How to Stop Your Dog From Barking When You're Not Home

We've all heard the dog that just won't stop barking. What's really bad is a dog that is home alone and barks all day. So what do you do if it's your dog doing the barking and annoying your neighbors? Don't worry: You can train your dog to stop barking in a relatively short time if you are consistent and follow through with the training. Your dog will learn to remain quiet when you are home and while you are gone, and your neighbors will once again be happy.

Things You'll Need

  • Bark collar
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Listen for your dog to bark. Immediately upon hearing it, go to it and say "No." Lightly tap your dog on the nose as you say "No" to reinforce what you are saying. Do this every time you hear your dog bark. Do not play with or praise your dog after reprimanding it so your dog knows it is in trouble.

    • 2

      Place a citronella bark collar on your dog when you have to leave. The collar will spray your dog with citronella when it barks, reminding it that barking is not allowed. Dogs do not like the smell of citronella, but it is not harmful.

    • 3

      Notice when your dog begins to control its barking. To ensure that your dog is not barking when you are not home, take the bark collar off and pretend to leave your house. Go down the street and then sneak back to hear whether or not your dog is barking. If you dog barks, immediately address it by saying, "No" and tapping it on the nose. If it doesn't bark, then you know it has learned not to bark when you are away. You may have to do this several times to ensure your dog has mastered its bark training.