4 tips to stop a dog's obsessive barking

Curb Out-of-Control Barking

A common problem canine caretakers face is uncontrollable or obsessive barking. Here are a few suggestions for handling it.

Follow through. If you give your dog a look, a sound, or a physical correction to tell him to stop his barking, he might stop for an instant, wait until you relax ... then go right back to barking. The dog's body relaxes, but his brain stays on alert! So be patient. Wait until your dog gives you complete and total submission before you go back to what you were doing.

Calm down. Many people get so irritated with the constant barking that their own frustration level rises. While this is understandable, you can't expect your dog to follow you. Animals simply don't follow anxious, angry, or frustrated leaders. Instead your dog will mirror your energy. If you're frustrated, then he's frustrated, and when he's frustrated, it makes sense for him to bark. To effectively correct your dog, you need to control your own frustration first.

Make your claim. If your dog is barking repeatedly in the presence of a specific stimulus, it's important to let the dog know that you "own" that object, person, situation, or place. Use your calm-assertive energy to make your claim.

Exercise your dog! Often dogs develop problem barking as a result of pent-up energy. So make sure your dog has the right amount of exercise for his energy level. Your dog should be relaxed, calm, and submissive before you put him in a situation that's likely to trigger barking.