Dog Health Questions: Dog training?

Can anyone reccomend something to stop my dog from barking all the time? I don't mind him barking a little bit if someone knocks on the door or something, but if he looks out the window and sees people or hears a loud noise he will bark at it incessantly.

I know that this is a natural reaction for some dogs, but I will be moving into an appartment soon and I don't want him to annoy my neighbors when I am not home or when my roommate comes home from work after 9pm or so.

Someone suggested I try a shock collar, but I would rather not use that method unless there is no other options (though I think there should be other options).

I've tried telling him "no" and spanking him with a newspaper when he barks, so now when he does bark and I tell him no, he rolls over onto his back and continues to bark. This tells me that he knows he shouldn't do it, but its like a little kid who is trying to see how much they can get away with.

Dog Training - Basics

Recommended Answer:
Go to the grocery store and get some breath spray, for us you know the mint kind, every time he barks give him a shot he will get the idea and it won't hurt him. it works, If it is a shep, tho it is their nature and you are stuck but try the mouth spray... my sister is a vet that is what she tells her patients.

The Right Information Is the Key To Effective Dog Training - Dogproblems Reviewed

• Two things to try you choose - either negative reinforcement, or positive. They say positive reinforcement works the best, but I know my second suggestion wouldn't work for every dog.
  
  Get a spray bottle and spray him with water and say "NO" very loudly. This usually startles them so much they stop.
  
  The other thing you could try is letting him know that YOU know someone is there and that he has done his job. I started doing this with my german shepard a few months ago and it really works. She starts barking at a cat across the street or someone walking and I say, "Okay, Okay, I know their there. Thank you." very calmlym and she stops. She can hear in my voice that I am "praising" her for her job but that she can stop barking now because I am aware of the "danger".
  
  I would stop the "spanking". Hitting a dog will not reinforce positive behavior.


• The Electric bark collar is exactly what you need if you want the dog to stop barking. I lived in an apt too and I had neighbors who did call the police because of the barking and I was given a choice by the association, move or lose the dog. I got an Electric bark collar, the barking stopped after the first few seconds and the dog got to stay. Good luck!!


• Don't try the shock collar, and don't hit him when he barks. Instead, get a spray bottle (benefit: you don't have to chase him down!) and calmly spray him every time he barks, while repeating a firm "NO". Most dogs don't enjoy it, and they'll eventually know that when you pick up that bottle, they need to stop whatever they were doing. Once he stops barking, maybe offer him a treat and praise him.
  
  Do not get excited, and don't start yelling. He might think you're playing a game, and continue to bark. Just be very calm, but firm. If he starts barking again, repeat the process. He'll eventually get it.


• The best thing is to take a dog training course (as a group it is less expensive)
  
  We took a small dog training course with my dog when she was young and one of the things we did learn was the controlling of the dreaded barker (the categary that Daphne fell into) What we had to teach her is to lie down and stay when she would bark unnecessarily. We were taught to use one word commands.. like Sit, Stay, to get the dog to lie down we use "Sleep" and "Stay" and you also motion with your hands. We stay close by (no eye contact) and this only lasts a couple of minutes..then when she is calm or who ever or what animal has passed that is when you make eye contact and give the command that they may get up, we use the word "okay" .. and praise them for good behavior..
  
  Hope this helps, good luck.


• Your dog doesn't know he's doing something wrong. He turns over on his belly because that's what he thinks you want him to do when you hit him with the newspaper.
  
  There is no excuse, ever, for hitting a dog.
  
  To get your dog to stop barking, as soon as he starts, say "thank you" and GET UP from wherever you're sitting and go to the window or door to see what he's barking about. The chances are that he's smelled or heard something you can't hear or smell. In any event, after you've checked on it, tell the dog "thank you" again and praise him for alerting you.
  
  If you do this EVERY TIME the dog starts barking, it WILL stop him. But it won't happen overnight. Give it a week or two. At first it will be a real nuisance, because you'll be getting up every couple of minutes (or at least, it will feel that way). But after a couple of weeks, your dog will bark once or twice, wait for you to get up, and then wait for praise. If you do not get up every time, then pretty soon he won't believe you'll take care of whatever the problem is, and he'll start barking again.
  
  Good luck!