What we first need to understand as dog owners, is that we brought a wild animal into our home and domesticated them. They still have natural dog instincts, and because they used to have packs out in the wild. They make our household a pack in their lives. Out in the wild dogs bark and howl to communicate with others in their pack. Well, they do the same thing to communicate with you.

Because we generally don’t enjoy being barked or howled at, our dogs need to be taught to ignore their nature and turn down the volume a bit. By praising your dog when they are quiet, you teach them that their quiet moments are when they get the most attention from you. When your dog does begin to howl or bark, sternly rebuke them. When they calm down, praise your dog. Your dog lives for your praise and will pick up on things quickly.

It’s also imperative that you don’t punish them for doing the desired behavior, which is to stop barking or howling. Most people’s first instinct is to stop the inappropriate behavior and then punish the dog after stopping the bad behavior, like saying ‘No!’ then smacking him on the nose after they already stopped, for example. This kind of aversive training simply does not work and merely serves to confuse the dog.

One form of aversive training that does work is the no-bark collar. No-bark collars are often criticized as being a harsh form of negative reinforcement, but they are a safe and effective quick-fix to a howling or barking problem. A no-bark collar’s sensors detect the dog’s barking or howling and either emits a sound or spray of citronella - letting the dog know what’s coming next. If the barking does not stop, the collar then emits a short, mild electrical shock. The dog then knows that it is time to stop. There are even some no-bark collars that lack the electric shock and just use the citronella spray. There have been reports that these collars are just as effective, if not more so, than the shock collars.

Dogs are remarkably quick learners. After just a few barking incidents, your dog will know that when they hear the beep or smells the citronella, that it is time to stop barking. After a short duration, the no-bark collar can usually be removed, as the dog will be broken of the undesirable behavior.

At the end of the day, all you need to remember is that although a dog is a man’s best friend, they were originally meant for another purpose one that may conflict with what you want out of your dog. Dogs enjoy communicating with you and with each other through howling and barking, but we humans don’t enjoy it quite so much. Fortunately, you can control your dog’s natural inclination to bark or howl through prevention via positive reinforcement at an early age or with a gentle form of aversive training, such as a no-bark collar.

Misbehaving dog? Need to house train a puppy? Get dog training advice and dog training products at http://www.dogbehaviorexpert.com

- Thomas Turner

Popularity: 6% [?]

Related Content

Subscribe to the post comments feeds or Leave a trackback