I have a lot of people that come up to me when they see me with my poodles
and tell me "Oh you have poodles. They are yappy dogs." I always respond in kind "Well ANY dog can be yappy
if not properly trained."
Training really is the key. Any dog of any breed can be taught not
to bark or to bark in appropriate situations. I like my dogs to bark once or twice when someone comes to my door.
they are the best doorbell ever invented. But more than that can become an annoyance. Especially if you live in
an apartment complex or close neighborhood hood.
Her are several methods we have used to train our dogs to keep quiet.
If you train a dog to "speak" on command you will find that they bark less.
I believe it is because they associate the barking with a specific command and if that command is not given they believe they
should not bark.
Another method is to redirect your dog to a more suitable activity when
they start to bark. Like giving him a chewy or favorite to play with. Also using a whistle or a bell when the
dog is barking will help redirect his attention elsewhere. Be sure to reward you dog once he has become quiet.
A spray bottle with water works well too on some dogs. Be sure to
only spay the dog when the dog is barking and not when they are being quiet or you will undermine yourself.
Another item to distract your dog which works well is an old can full of
pennies. When the dog starts barking toss the can right next to your dog. Be sure not to hit your dog. The
loud noise of the pennies in the can will distract your dog from barking. If you have an extremely shy dog I do not
recommend this method.
If other methods have not worked and you are nearing the end of your rope.
Be sure to seriously consider having your dog debarked before taking it to a shelter. Their are some serious pros and
cons to this surgery so be sure to consult your vet. It is also possible for your dog to relearn to bark after this
surgery using the scar tissue as vocal chords. So just some things to think about.
