All of us have heard that dog barking incessantly down the street. You might even have a dog that barks too much when you don't want it to. To know how to hush a yapping dog successfully, you need to know why it is barking to begin with. Let's look into the reasons dogs bark excessively and how to cure it.
Why Dogs Bark too Much?
Dogs bark for a variety of reasons, one of which is to alert others to danger. If the dog senses danger is near, the only way they can alert you is to bark. They can't use human words to tell you something is not right. (Can you imagine what dogs would say if they could talk?) Acknowledge your dog's barking at these times. Sometimes their reaction could even call for a reward. If you ignore them they could keep barking trying to get your attention; innocently, the pattern of excessive barking begins.
A dog can also bark out of boredom. When it has nothing else to do with its time, it may take to barking nonstop at anything that moves or doesn't move. It could even bark at a noise it hears. Sometimes you have no idea what the dog is barking at. Poor pooch is only trying to entertain itself but this can quickly make the neighbors irritated. Of course, you may already be tired of it.
Other times, dogs can be actually talking to each other by barking at one another. This can happen through the fence with your neighbor's dog joining in. This can be hilariously funny with your dog barking and then the neighbor's dog answering back. Like two friends chatting over the fence! Still can be a nuisance, though, if it goes on too long.
How to Hush the Yapping Dog
You never want your dog to totally hush if they are trying to alert you to danger. But you can teach him to calm down by responding to the alert and telling the dog they are good for alerting you. So be careful how you handle the barking if they are just trying to be a watchdog.
If the dog is doing excessive barking out of boredom, try spending more time with the dog. Take it for some long walks or play games of fetch with it. It may just need some more exercise.
There are "bark collars" you can buy that will help you train dogs to quiet themselves. Some of these give the dog a gentle shock when they bark; this teaches them that there are consequences to barking. Others give off citronella. The dog feels and smells the citronella being released as it barks; disliking the scent, it will curb its barking.
Veterinarians can surgically eliminate barking (severing the vocal chords) but this should only be used as a last resort; in fact, many will not perform this procedure, considering it maiming.
You must understand, too, that some breeds just bark more than others. Cairn Terriers will bark incessantly when left on their own. Another breed may hardly bark at all.So hopefully through reading this article you have an idea on how to hush a yapping dog!References
The Five Categories of Barking Dogs http://www.barkingdogs.net/five.shtml
A Detailed Examination of the Process of Bark Training Your Doghttp://www.barkingdogs.net/detailedexplanation.shtml
Dog that barks, nips needs stimulation, by Bernhard Pukay, The Ottawa CitizenRead more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/that+barks+nips+needs+stimulation/5386296/story.html#ixzz1XlUZxRYd
Barking Dogs and Other Threats to Backyard Diplomacy by Alena Tugend, The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/10/your-money/barking-dogs-can-turn-neighbors-into-adversaries.html