Pam H. writes, “My dog will continually bark at the TV when he sees any type of animal on the screen. He will not stop barking and will not listen to me when I say ‘no bark.’ What do I do to make him stop barking?”
Barking can be very natural for dogs, especially when they see exciting things (like animals on TV). Here’s how to teach your canine companion a “quiet” command. We suggest that you keep a leash on him when you are watching TV. If he starts barking, gently lead him back to you and show him a treat in your hand. Let him sniff the treat for three seconds. If he’s quieted down, he can have the treat.
Once your dog starts to understand that he gets rewarded for quieting down, you can put it on cue. Begin removing the leash when he comes to you after you call him away from the TV. Always remember that your pup should be supervised while wearing a leash inside. If you do not have the time to train him, or just want some down time to watch TV, put him in a different room or his crate with a nice chew toy so that he cannot reward himself with barking.
Our dogs are cherished members of the family, sharing our lives and providing unconditional love. But dog owners know that our canine partners have different perspectives on life than we do.
If you have ever asked, “Why does my dog do that?” then this feature is for you. The AKC GoodDog! Helpline training team will answer your questions about dog behavior and offer training advice to help you and your pup have the best relationship possible. The AKC GoodDog! Helpline is a seven-day-a-week telephone support service staffed by professional dog trainers. For more information on the service and how to enroll, go to www.akcgooddoghelpline.org.