dog enthusiasts, or http://www.freedogadvice.com  if you interested in a breed   other than German Shepherd Dogs

A dog that keeps on continually barking – especially at night - is a tremendous nuisance and a source of conflict with your neighbor.   Your neighbor could even be a dog lover but a dog that keep on barking on and on without stopping can upset even the mildest mannered person.

At one time I was training director of an all breeds training school.  A new member of my Club, who had just joined the class, explained that the reason why she had joined the obedience training school was because she had been obliged to get rid of her previous dog – that she loved dearly - because of the complaints of her neighbor, who had objected to the dogs incessant barking at night.

I told her that it was a great pity she had not started the obedience training before and come to training with  the previous dog, because unnecessary barking can be avoided with the correct training.

The same principle applies to dog training problems as with any problems,

One has to look at the situation logically.  First of all determine why has the problems arisen in the first place?  Secondly what effective measure can be taken to solve the problem.

Why do dogs bark?    Dogs have an inherent guarding instinct and the reason why they bark is because they are warning you of intruders.  Obviously you will have no objection to the dog barking for this reason, so it is important to identify the nature of the bark.

With the little bit of training and observing your dog closely you can tell from the sound of the bark, whether it is an unnecessary bark or whether there is a good reason for the barking.

In the case of incessant barking we are obviously not talking about this type of barking.   Why do some dogs bark incessantly without any apparent reason?   A very common reason is because they are bored and lonely.  The dog is a pack animal and craves company.  If you only have one dog, it is highly likely that this could be the reason.

How do you cope with this situation? 

Here are nine  ways that have worked very effectively for many dog owners who have to deal with angry  neighbors who complained about their dog barking.

(1) get  another dog as a companion for your dog.  If your dog is a large dog, you can get a small dog, preferably a small spayed bitch.  They will soon become excellent companions.

(2) Another solutions is to get a toy for the dog.  Dogs love their own special toys. Choose something very durably like a kong that cannot be damaged. During the day make a point of playing with the dog to get rid of excess energy.

(3)Also make sure that your dog has it’s own special space to sleep where it can be comfortable and feel secure.  Stress is far more common with dogs than people realize. A dog needs to have it’s own area of security as much as humans.

(4)Training is absolutely essential with all dogs.  A training school is an ideal place to train your dog because of the opportunities for socialization.  The socialization should begin early. Not only with this prevent aggression with other dogs as the dog grows older, it will also result in a more balanced temperament.

(5)If it’s not convenient to join a training class, this should still not prevent you from socializing your dog by taking it for a walk in public place.

(6) If you hear your dog barking incessantly at night, first of all establish from the sound of the bark whether the animal is warning you of danger or whether it is just barking with no apparent reason.

(7)If the dog has had some obedience training, you can go and correct the dog with a firm “No!” in the same way as you did in obedience classes when you had to correct the dog unsatisfactory behavior.  

(8) If you have never had any obedience classes this make the situation a little difficult.  Don’t shout your correction from inside the house, because this has the effect of giving the dog the attention it wants.  Establish your own training schedule.   Use a command that the dog understands when it does something that is not acceptable to you.

(9)Although you may be tempted to bring the dog inside, especially if the barking continues at night,  DO NOT DO THIS.   Try and resist the temptation. The dog will obviously bark to attract this type of action from you.

You are invited to visit the following site for a great deal of useful information about dog training:  http://www.freedogadvice.com