It was 5:00 AM and Timmy wouldn’t stop barking. Timmy is a Jack Russell Terrier and belongs to my mother-in-law. We were watching him for the weekend and his barking was already driving me crazy.
I rolled over in bed and informed my wife that Timmy can be learning the word “Quiet” today.
Barking is a standard, natural behavior in dogs. Barking becomes an issue when it becomes excessive. You possibly can bring your dog’s barking under control. The simplest strategy to do that is to show your dog the word “Quiet.”
In case your dog is barking and also you start yelling at your dog “Quiet,” “Shut up,” “Stop barking,” all you might be doing is giving attention to the barking which may reinforce the behavior.
Training boils right down to applying a consequence to what ever word or command you give your dog. The rule of thumb is if you want your dog to do a behavior for you i.e. sit, down, stay etc, you apply a positive consequence. If you want your dog to stop doing a behavior i.e., stealing, begging, jumping or barking your apply a negative consequence.
Let me say that if you determine to use a negative consequence you’ve gotten to watch out. Applying positive consequences wouldn’t have any unwanted effects. Applying negative consequences do.
Back to the barking. Your dog is doing a behavior that you desire to stop so we’re going to apply a negative consequence. The simplest negative consequence to use in this example is breath spray.
Go right down to your local drug store and pick up some binaca breath spray or Listerine breath spray. Now you’ll be able to pair the word “Quiet” with the negative consequence of the breath spray.
You see, your dog won’t just like the sound, smell or taste of the breath spray. It is an easy negative consequence that will not harm your dog. Now when your dog starts to bark you’ll be able to firmly say the word “Quiet,” after which reach down and spray into your dog’s mouth.
Repeat in case your dog starts barking again. It is important to do not forget that we wish your dog to learn the word “Quiet.” This is finished by pairing the word with the spray. “Quiet,” spray, “Quiet,” spray. After just a few times your dog will get the image.
Once your dog learns the word “Quiet” and also you need not use the spray, your dog has now learned the word. Once this happens you’ll be able to begin to reward your dog for not barking. So in case you say “Quiet” and need not use the spray, you’ll be able to reward your dog by saying “Good Quiet,” and provides your dog a reward.
Needles to say, little Timmy learned the word “Quiet” and we had a far more enjoyable visit with him.
