How do you stop a barking dog?

Stop a barking dog by ignoring him while he is barking in order to teach him that barking does not earn attention. During quiet times, reward him with treats. This can take several hours of dedicated effort.

1. Turn your back

   When your dog starts barking, turn your back on him as a visible sign that you are not paying attention to him.

2. Ignore him

   Ignore the barking. Do not react to it or speak to your dog, even to yell at him. Yelling is a sign of attention. Furthermore, it can take an hour or more for your dog to stop barking, but if you give in, he learns that barking for long periods of time earns him attention.

3. Reward him

   Once he stops barking for a second, no matter the reason, reward him with a treat to help him associate quiet with treats.

4. Lengthen the time

   The next time he is quiet, wait a few seconds longer before giving him a treat. This way, he learns to stay quiet longer.

5. Repeat the process

   Continue this process. Ignore the dog while he barks, and reward his silences. Continually increase the length of time he must be quiet in order to get a treat.