Barking can be really annoying. Fine, it’s a general knowledge that barking is what dogs use to communicate, but it still doesn’t change the fact that it can be very annoying sometimes. So annoying, especially those barks in the dead of the night when you’re struggling to sleep after a hard day’s work.
There are several reasons and ways to keep a puppy from barking, if you’re really seeking a way to stop or reduce the barks of your puppy.
Then you’ve come to the right place, sit back and relax.
Reasons Why Puppies Bark
• Playing and Greetings
It is common knowledge that dogs bark as a means of communication, when your puppy is playing or greeting or any other thing it is likely going to bark. There’s this myth that dogs see the unseen and the reason they bark sometimes, especially at night is because of these “unseen” creatures.
• Defending a territory
Dogs are territorial animals, when they see a strange occurrence or a strange person coming anywhere close to your home, they immediately get pissed and start barking aggressively. Most likely meaning “Go away “ or “Who are you ?”
• Fear
Fear, panic or anxiety attacks especially separation anxiety is one major reason why dogs bark. In the case of separation anxiety, the puppy just got separated from the mother or it could be as a result of the puppy getting exposed to a entirely new environment. If the puppy has well developed vocal cords it’ll most likely bark more often.
Even in a situation where a strange face comes into your compound, in some cases the first feeling or emotion the puppy gets is fear and this prompts it to back as a defense mechanism.
• Boredom
It’s funny right ? It’s more like they’re saying “I’m so bored “. To solve this issue get your dog busy with something, they don’t like sitting idle and grooming like their furry friend.
• Attention
Hello haven’t you been spending enough time with your puppy? Why are you depriving that poor puppy of attention. That’s not fair!
Although sometimes that puppy might just be a stubborn attention seeker.
Can you train a puppy to not bark?
Yes, you can actually train your puppy to not bark to an extent. You might not be able to stop them from barking entirely, but with a few hours or minutes of daily training, it’ll get better.
How do I get my puppy to stop barking at noises?
Okay? To get your puppy to stop barking at noises you need to ensure that you don’t add to the noise and blow the whole issue out of proportion.
You need to be calm about it. Say the word “stop”,” quiet”, “keep quiet” or any other word, giving it a command clearly and calmly. Go to where the dog is, hold its muzzle, and repeat the command word. Release its muzzle and step away, call out its name again, if your dog successfully listens to you, give your dog something as a form of positive reinforcement.
How to stop a puppy barking for attention?
Puppies can be very annoying sometimes and some people may consider it cute. They act a lot like human babies always demanding attention like they need it to breathe.
How then do we stop a puppy from barking for attention? There are two major things you can do;
• Ignore them
When you keep indulging your puppy in this act, it won’t grow and it’ll continue disturbing you without realizing what it is doing is wrong .
But if you ignore them, it doesn’t work all the time though … Ignoring them gives them the chance for growth and they’ll stop disturbing you or seeking for unnecessary attention.
• Show more attention
Puppies that are passing through pain or any form of anxiety or panic attacks actually need extreme level of attention to get them through that stage or phase.
What age is the puppy barking phase?
When your dog or puppy gradually reaches about one year old, it’ll start testing out Its voice which results in barking
Do puppies outgrow barking?
Why do want your puppy to outgrow barking? It’s just like saying will a kid outgrow his or her ability to speak.
Puppies do not outgrow barking, but with proper training in a controlled environment, your puppy’a barking can reduce.
Why is my 4-month-old puppy not barking?
If your 4 month old puppy isn’t barking, do not panic. There are few reasons why your puppy isn’t barking. Some breeds are quieter or it could just be that your puppy is yet to fully grow it’s vocal cords.
Why is my 3-month-old puppy barking so much?
Your 3 month old puppy barking so much might be as a result of ; its nature/breed, separation associated with panic or anxiety attacks, too many strangers coming in to your home or you are depriving it attention.
Will my puppy stop barking if I ignore him?
Ignoring your puppy when it barks so it will stop barking works sometimes but not all the time. So it is advisable to apply other methods to keep a puppy from barking.
How To Keep A Puppy From Barking
How can I stop my puppy from barking?
Keeping a puppy from barking can be very difficult sometimes and before you consider calling a professional you can try the following;
• Ignore
Doesn’t work every time . Just like in kids … When they dash their foot on something or get hurt and start crying and expect you to throw them into your arms and pet them. If one time you decide to ignore and stop indulging them, they’ll stop crying every time they get hurt. So you can try it for your puppy too.
• Silence
How noisy is your vicinity , dogs don’t really like a noisy place . Dogs won’t bark for no reason in a quiet place , but if the place is nosiy, they’ll add to the noise . So try to make sure that your compound is quiet and conducive for your dog.
• Training
To keep a puppy
1. Potty Training
A very important training for puppies if you want them to sleep comfortably through the night without disturbing you. If you have successfully trained your puppy on the times too pee or defecate . The chances of your puppy barking will drop
2. Crate Training
A crate can be the place where your dog rests, like the dog’s house . To keep a puppy from barking ensure that it feels very safe inside the crate.
3. Mental Training
This involves a process of conditioning and reconditioning your dog in to getting used to somethings like making it less cruel to visitors , increasing its ability to tolerate noise and so on .
• Distractions.
Distract your puppy with toys , games , playing with other dogs and so on . This will in turn keep your puppy in a happy state and it’ll have no rework to bark.
• Deal With Anxiety or Panic Attack
Shower your puppy suffering from this with love and attention, the need to bark will drop since you’re always around to comfort it .
• Reduce The Number of Strangers In Your Home
• Feed It Well
• Don’t Leave It Outdoor
To keep your puppy from barking , you need to reduce its outdoor activities cos it might get the habit of barking unnecessarily from a neighboring dog. Also try not to forget it outside and go to bed.
• You Can Use Music
Music? Yes music , soft music can help calm the nerves of your puppy.
• Get Professional Help
If you’re the busy type , you lack patience or you tried all the steps above and none worked for you, then it’s time to get a dog trainer .
Conclusion
To keep a puppy from barking requires patience, consistency and you properly understanding your puppy. When you try to train your puppy, ensure that you have positive reinforcements, it helps make the training faster.
It might take a while but if you need a quiet environment you’ll try all the ways to keep your puppy from barking. You also need to take note of the kind of breed next time you want to get a puppy. Some breeds are simply aggressive.
