How do you get your dog to stop excessively barking?

Gigi is a really smart dog and learns most commands within a few mintues. But I cannot, for the life of me, get her to stop her excessive barking when she sees people walking by or even hears a noise in the house she isn't familiar with. It drives me and my family crazy. When I finally get angry enough at her and yell "NO BARKING" a few times, she will come to me all whining and sad that she can't bark. I have a tiny house, and her bark sounds extremely loud in it.

Besides saying "NO BARKING", I've done things like shaking a can full of pennies, squrting her with a water spray bottle and using one of those "No Bark" divices that emit a high pitch, yet safe, sound when a dog barks (which worked great on the yappy Chihuahuas next door that barked their heads off every time I opened my back door or worked in my backyard). All of this does nothing to stop her barking.

Have any of you had any success at getting your dog to stop barking so much?

That's good that "No Barking!" works for your dog. If I were to tell my dog that she'd ignore me. She does sound very smart and it is great that she listens to that command. My dog really doesn't bark for too long after she sees someone. I actually like when she barks when she sees someone she is not familiar with because it lets me know if someone is here. My neighbor's house got broken into, and if it weren't for my dog barking that way, I would have never been able to call 911 and save some of my neighbor's things.

I have the same issue with Misha. She's a Jack Russell and seems to think every noise is a personal affront.

This is how I am dealing with it. I have a shaker can by the front door. When she barks, I shake the can and say "no bark". If she continues, I use the word "Enough". She knows what "enough" means.

If she is persistent, I get between her and the front door and I walk her out of the hallway. My command is "Enough. No bark!"

Sometimes if she isn't so persistent, I can get by with getting between her and the front door, making her walk away from it, and saying "Thank You. You told us." She will chatter to me as she walks away and I assure her that I get it but enough is enough.

It's taken a few months but we are making progress. I can now, in most cases, break the cycle. Before, it didn't matter what I said. She'd just bark over me. Now as I back her up, I can get her into the living room and away from the door. She gives me dirty looks all the time but she obeys.

The shaker can is your best friend.

Dashboard, I think the problem with dogs like mine and Sandooch's is they don't know when to stop. You end up getting annoyed. Then, when there is really a stranger around you don't pay attention because you've heard so much barking. I think the optimum is they bark, and then, they believe you when you say that everything is okay. I hope Misha gets to that point some day.

(09-21-2012, 06:07 PM)sandooch Wrote: Gigi is a really smart dog and learns most commands within a few mintues. But I cannot, for the life of me, get her to stop her excessive barking when she sees people walking by or even hears a noise in the house she isn't familiar with. It drives me and my family crazy. When I finally get angry enough at her and yell "NO BARKING" a few times, she will come to me all whining and sad that she can't bark. I have a tiny house, and her bark sounds extremely loud in it.

Besides saying "NO BARKING", I've done things like shaking a can full of pennies, squrting her with a water spray bottle and using one of those "No Bark" divices that emit a high pitch, yet safe, sound when a dog barks (which worked great on the yappy Chihuahuas next door that barked their heads off every time I opened my back door or worked in my backyard). All of this does nothing to stop her barking.

Have any of you had any success at getting your dog to stop barking so much?

Have you tried "TSST"? I coined the spelling from Cesar Milan's show but I've noticed that in our country, when dogs start barking excessively, this works well.

If it isn't enough, you could try "TSST" and move forward to stand tall in front of Gigi. It's like claiming the space or correcting an unwanted behavior.

If that fails, check this video out.

dashboard, the "No barking" only works after I've said it a few times. She'll come to me whining, but then go back and continue to bark.

Treeclimber, I've tried using the shaking can, and at first it did scare her enough to stop for a while. But then she got used to it and continued to bark.

haopee, that is an interesting video. Although, I'm conflicted about giving Gigi a treat for barking and then giving it to her for being quiet. I feel like she would think that I'm so happy she's barking that she is getting rewarded for it. Maybe I'm just confused by the video, but I thank you for posting it.

Anyone know of an effective way to get a dog to stop barking please tell me. I have nothing against a dog barking when they have a valid reason for doing so, such as stranger showing up at the house. But Buddy is like the dog who barked wolf, he will bark at everything. I'm starting to think he barks at his own shadow. The only time now that I will take the barking seriously is when Oso starts to bark as well since he does seem to bark more for a valid reason.