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Most often, incessant barking is caused by boredom, the lack of exercise, or insufficient exercise. Dogs that are not socialized with people or other animals will also acquire this trait.
If you have not socialized your dog with others outside of the home, then begin taking him for walks around the neighborhood or in the shopping center parking lot, where he is not on his
territory. This action has calmed many dogs. Being away from their territory, they are not sure of what to expect and are more dependent on your actions. Have strangers come up to him and pet him. If
he is still out of control in these areas, then place him in an obedience class where he will learn various commands. These commands will help to give you the appearance of being the Alpha authority,
and your dog will calm down.
Obedience training is not just for the Show Dog. Its aim is to teach him some manners. That is what obedience classes teach. Your dog learns manners and understands that you are the authority, not
him.
A barking dog cannot hear your voice because the inside of the ear closes up when it is barking. This is similar to your putting your fingers in your ears. You can hear the sound, but it is
muffled. You have to break through the barking level and reach the inner ear with a noise that will penetrate the closed flap.
Water is one of the easiest ways to get a grip on this problem. If your dog lives outdoors and has a confined area, you may use a water hose. When the barking starts, give the command "Quiet" and
spray him directly in the face with the water. I know there are dogs that love the water, but I have not found one yet that likes a full stream of water hitting them in the face. You may have to do
this a number of times, but if you are persistent, you will have a dog that understands what quiet means.
If your dog is a housedog, you do not want to use a water hose, but you can use a water gun or spray bottle. Use the same procedure; only substitute the water gun or spray bottle for the hose.
Give the command, make a noise, and squirt the water in his face. You may try adding a teaspoonful of vinegar to eight ounces of water. This sometimes helps discourage barking.
Distraction from what he is doing is the only way you are going to achieve results. If you are frustrated and do not distract him first, you are wasting your time. He must be distracted from what
is causing the barking before you can make any corrections. In the home, you do not want to run around the house with a water gun all day, so you want to try a Shake Can.
To make a Shake Can, use an empty soda can, rinse it out thoroughly with hot water, and allow it to dry. When it is dry, place 10-15 pennies inside, and tape the top closed with duct tape so the
pennies will not fall out. You have just created your own correction device for the cost of a soda plus a few pennies. When your dog is misbehaving or performing an unwanted action, throw the can to
distract him from the offensive action, and gain his attention. Give him the command you desire, and retrieve your can. Being made of soft aluminum, if the can hits him, it will not hurt him, but the
noise will definitely get his attention. After a few incidents of having the can and the noise suddenly appear because of his actions, the sound of the can being shaken will be enough to get his
attention. This is the most effective and least costly piece of equipment you will ever own.
Some owners will scoff at the idea of the shake can and its effectiveness, but, once they have used it, they will continue to keep one or two on hand. Often, wishing they had known about it much
earlier.
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