Stop Dog Barking

There are plenty of ways to stop dog barking. The first way is to be sure that the offender is not barking for a very good reason. Dogs will bark, like babies will cry, if they are hungry, thirsty, or otherwise uncomfortable. You should check the dog’s surroundings to see if he or she is barking for one of these reasons. In that case, you can stop dog barking by correcting the problem. Confinement also causes problems for dogs, and they will bark. People taunting them or just hanging out on the other side of the fence, for example, can lead some dogs to start barking.

If you have tried the basic methods, there are other techniques available to stop dog barking. One completely harmless method is the citronella spray collar. Dogs do not like the smell of citronella. The collar will release the citronella into the air every time the dog barks. Not only does the smell turn off the dog, but the spraying sound startles some of them. This basic dog-training technique teaches most dogs pretty quickly that they will be sprayed if they bark. Other people use shock collars or high-pitched noise machine to stop dog barking. These methods are more controversial as there are concerns about their cruelty. The shock collars do exactly what the name suggests; they attempt to stop dog barking by shocking the dog every time he or she barks. The noise machines emit a high-pitched sound that humans cannot hear but that hurts dogs ears, making them whine but stop barking.

A final option, if you have tried everything else, is debarking surgery. While the name sounds funny, the procedure is not. A licensed veterinarian will remove folds around the dog’s larynx to give him or her only a “whisper” voice instead of a full bark. This surgery is controversial as well, and many times it is unsuccessful. Your best bet is to determine why doggie is barking and deal with those issues.