How to stop a dog barking

To stop dog barking or if you want a dog to do or to stop doing something you need train them, they wont figure it out on their own.

The hardest part is communicating with the dog in a way that he understands. However you do this is dependent upon basic psychology; reward the behaviour you desire, while correcting or ignoring the behaviour you dont. Basic obedience training usually starts with 6 basic behaviors: sit, down, stay, come, heel.

Correcting unwanted behaviours should not include harmful physical force or violence. Using force while training is controversial and should not be taken lightly, because even if it ends the behavior, when done wrong with some dogs it may lead to a loss of enthusiasm for the given task, increase the dogs stress, and in sometimes even aggression. A professional trainer may decide to use force, however the standard used by most trainers is the minimum amount necessary to inhibit the unwanted behavior.

Basically dog training involves both training the dog and the handler to communicate. The handler is communicating to the dog what behaviors are correct, desired, or preferred in what circumstances and what behaviours are undesirable. The handler must understand communication from the dog. The dog can signal that he is unsure, confused, nervous, happy, excited, and so on. The emotional state of the dog is an important consideration in directing the training, as a dog that is stressed or distracted will not learn efficiently.

There are four important messages that the handler can send the dog:

1. Reward or release marker - Correct behavior. You have earned a reward. Keep going signal - Correct behavior. Continue and you will earn a reward.
2. They train your dog using effective conditioning methods
3. No reward marker - Incorrect behavior. Try something else.
4. Punishment marker - Incorrect behavior. You have earned punishment.

It is important to use consistent signals or words for these messages as this enable the dog to understand them more quickly. The dog's reward is not the same as the reward marker. The reward marker is a signal that tells the dog that he has earned the reward. Rewards can be praise, treats, play, or anything that the dog finds rewarding. Failure to reward after the reward marker diminishes the value of the reward marker and makes training more difficult.

These messages may be communicated verbally or with nonverbal signals. Mechanical clickers are frequently used as a reward marker. Hand signals and body language also play an important part in learning for dogs.

The meanings of the four signals are taught to the dog through repetition, so that he may form an association by classical conditioning so that the dog associates the punishment marker with the punishment itself. Some sources contend that the most effective marker is the human voice. (Canine Dimensions, 2008, 32).

Most training revolves around establishing consequences for the dog’s behavior. Most trainers claim that they use "positive training methods ". Generally, this means using reward-based training to increase good behavior rather than physical punishment to decrease bad behavior.

Anti bark collars use a punishment mechanism that introduces a negative consequence of a behaviour. This involves a shock, or a sound or a spray of liquid the dog finds distasteful. All rely on the dog making the connection between the behaviour and the consequences and learning that not enacting the behaviour will result in no punishment. In this way the dog is "trained" not to bark. Bark collars are ideal because thay dont rely on the human presence for the consequence to be delivered. In line with basic learning principles the closer to the time of the bahaviour that a consequence or reward is given, the quicker the training (or condionting) will be complete.