Beagles love to bark, at passing cars, visitors, pieces of clothing on the floor̵2;you name it. This trademark howl is a very useful tool in certain circumstances̵2;such as alerting you to trespassers̵2;but it̵7;s sometimes out of control. With proper training and prevention, you can stop your beagle̵7;s inappropriate barking.
Things You'll Need
- Treats
- Smoke alarm
Instructions
Determine why your beagle is barking and eliminate the cause. According to the dog obedience website DogObedienceAdvice.com, beagles bark for a number of reasons, including hunger, boredom, the need to eliminate and loneliness. Prevent your beagle from barking by feeding him at the same time everyday to avoid hunger barks. In addition, provide your beagle with plenty of exercise to keep his boredom and extra energy levels at bay. Spend ample time with your beagle, as they are social dogs that desire companionship. Solving the problem before it occurs is often all it takes to stop a barking beagle.
Praise your beagle when he is silent by petting him and saying ̶0;good quiet̶1; or ̶0;good boy.̶1; Likewise, ignore him when he barks at you. Even if you tell him ̶0;no,̶1; you are reinforcing his behavior by reacting to his barking̵2;which is typically what a barking beagle wants. If you do not give in to what he wants, he will eventually stop his attempts.
Redirect your beagle̵7;s barking by teaching him to bark on command. Some beagles like to bark for no apparent reason. To engage him, let him bark, but on your terms. When he barks, say ̶0;speak̶1; so he will associate that word with his barking. Follow up with a ̶0;good boy̶1; so that he knows what he is doing is correct. When you wish him to stop, place your hand on his nose and sternly say ̶0;quiet̶1; or ̶0;enough.̶1; If he obeys, reward him with treats or affection; if he continues to bark, turn away and ignore him. Play with your beagle and command to speak several times every day.
Help your beagle become familiar with disturbances that are bothering him and causing the barking. If you live in a noisy area and your beagle barks at loud noises, such as sirens, recreate the noise in your home and desensitize your beagle to it. According to BeaglePro.com, this is done by obtaining a home smoke alarm and covering the area from which noise is emitted with duct tape until the alarm is about one-fifth its normal loudness. Turn the siren on and calmly and gently talk to your beagle and show him he has nothing to fear. If he responds well and does not bark, reward him. Gradually increase the strength of the alarm about every two weeks. Work up to where you are in a different room than your beagle and he is still silent.