1) To calm the dog.
Diet. Avoid canned and semi-moist foods as these usually contain preservatives and artificial colours that cause some dogs to become over-excited. An increase in the protein content of the diet to 30% or more results in a calmer dog. Feed the dog a good quality food which will probably have 26% protein for adults and 28% for puppies. To bring the protein content to 30% or more add meat, chicken, fish or cooked egg to the diet daily.
Feeding. Feed the dog twice a day, once in the morning and again in the evening. A hungry dog is an anxious dog and the two meals ensure that the dog is not very hungry during the day.
Calm atmosphere. Try to minimise occasions on which the dog becomes highly excited, such as rough housing with children, and which make the dog bark. Instead play games that involve the dog listening for commands and obeying, such as hide and seek with quiet praise and reward. With a group of people or children in a circle the dog could be called in an irregular pattern from one person to another. Again when the dog obeys give quiet praise, reward and put a hand on the collar to keep the dog calm until the next person calls.
Exercise. A tired dog will not be as attentive to every sound and may even sleep. Time and energy limit the amount of exercise we can give our dogs by walking them on the leash. Try to devise activities that make the dog work very hard for short periods, such as retrieving a ball, going over a series of jumps in the garden, swimming in the summer or pulling on a stick tied to a springy tree branch. If you don't have a fenced yard and your dog will run away when free, use the local tennis courts for ball games. Teach the dog always to come when called by walking it on a 30 to 40 foot nylon cord, calling ONCE, hauling the dog in if it doesn't come, tell it to sit and immediately reward with very attractive food. The best exercise for dogs is to team up with another owner of a friendly dog and let the dogs play together in a fenced area.
2) Preliminary training.
Teach the dog to go to its bed and lie down on command, rewarding it when it does so and then requiring it to stay until you release it. When someone comes to the door let the dog bark once or twice and then with a word of praise send it to its bed. In the beginning it is helpful if a friend rings the bell and you take the dog to its bed.
Try to prevent even the first bark towards normal outside sounds by using a "No. You be quiet." growl when the dog first tenses. If it starts to bark, at first take and later send it to its bed, giving a food reward as soon as it is lying down. One reason for sending a dog to its bed is to act as a distraction and the food reward, when the dog obeys you, takes its mind away from barking and makes the act a pleasure rather than punishment. The second reason is that lying down is a submissive posture while barking is the first stage of an attack. A dog lying down is much less likely to bark. By teaching the dog which outside noises are normal and can be disregarded makes it less likely that these will trigger barking in your absence.
3) Further steps.
This may not work with your dog, who has got in the habit of barking and when barking is deaf to anything you say. To get the dog's attention, attach a ten foot length of nylon cord (Canadian Tire) to the dog’s broad collar and let him trail it behind him in the house. At the first bark, grab the cord, give a jerk and the command 'No. Get in your basket." You pull him to the basket, make him lie down and stay, rewarding when he is lying down and silent.
If the jerk does not stop the barking, have a spray bottle ready filled with half water and half white vinegar. Spray the dog's mouth as he barks. The surprise this causes, usually will stop the barking for a moment so he can hear your command to go to his basket. You use the cord to make him go there and lie down. Any barks are rewarded with another spray and "No. Be quiet". When he is quiet, reward with food and release.
Be prepared to repeat if he rushes to the window and barks again.
There is one final step which can be taken if these milder measures have not worked after many attempts and after the change in diet, exercise and training have had a chance to calm the dog. At the first bark, rush in, catch (don't call) the dog, sit it with one hand on the collar, the other lifting the muzzle to look at you. Growl "You bad dog. Be quiet" while grabbing the dog at the sides of the neck from underneath. Lift the dog off its front feet and give it a vigorous shake - enough to be uncomfortable. Drag the dog to the basket and make it lie down and stay. Do not reward but growl at any attempt to get up or make friends. After five minutes release but then ignore the dog.
4) Barking in the car.
Have an assistant with a spray bottle of 50;50 white vinegar and water sitting beside the dog in the car while you drive. The dog should be on a leash to stop any jumping from side to side. If you can see a situation coming up, such as another dog, which will start the barking, warn the dog in a low voice to be quiet. If he barks, use the "You bad dog. Be quiet" phrase. At the first bark, your assistant aims the vinegar spray into the open mouth and repeats every time the mouth is opened. The reason you give the warning and the command is to teach the dog to obey you when you are driving the car alone. For the first few times with the dog alone, if he should bark, go on scolding him while you draw to the side and then spray him in the mouth if he is still barking or, if not, in the face. Perhaps go back to using an assistant for a few times but this stopping and spraying him when you are alone will soon teach him that it is never safe to bark after your command to be quiet.
5) Barking when taken for walks.
Have a 20 foot length of nylon cord attached to the dog's collar. When you see a situation developing which will cause the dog to bark, take a turn of the cord around a power pole or tree so that you have enough cord to stand between the dog and the approaching person or dog. Warn the dog to be quiet using a low voice and let your dog see the spray bottle in your hand filled with 50:50 white vinegar and water. The first time the mouth is opened to bark, spray inside the mouth and command "You bad dog. Be quiet". Soon, just the sight of the bottle will keep the dog quiet. When this happens, wait until the people or dogs have moved away, then give excited praise and a treat. With time you should be able to stop the barking with the dog beside you using the normal leash.
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