How do you get a dog to stop barking?

Pet owners, I need your help.

I have three dogs. Two of them are hyper, but don't bark a lot.

The other is a small, yippie dog who barks at thin air and basically nothing going on. It's gotten to the point where she will bark at nothing, but if there is someone outside, she won't bark. I was waiting for her to bark at the UPS guy who was delivering my Macbook, and she didn't bark...thankfully, I was awake.

I think she is barking out of anxiety. And she is always quivering and seems overexcited. I don't know if she needs a tranquilizer or something, but I sure do!

How do I stop her from driving us crazy?

LeaningIntoTheMuse said:

How do you get a dog to stop barking?

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The first thing that popped into my head was "tape their mouths closed."

But seriously....I think they actually have doggie-meds for anxious pooches. Music maybe? Some pooches like to watch TV. Give them more attention? Send them to their rooms and take away the video games? No wait...that's what I do to my kid.

I'm trying to walk her more, and spend more time with her.

When she's with me, she doesn't bark. But as soon as she is alone, she starts barking.

Like I said, it's probably an anxiety thing. She is a young dog still. She even has us hand feed her, she won't eat from the dog bowl...will just look at us and whine because she is hungry.

My dog has separation anxiety. I found that a combination of long walks, radio, and one of those kong things packed with some dog food kinda helped. I think she is better now than she was (lives with my ex) but as for completely preventing it, I dunno. She might grow out of it. Mine seemed to get better with age.

When we first got our dog from the humane society...one of the volunteers there directed me to their website. It looks like they have recently updated the page. Hope this helps.

How_to_stop_barking

I had a dog that liked to bark at random things, we got her a muzzle which she hated but it kept her quiet. It was funny cause she knew she was being punished for barking and would sit with her head down.

Thanks for that, Sue. That is very helpful.

I am mostly a cat person. I had a dog for 12 years, but he never put us through the kind of thing that these three are putting us through. He was good, an angel, even as a puppy.

I wish I could find these dogs homes, but I'd rather keep them than take them to the shelter. Too many dogs without homes.

LeaningIntoTheMuse said:

Thanks for that, Sue. That is very helpful.

I am mostly a cat person. I had a dog for 12 years, but he never put us through the kind of thing that these three are putting us through. He was good, an angel, even as a puppy.

I wish I could find these dogs homes, but I'd rather keep them than take them to the shelter. Too many dogs without homes.

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You're welcome! Our dog practically chose us; he did several excited short barks while my husband and I were looking around the kennels. He's been with us for almost 4 years now.

The two inside dogs here bark like crazy. But when I had my dog in here with me for a few weeks, I was very stern with her. I would say use a stern tone of voice, and let them know you want them to do something or stop doing something. She tried barking a few times, but as soon as I would look at her, she stopped in her tracks.

When I yell at her, I end up scaring the other two dogs (who aren't doing anything.)

I don't have a dog so I don't know if that is harmful to them (it is supposed not to), but there are these ultrasound remote control machines that supposedly make them stop barking, I bought one for my aunt who didn't sleep for years because of some very ill mannered neighbors' dogs and it worked. This for cases of emergency.

mmm, on second read, maybe your little dog needs really some tranquilizers, or maybe a change in the diet?

Well the police use stun guns, and that works pretty good on humans !! They chill out REAL FAST !!

I know how to make them START barking. Play either of these two songs at medium volume.

Use the first 30 seconds or so
[video=youtube]

Use the first 10 seconds
[video=youtube]

LeaningIntoTheMuse said:

When I yell at her, I end up scaring the other two dogs (who aren't doing anything.)

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No, not yell. There's a difference between being stern and just yelling. Yelling doesn't mean you're stern, and being stern doesn't mean you have to yell.

VanillaCreme said:

LeaningIntoTheMuse said:

When I yell at her, I end up scaring the other two dogs (who aren't doing anything.)

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No, not yell. There's a difference between being stern and just yelling. Yelling doesn't mean you're stern, and being stern doesn't mean you have to yell.

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I know, that's why I try not to do it. But I just get frustrated sometimes.

give her dog cookies when she doesn't bark and take them away when she barks? that would take time, though

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PS yes the "stunt gun"was not a good idea, I was half asleep...