Some dogs bark more than others, and for those who have dogs at the louder end of the scale, barking at the door can become a real problem. This is especially true if the neighbors have complained, or you have found that you can’t hear yourself think throughout the day. Experiencing this problem will likely have you asking: why does my dog bark at the door?
Your dog barks at the door because they are protecting their territory. Dogs also bark at the door to greet their owners, or when they are feeling anxious or expect a treat. The noise from a doorbell also signals to a dog that someone is there.
Whatever the reason behind your dog’s barking habits may be, there are some things that you can do to reduce barking. This article will explain the different reasons behind why dogs bark at the door and some solutions for reducing its frequency.
How Do I Get My Dog To Stop Barking At The Door
The best way to get a dog to stop barking at the door is through training a quiet word. Although this takes a lot of practice and patience from barking dog owners, it is considered the most reliable and ethical solution to troublesome barking.
This training should be paired with exercise because low exercise can be an additional factor in troublesome barking.
How To Train Your Dog To Stop Barking On Command
Although this kind of training indeed takes a lot of patience and persistence from the owner, the training process is relatively easy and can be broken down into a few simple steps. We will label these steps to make them even easier to practice.
Step 1: Setting Up
To start training, you will set up your training environment so that it is a scenario where your dog usually barks at the door. This distraction outside your door could be anything, but we will be using a knock at the door for our example.
To get this scenario ready, you need to have someone else participate as the visitor knocking at the door. It is also a good idea to have a treat reward ready as well.
Step 2: Let The Barking Begin
The next step is to have the other person knock at the door while you act normally. A good example of acting is typically just relaxing on your sofa. When this knocking occurs, your dog will most likely start barking and approach the door. At this point, you should follow him and act as if you are going to answer the door business as usual.
Step 3: Wait For Your Dog To Stop Barking
The next step is to wait until your dog stops barking. It is essential to ignore the barking and not respond until he stops. Be patient; for some dogs, this can take a while.
Step 4: Reward Quiet and Start Pairing the Word
Once your dog stops barking, you should give a click from a clicker or a verbal marker that you usually give, such as “yes” or “good.” This lets your dog know that he is doing something that you like.
Next, you should say the word you would like to be your “quiet word and give a hand signal. This word needs to be a word that you do not usually use when talking to your dog. The hand signal is performed by positioning your hands flat with your palms facing the ground. Next, hold your hands close together and slowly move them out parallel to your shoulders. It would help if you gave this quiet word and the hand signal at the same time.
The final thing that you should do when your dog stops barking is to give them a small treat that your dog loves. To keep calories down and promote quick eating, this treat should be pea-sized.
It is important to note that your clicker or a verbal marker, quiet word and hand signal, and treat need to happen within seconds of each other in succession. This prevents your dog from getting confused.
Step 5: Practice With Your Dog
The final step is to practice. It is recommended to practice this process about 5-10 times during your first few training sessions. This ensures that your dog understands the command completely. You will need to practice this every day until your dog responds to your quiet word about 90% of the time.
Why Does My Dog Bark When Someone Is At The Door
There are several reasons why your dog might be barking at the door. These include:
● Alerting you of a visitor
● Protecting their territory
● Excitement
● Curiosity
● Boredom
● Fear
● An illness or health condition
Knowing your dog’s personality and temperament can give you a clue as to which common cause of the barking is the root of the problem. However, if you find that your dog is suddenly barking at the door, and he has never done so before, you should make a vet visit to rule out illness or an underlying health condition.
Why Does My Dog Keep Barking At The Door At Night
Dogs may feel the need to bark at the door during the night for several reasons. These include:
● Having to go potty
● Loneliness or separation anxiety
● Boredom
● Hearing Noises Outside
● An illness or health condition
To minimize barking during the night, it is vital that your dog has gone to the bathroom before bed, is tired and well-exercised, and is placed to sleep in a comfortable and secure place. Of course, if your dog is suddenly barking during the night out of the blue, then you must visit the vet to ensure that an illness or health condition isn’t the cause of the barking.
Should Dogs Bark At The Door
Barking is an entirely normal canine behavior. However, too much barking can become a problem. It can damage the hearing of those in the house with a barking dog, and it can also upset neighbors.
Why Do Dogs Bark At The Doorbell
Dogs can feel the need to bark at the doorbell for many of the same reasons as when someone is at the door. These include:
● Alerting you of a visitor
● Protecting their territory
● Excitement
● Curiosity
● Fear
● Boredom
● An illness or health condition
Although all of the above scenarios are very plausible, your dog may be barking at the doorbell because they are scared of that distinct sound.
How Do I Get My Dog To Stop Barking At The Doorbell
If your dog is barking at the doorbell for one of the same reasons they are barking when someone is at the door, you can practice the quiet word training mentioned previously. \
However, if your dog is barking at the doorbell because they are afraid of its sound, you will need to take a different approach.
If a dog is afraid of the doorbell, you will need to desensitize them to the sound. This is done by having someone ring the doorbell and rewarding the dog as soon as the sound occurs.
This creates an association between the doorbell and good things over time. You mustn’t overwhelm the dog during this process, so you will need to wait a few minutes between each doorbell ring.
If your dog is terrified of this sound, tape a recording of your doorbell and follow the same process with the sound at a low volume. Then slowly work up to the standard doorbell.
Tips To Stop A Dog From Barking At The Door
Here are a few helpful training tips that will ensure your success.
- Keep training sessions short. Dogs can get burned out if training sessions are too long.
- Start small. Start with a small distraction and work your way up to very exciting (or scary) distractions.
- Do not reward barking during the quiet word training process.
- Keep at it! Training takes time.
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