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. Most good quality dog food contains 26% protein for adults and 28% for puppies. To bring the protein content to 30% or more add meat, chicken, fish or cooked eggs to the diet daily.
Feeding. Feed the dog twice a day, once in the morning and the other an hour or so after you return. A hungry dog is an anxious dog and the two meals ensure that the dog is not very hungry during the day. If the dog is fed immediately on your return he becomes accustomed to being fed at that time. If you are delayed the hungry dog may be so upset that it barks as it waits.
Departure. Leave in a quiet way and avoid last minute rushes which might upset the dog. Throw a nylon or rawhide bone to the dog as you leave to distract it and draw its attention to something it is permitted to chew.
Return. Make your return low key. If you immediately start a boisterous game or apologise to the dog in a tone of voice that the dog hears as a whimper the dog will await your return in a state of anxiety. An anxious dog is likely to bark.
2) Preliminary training.
Use the opportunity when you are home and indoors to teach the dog that you do not approve of barking in general. 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) The outside environment.
If possible leave the dog in an enclosed area rather than tied by a rope. A dog in a fenced area or in a run can see the walls that limit its movement, just as in a room. The same walls that keep the dog in also keep stray dogs out. A dog can run in the yard without the fear of ropes being tangled round its legs and it is not brought up suddenly by a jerk on its collar when reaching the end of its rope. As other dogs and children are kept out of the yard, the dog can relax and, particularly if it has a dog house, will probably sleep much of the time. Such a dog is much less likely to bark than the dog at the end of a rope. A fenced area may be much smaller than the area accessible to the dog on the rope but this should not be a concern as it is outweighed by the freedom of movement without fear experienced by the penned dog.
4) Barking in your absence.
A dog barking indoors when left can be punished by the owner rushing in through the unlocked door at the first bark. This technique usually does not work out of doors as too much time elapses between the bark and the furious shake the owner gives the dog as punishment. Outdoors the dog will have a period of rushing to greet you and believing that its barking has succeeded in bringing you back. Any punishment at that time could be taken by the dog as an indication you did not want to be greeted. Some kennels have high pressure hoses over the runs which are turned on to wash the runs down. New dogs are trained not to bark by hitting a valve which operates the washing device every time the new dog barks. The dog learns very quickly to wait quietly in its pen.
At home you can use the same technique by fitting a spray head to the hose that has a handle that releases the full force of the water at a touch. Set up the hose with the tap fully on, in a place where the dog cannot see it or you. Bring the dog into the yard and leave as though you were going to be away for a long time. Return without the dog seeing you and pick up the hose. At the first bark send a short blast of water to hit the dog. You want the dog to be shocked and looking round to see what hit it. If you leave the hose on, the dog can see it is only water and may enjoy it and start to play. Again if it sees you it may regard it as a game.
If certain events, such as children playing in the street trigger the barking, arrange for those events to occur while you are lying in wait with the hose.
During the training period try not to leave the dog in the yard when you are not there to startle it. When it seems to have learnt not to bark, leave it outside but when you return take up
your hidden position for a while without the dog knowing you are there and correct with the hose if it barks. Do not "return" to the dog while it is barking.
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