Muzzle a Dog to Stop Barking
Barking is a primary means of canine communication. Dogs bark to let you know there's an unfamiliar noise or a stranger near the house. But they also bark when they're startled, bored, lonely or anxious. Barking problems can become self-reinforcing-the more an anxious or lonely dog barks, the more anxious she gets-and definitely will irk the neighbors. But muzzling to prevent dog barking doesn't change the behavior. Using a muzzle can seriously injure or kill a dog. Even in the case of managing aggressive dogs, the only responsible way to muzzle a dog is under your constant personal supervision.
Instructions
1. Understand what won't work to stop your dog's barking-precisely the things most people do first. If you shout "no!" your dog will probably think you're barking too and will take that as a sign of encouragement. (Be consistent with whatever command you use to let your dog know you want silence, such as "quit" or "enough.") Don't encourage barking by unwittingly reinforcing it with hugs and soothing, sympathetic words, convincing her that there really was something worth barking about. Also don't get angry or punish your dog. She will just get still more excited and won't understand what she did wrong.
2. Teach your dog to calm down and relax, and especially to lie down and relax. (Prone dogs are much less likely to bark.) Basic obedience training, which teaches your dog to take its behavior cues from you, is the key. Rewarding your dog for desired behavior, using food treats and other encouragement, shows her how you want her to react to various situations and is an easy lesson to reinforce over time.
3. Muzzle your dog only as a last resort, and only if it makes sense as part of a program designed to eliminate the reason for the problem rather than silencing the symptom. (If your dog is bored, for example, find ways to remedy that.) A dog muzzle offers little opportunity to reward preferred behavior. Halter correction collars, even electronic bark-control collars, are more useful, especially if you're consistent in rewarding the good behavior (calmness and silence) after the correction disrupts the bad behavior (barking). A muzzle is no substitute for the patient training and reassurance your dog needs.
4. Make sure the muzzle fits your dog. She needs to drink water and pant to maintain normal body temperature, and muzzles that are too tight prevent this-which may kill her.
Related posts
Stop a Dog From BarkingBarking can be an extremely frustrating behavior that our dogs exhibit. It can also get you in some hot water with your neighbors if your dog is constantly barking. In this...
A constantly barking dog can aggravate one person, one street or even an entire neighborhood. Simply because the owner shows no inclination to stop their dog from barking doesn't mean the neighbor...
Stop Barking Dogs in KennelsDogs are vocal animals who bark for a variety of reasons. In a kennel setting, they bark due to anxiety, fear and boredom. They also bark because they miss their owners...
A well-trained puppy is a happy puppyDogs bark when their owners leave for two reasons: they are either frightened or bored. You can follow a step-by-step system to curing separation anxiety in a...
Cocker spaniels can make wonderful pets when they are quiet.The cocker spaniel can be a friendly dog that needs only moderate exercise and and is usually peaceful with other pets. However, this br...
