How to Get a Dog to Stop Barking at Cows

If you live on or near a farm, chances are your dog gets excited when it sees the cows. This excitement could lead to excessive barking, which over time might develop into an annoying habit for you and your neighbors. Training your dog involves some hard work, but reaching the point where passing by a field of cows is a quiet experience is well worth the time and energy. There are a number of techniques you can employ to curb your dog's excitement.

Things You'll Need

  • Citronella collar
  • Dog treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a signal word you can firmly say to your dog when she starts barking, such as "Stop" or "Enough!" Speak the command firmly, but do not shout, as shouting will just excite the dog more. Make sure everyone in the household knows and uses the same word to avoid confusing the dog.

    • 2

      Reward your dog for not barking with a treat and abundant praise. For example, if your dog is barking at the cows, ask him to "Stop" and if he does, reward him with a treat. Call him a good boy to reinforce the positive behavior.

    • 3

      Socialize your dog with the cows by walking him by the fence regularly. Allowing your dog to get used to the cows and rewarding positive behavior will encourage her to stay calm around the cows.

    • 4

      Ignore the behavior and encourage friends and family to do the same, if possible. Many dogs get bored with excessive barking if no one pays attention, and over time she will tire of the game.

    • 5

      Use a bark-control collar, like the citronella collar. Citronella collars contain a microphone that sends a signal to the collar, prompting a spray of plant-based odor when your dog barks. Dogs do not like the smell of citronella, so the shock will stop them from barking. There are also electric shock collars that emit a small electric shock to control the behavior.