How Do I Get My Dog to Stop Barking at Me?

Dogs bark for a variety of reasons, but not many of those reasons are appreciated by the typical, suburban pet owner.

When the dog is barking at someone in the home in a non-aggressive or fearful way, I usually label it “demand barking:” the dog is barking to make the human do something like throw the ball, prepare his food faster, open the door, etc.

Stopping the barking is a three-part solution.

Part #1 Invest in an alternative behavior

I’m not opposed to dogs asking for things, but it should be done in such a way that your neighbor’s won’t complain if he keeps on asking.

Down is my preference for a “say please” behavior and it’s very easy to teach: anytime you see your dog choose to lie down, put a very small treat down by his paws. After two to three weeks of immediate feeding when he lies down, delay treat delivery for several seconds.

Remember, you’re not asking him to lie Down; you’re just rewarding him for making that choice on his own. This teaches your dog that he can get your attention with something other than barking.

CAUTION: if you have multiple dogs, take care. If any of your dogs squabble or fight over resources like food, treats, or bones, do NOT put food down on the floor unless that dog is the only one in the room.

Part #2 Prevent the barking

Prevention is VERY important. Not only is barking not fun, but once your dog has started barking, it’s very hard to do anything productive about it and it’s very easy to accidentally reward it.

The more barking you prevent, the faster your dog will learn new habits.

• If your dog always barks when you’re on Zoom calls, put him in a crate or another room before starting your call. You can also give a special chew (like a bully stick) or stuffed food toy (like a Kong) before your call.
  **Only do this if you know your dog can safely enjoy the item without supervision. You cannot supervise and be on a work call at the same time.

• If your dog always barks when you prep his meals, try prepping his meal when he’s in the backyard or on a walk with your spouse. If he is home, toss treats (or pieces of kibble) for him to find while you prep. Toss often enough that he doesn’t have a chance to bark.

• If your dog barks when you’re relaxing in the evenings, split his dinner in two. Take one portion, mix it with a small amount of plain yogurt or peanut butter, put it in a classic Kong or West Paw Toppl and then freeze for several hours. Give it to your dog before you sit down to relax.
  CAUTION: make sure your yogurt and peanut butter does not contain xylitol or any artificial sweeteners that are toxic to dogs!

Part #3 Respond to oopsie moments

Unfortunately, as the investment takes hold and you figure out prevention, you’re likely to have a few barking episodes.

If/when your dog barks at you, do nothing. Don’t look at your dog, talk to your dog (including scolding, “Fido! Quiet!”), or touch your dog.

Barking mustn’t work to get him what he wants.

If he wants you to open the backdoor, don’t even walk that direction. If he wants you to fix his food faster, put the bowl on the counter where he can’t reach it and walk away. If he wants you to toss a toy, don’t move from whatever you’re doing.

Although ignoring is usually the ideal response, you don’t want to do this very often because every barking episode isn’t fun, makes the training take longer and can create frustration in your dog.

Instead, accelerate your dog’s behavior change by planning proactively to prevent barking and diligently investing in his alternative behavior.