Picture the scene, you are sitting at home, reading a book or watching a television show when all of a sudden all of your thoughts are scattered by a piercing howl followed by a series of sharp barks. Sound familiar? That was the scene at my home for many months while my dog was a puppy so I know it all too well. Now, what to do about that problem?
There are many methods of training your dog to bark or not to bark. Some of these methods are more humane than others, and more effective. To curb the barking frenzy that my lovely dog would start, the shock or bark suppressing collar was brought up. I even looked into getting one for my dog.
Before buying a collar, think about why you are buying one and what kind of punishment is really worth the barking. There are all kinds of barking suppressing collars out there. There are ones that deliver a mild shock, (which does not feel so mild to me and I am 50 pounds heavier than my dog). There are collars that deliver a burst of citronella or other heavy scent directly in front of your dog. There are collars that pierce your dogs ears with a sharp whistle, at a much higher frequency than we can hear. What kind of punishment are you willing to inflict on your dog without him or her knowing where it is coming from.
There are other things to consider too, like the behavior issues that might arise from using such a collar. Are you going to increase the activity by adding a stress to a dog who is already concerned about something? Are you going to teach your dog to ignore something that could prove vital later, like someone on the porch or in the window? Are you going to produce a more aggressive dog by subjecting him to punishment he doesn't readily understand. Are you going to really be able to teach your dog that barking is not acceptable, even though it is one of the few vocal "words" your dog has, and the most noticeable form of communication your dog has with you.
There are safe and effective alternatives to the collar for suppressing the barking behavior. One of the most effective methods seems to make the least sense at first. This behavior modification starts with teaching your dog to bark by triggering the barking. In this exercise, you have your dog sit next to you or in front of you and lightly place your foot over your dog's foot. Then bark at your dog. Your dog should imitate you. It takes practice, but often this barking is very quiet and nice.
You should immediately praise your dog for barking or making any sound at all. In a short period of time you should be able to pair the command "Speak" with your dog's bark. Once you teach your dog when to bark and how to bark on command you can teach the dog the word "Quiet". This is done by having your dog bark, and then say "quiet" when the dog stops. If the dog is quiet then reward the dog handsomely.
With a bit of work and true consistency in the training of your dog, when you are reading or watching the television and the bay of your dog goes out, you will be able to smile and quiet your dog without losing his bond with you. There is, after all, nothing better than a quiet home with a well behaved dog.
