How to stop dog barking at visitors
There’s nothing more frustrating than a dog that won’t stop barking at visitors. Whether it’s a friend or family member, or even a total stranger, this behavior can be extremely annoying and embarrassing. Luckily, there are ways to train your dog to stop barking at visitors, so you can have peace and quiet in your own home. Keep reading for tips on how to correct this problem behavior.
Why Does My Dog Bark at Visitors?
-There are many reasons why dogs bark at visitors. Some dogs, for instance, bark because they’re territorial and protective of their owner. They want to make it clear that your property is off limits to others. In addition, some dogs use barking to alert people about their presence or to get attention from them. If your dog is barking at you when you come home from work, he most likely wants the attention only you can give him. Other dogs tend to be extremely social and enjoy entertaining guests by making noise with them. A lot of times this type of behavior is fun and attention grabbing for both the dog and its human companions. Sometimes people even incite this kind of behavior, because they enjoy the sound of a barking dog.
Using Rewards Based Training to
Prevent and Stop Barking
-The first thing you should do to stop your dog’s barking at visitors is to consult with a professional dog trainer in your area. Once they have assessed your problem, they will be able to recommend the best type of training for your pet. Some dogs may need different types of treatment than others.
-Another approach to this problem is reward-based training. You can extinguish certain behaviors by offering rewards when the behavior isn’t occurring, instead of punishing it. For example, if you keep treats on hand and use them when your dog behaves well around friends or family members who drop by, he’ll soon learn that good things happen when guests come over. When you’re not home, place baby gates or ‘no bark’ collars around your home to prevent your pet from barking at visitors while you’re not there.
-Once your dog learns that he won’t get in trouble for barking, but will be rewarded for not barking, eventually the behavior will stop.
-With both techniques combined, you should see positive results within a few days or weeks. If you remain consistent with training and use good judgment when setting up boundaries around your home, it won’t take long for this problem to disappear completely.
Mastering the “Quiet” Command
-To get even better results, consider adding a ‘quiet’ command to your dog’s vocabulary. Just like it sounds, the purpose of this command is to get your dog to stop barking when you say so. By pairing the word with a reward, such as praise and treats, your furry friend will learn that the word ‘quiet’ means he gets something good for stopping what he was doing.
-If your pet won’t stop barking at visitors around you or other people in the house and you need some help getting him under control, contact an animal trainer in your area today. They can make sure that all members of your household understand how to best correct this behavior, so that no one gets hurt and everyone’s happy!
Don’t Punish Them
-It can be frustrating when your beloved dog won’t stop barking and what you’re doing isn’t working but remember: punishment is not the answer. Your dog won’t understand why he’s being punished, and he may start to think it has something to do with you or another person in his space. He may get defensive and growl or snap at the people he feels are threatening him. If this happens, even more problems can arise because now you have a dog who is afraid of people, but still doesn’t know how to avoid barking at them when they come through your door.
When Real Guests Arrive
-If you have a dog who doesn’t bark at imaginary people but does get excited when he sees someone familiar, you can train him to ‘sit’ instead of barking. When your guests come over, ask them to ignore the dog until he sits. Once your pet is seated, they are free to treat or give affection as normal. He should learn that good things happen when other people come into his space, because sitting politely means you’re not getting in their way and they’re not going to hurt you’. Since this technique works best if your visitors follow through with rewarding good behavior, it’s important for any family members who will be greeting your guests when they come through the door also support this positive reinforcement method of training by rewarding good behavior too.
-If your pet is a little more stubborn and you need some additional help getting him to stop barking when people come over, ask your veterinarian for advice on the best type of training collar to add to his good behavior arsenal. He will be able to recommend an appropriate bark control device or tool that will get your dog’s attention and make him pay attention to what you always want from him. While these techniques may take a bit of time and effort on everyone’s part, they’re worth it in the end! When everyone follows through with consistent training, you’ll have a happy dog who understands what’s expected of him and why he shouldn’t bark when guests come by your home.
Conclusions:
-The key to getting your dog under control is to establish yourself as a positive and dependable leader, so that he knows you’re in charge and he’ll never have to worry about defending his space or territory. It takes time, but it’s very rewarding when you see the results. If you’d like some more tips on how to teach your pet better manners around people and stop barking when they come by, contact an animal trainer in your area today!