7 Tips to Stop Your Dog From Barking So Much

Barking is how dogs communicate. Dogs bark for many reasons, including to communicate with each other, warn us of danger, alert us to strangers, and get their humans' attention. 

You first need to understand why your dog is barking to stop excessive barking. If you reward your dog for barking, they learn to continue that behavior. For example, if your dog barks to get your attention, and it works, they will continue.

Once you determine the motivation for your dog’s barking, you can use the tips below to stop your dog from barking excessively.

Tips and tricks to stop your dog from barking

Here are seven tips and tricks to stop your dog from barking excessively. Remember that once you know why your dog is barking, you should aim to decrease barking rather than eliminate it completely. 

1. Give your dog plenty of exercise

Sometimes, dogs bark out of boredom or to get their human family's attention. If your dog gets enough physical and mental activity, they may nap rather than bark.

Ensure your dog gets plenty of physical activity and mental stimulation daily. If you are away from home for many hours, consider hiring a dog walker to come in during the day. 

Also, try using mentally stimulating toys, such as puzzle dishes. These make dogs work for their food. Puzzle toys that dispense treats are great for occupying pups when you can’t play.

2. Socialize your dog

Dogs often bark at people and things they aren’t used to out of fear. Introduce your dog to as many different people as possible. The more people and situations your dog has experience with, the less likely they will be to bark at them. 

Introduce your dog to people of all ages and sizes. Let your dog meet people on bicycles, in wheelchairs, on motorcycles, and with walkers. The more positive experiences your dog has with different people, the better socialized they will be.

Read more like this

Explore these related articles, suggested for readers like you.

How Much Exercise Your Dog Needs Based on Their Breed, Size, and Age

Senior Dog Care: 9 Ways to Support Your Aging Pup

What Does It Mean When Your Dog Licks You, and When Is It a Problem?

Our Dog Broke 10 Bones. It Cost $50K to Save Her

View more

3. Leave your dog with familiar things

Barking may be your dog’s way of calling out to you and getting you to come back. Dogs are social creatures, and they enjoy the company of others. Many dogs have separation anxiety when their primary caretaker is away or when they are left alone. This can lead to barking.

If your dog barks when you leave the home, try leaving some familiar sights and sounds around so the house feels like it does when you are home. For example, leave the television or radio on a channel you watch at home. And consider closing the curtains or blinds if your dog will likely look out the window and bark at passersby.

If your dog barks or howls only when you are preparing to leave the house, try teaching them to associate being home alone with something positive. For example, hide your pup’s favorite treats around the house so they can search for them when you leave. 

For more severe cases of separation anxiety, it may be worth consulting a professional. You can look for a certified animal behaviorist in your area or ask your veterinarian for advice.

4. Desensitize your dog to their triggers

Barking at unfamiliar people and animals is often a territorial behavior. This behavior can be caused by either fear or the perception of a threat. It is also motivated by the need to alert you to the presence of others in the area. Desensitizing your dog to these triggers teaches them to associate things they fear with wonderful things instead of threats.

Desensitize your dog gradually using positive reinforcement. Let’s look at the steps you would take if your dog barks when another dog comes into view.

• Start by walking your dog at a distance from another dog. You can have a friend walk a dog past you. Or walk past a house where there is a dog that usually triggers your dog’s barking. 

• Start far enough away that your dog doesn’t bark when they see the other dog. As you walk, praise your dog for maintaining eye contact with you. Generously feed your dog treats. 

• As the other dog gets closer, continue calmly praising your dog and feeding them treats. As soon as your dog starts barking, stop giving them treats. 

• You must repeat this several times before your dog makes the connection that it's treat time when another dog comes into sight.

5. Remove your dog from the situation

Alarm barkers tend to bark at anything that frightens them. Those can be strangers, sights, or sounds. This behavior is similar to territorial barking, but it can happen anywhere. Your dog doesn’t need to be protecting their own home or yard for this type of barking to happen. 

While you can’t remove your dog from every triggering situation, you can manage some situations. For example, imagine your neighbor is having trees removed, and your dog is barking because they are afraid of the workers or the large equipment. Rather than let your dog bark, set up a quiet space for them in a room on the other side of the house that faces away from your neighbor’s property.

6. Go to your spot

Some dogs bark as a way of saying hello. They are eager to meet people who come to your house and happy to greet people at the door and on walks. Their tails are usually wagging, showing that it is a happy bark.

One way to stop your dog from creating havoc whenever you arrive home or someone comes to the door is to train them to go to a designated spot and wait until you ask them to come. Asking your dog to go to that spot gets them to refocus on a task other than the greeting. 

Pick a spot. It can be their bed, crate, or other spot they are used to. They should be able to see the door but not be too close to it. 

Practice asking your dog to go to their spot. Once they have mastered going to the spot, add “lie down” and “stay” commands. You should practice this before you plan to use it and when you do not expect visitors to knock or ring the doorbell. 

As you practice, reinforce your pup’s success with lots of praise and treats. Once your dog has mastered the task, try standing by the door and asking them to complete the job. Call your dog from their spot once they have successfully remained quiet for a few minutes.

7. Do not reward behavior you want to discourage

Dogs quickly learn to use barking to get people to meet their needs. If your dog barks to get your attention or to get you to fill their water or food dishes, and you respond by doing so, they are getting what they want. To stop attention-seeking barking, stop rewarding your dog for it.

Instead, ignore your dog while the barking is going on. Do not make eye contact or pet them while they are barking. Wait until your dog is quiet and positively reward them for that behavior. If your dog wants to go out or needs their water dish refilled, do it once they have stopped barking. This will teach your dog that positive things happen when they are quiet. 

Common mistakes when responding to your dog’s barking

Your dog will always respond better to positive reinforcement and praise. If you find yourself becoming frustrated, end the training session. Keep things calm and light-hearted. It is always better to end training sessions with your dog feeling successful.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

• Using punishment techniques, such as yelling at your dog

• Using physical force

• Making the goals too challenging for your dog

• Rewarding behavior you want to discontinue

• Encouraging your dog to bark at certain sounds while discouraging barking at others

• Punishing your dog for barking at certain sounds

• Using a muzzle to keep your dog quiet

Why does my dog keep barking?

Barking is a dog’s primary means of communication.

The most common reasons dogs bark are:

• Boredom

• Lack of socialization

• Attention-seeking

• Anxiety, fear, or separation anxiety

• Territorialism/protection

• Alarm-sounding 

• Greeting

• Illness, injury, or pain

When to seek professional assistance for dog training

If your dog’s behavior becomes aggressive at any point, speak with your veterinarian to make sure there are no underlying medical issues.

If your dog is cleared medically, consider working with a certified animal behaviorist who can help determine the reason for your dog’s unwanted behavior. A professional dog trainer can also give you pointers on the best training techniques for your dog.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Lauren Lee, BA, MA

Lauren Lee, BA, MA, is a writer specializing in animal care and pet health content. Since she was a young child, her passions have been writing and anything to do with animals.

Edited by:

Renée Fabian, MA

Renée Fabian is the senior pet health editor at GoodRx. She’s worked for nearly 10 years as a journalist and editor across a wide range of health and well-being topics.

Reviewed by:

Ghanasyam Bey, DVM

Ghanasyam Bey, DVM, is from Cleveland, Ohio, and attended Princeton University for undergraduate studies. After a year of biology research at Duke University, he attended Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine.

Our editorial standards

Meet our experts