How to prevent your dog from barking excessively

In this article I am going to show you how to prevent your dog from barking excessively.

First of all, the number-one cause for unwanted barking ( the kind of barking that's repetitive and is directed at nothing) is nervous, agitated energy - the kind he gets from not getting enough exercise. Most dogs function best with one and a half hours' exercise every day, which is a considerable time commitment for you. Of course, this varies from dog to dog, depending on factors like breed, age, and general level of health. You may think that your dog is getting as much exercise as he needs, or at least as much as you can possibly afford to give him - but if his barking is coupled with an agitated demeanor (fidgeting, perhaps acting more aggressively than you'd expect or want, restlessness, destructive behavior) then he almost definitely needs more.

Fortunately, the fix for this problem is pretty simple: you'll just have to exercise him more. Try getting up a half-hour earlier in the morning - it'll make a big difference. If this is absolutely impossible, consider hiring someone to walk him in the mornings and/or evenings.

The second most common cause of excessive vocalization in dogs is too much 'alone time'. Dogs are social animals: they need lots of attention, lots of interaction, and lots of communication.

There is another kind of barking which some dogs use to get what they want from their owners: it is called "manipulative barking". If your dog doesn't have any physical needs, has had exercise and reasonable attention during the day, he should not bark. If he does (for example, because he wants you to stop reading and start playing with him) the best thing is to ignore him. At the beginning it will probably get worse, because he will keep insisting, thinking he will eventually get what he wants. However, if you are consistent, your dog will finally get the message and give up barking, because he will realize that it does not work anymore!