Training your dog can mean the difference between a good night's sleep and staying up all night. Dogs bark for many reasons, and finding the trigger can help you solve the problem. Punishing your dog for barking at night may quiet him temporarily, but it is not a long-term solution. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to diminish your dog's barking all night, and you will be able to have a good night's sleep in no time.
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Teach Your Dog to be Quiet
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Dogs are smart creatures who can learn manners through positive reinforcement training. To teach your dog to be quiet, wait until it is barking. As soon as it stops, even for a second, give it a treat and say "good quiet." Gradually build up the amount of time before treating. Your dog will quickly learn what you want, and you will be able to stop it barking at night with a simple, calm command.
Let Your Dog in Your Bedroom
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Your dog could be barking because it is lonely. Dogs are social creatures who crave company. Try letting your dog sleep in the room with you, either in its crate or on a soft dog bed. Just being in the same room as you might be the cure for your dog's night barking.
Distract Your Dog
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One of the reasons dogs bark at night is out of boredom. Providing it with fun to last throughout the night can stop the dog from waking you up. There are many toys on the market that you can stuff with treats, such as Kongs (see Resources), and they will keep your dog occupied while you get your sleep. Another way to distract a dog is with a game of hide and seek. Simply hide its favorite toys in fun, harmless places, and it will have a great time finding them. If it likes to chew bones, make sure it has a good selection to occupy it throughout the night.
Ignoring Your Dog
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Barking can be an attention-seeking behavior. It is a self-rewarding behavior, because when a dog barks or whines, owners tend to pay attention to it. A dog quickly learn that barking gets your attention and uses that to its advantage. To break your dog of this habit, ignore its barking rather than reacting to it. It may take a while and become frustrating, but the dog will learn that barking does not get attention and will give up.
Bark Collars
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There are a number of anti-bark collars and citronella collars available to control barking. Anti-bark collars send out a shock every time the dog barks, and citronella collars spray the dog in the face when it barks. While these are effective on some dogs, they are not recommended as they can cause your dog to become fearful, which can lead to a number of behavior problems, such as aggression. Another problem is that anti-bark collars can also be activated by other dogs barking, which can confuse your dog.
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