Things You'll Need
- Treats
Instructions
Teach your dog to "speak." Do something that provokes barking in your dog, such as knocking on the door, and say "speak." When your dog barks, say "good speak," and reward her with a treat. Repeat until the dog associates the word "speak" with barking.
Teach your dog to be "quiet." Ask your dog to "speak," then say "quiet" loudly. Give your dog a treat as soon as he stops barking, even for a second, and say "good quiet." Repeat this until your dog responds to the cue "quiet" by becoming silent.
Gradually wean your dog off treats. Try giving your dog a treat every second time she obeys the "quiet" command, and reduce the frequency until your dog only gets a treat occasionally. Try to avoid falling into a pattern, because dogs can recognize patterns and might stop obeying if they know a treat is not an option. Keep it interesting for your dog, and think of yourself as a type of treat-dispensing slot machine.
Be consistent. Always use the same cues and make sure everyone in your household knows to do the same.