How to Stop Unnecessary Barking From a Puppy

Barking is a natural dog behavior that can often be unwelcome. It is a way for a puppy or dog to communicate its wants or needs to another dog or its owner. According to animal behaviorist Karen Pryor, the most common types of the practice include alert barking, defensive barking, attention barking, frustration barking and boredom barking.

Things You'll Need

  • Toys
  • Treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Identify the cause of your puppy's barking. Check for strangers outside the house or for toys that are inaccessible that could be causing the puppy to bark. Consider the time of day and whether you usually walk or feed the puppy at that time.

    • 2

      Distract your puppy with a favorite toy or a quick game of fetch, which works for dogs who are barking due to boredom or frustration. Provide the puppy with plenty of toys and rotate them every few days to keep them fresh and exciting.

    • 3

      Ignore a puppy that is barking for attention. Otherwise, he will learn that making noise leads to him getting attention, and the habit will be hard to break. The puppy will stop barking once he realizes that the behavior does not get him what he wants. This takes willpower from the owner, and some puppies may take longer than others to get the message.

    • 4

      Teach the puppy the "speak" and "quiet" commands. Say "speak" whenever the puppy is barking so it learns to associate the word with the behavior. Reward the puppy with a treat, a favorite toy or praise. Then get a treat and show it to the puppy. He may start barking automatically, or you may have to tell it to "speak." Wait until the dog stops barking, even for a second, and say "quiet." Give the dog the treat. Repeat these until steps he associates the word "quiet" with no barking and a treat.

    • 5

      Exercise your puppy daily to make sure he is not bored or frustrated. Daily walks, runs and play sessions help tire the puppy, which will help make them be better-behaved and bark less than under-exercised, frustrated dogs.

    • 6

      Consult a professional trainer or behaviorist to help a shy, timid dog that barks due to fear. To avoid this type of barking, socialize the puppy from an early age and make sure she is exposed to different types of people, situations, places, objects and animals.