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Is your pup a little more vocal than you (and your neighbors) would like? Teaching your dog to bark on command is not only a fun trick for your furry friend to learn, but it can also help alleviate barking at undesirable times.
When you teach a dog to bark on command, you also teach them the inverse — to be quiet. This simple trick lets your pup know the appropriate times to use their beautiful voice.
The Quiet Game
You may want to jump in and start teaching your pup how to speak on command right away. However, the more important aspect of this trick is your dog’s ability to sit quietly. They must master this before they learn to speak.
As you may imagine, teaching a vocal pup to be quiet is the difficult part. On the other hand, if you have a quiet dog, you may need to create a situation where they bark so you can then reward them for being quiet. Either way, it’s crucial that your pup understands a treat is coming because they are silent.
A good way to do this is to have a friend or family member ring on the doorbell or knock on the door, as most dogs let out a bark or two at the sound of a visitor. Wait for your pup to be quiet and reward them with a treat. Eventually, begin incorporating a word that your pup will associate with being silent. “Quiet” or “silent” are obvious choices.
You should practice this command until your dog grasps it. This could be multiple days or just a day or so. Regardless, understanding “quiet” is the key to learning how to speak.
Barking on Command
When your pup has mastered the ability to be silent on command, you are free to incorporate “speak.” You don’t want to teach your pup to bark without the ability to tell them to be quiet.
Teaching barking on command is much like teaching silence. Again, you should create a situation where your pup barks. This is typically easier with a partner who can knock on a door or ring doorbell. When your pup begins barking, reward them.
Slowly incorporate a command, like “speak” or “talk.” Then, reward your dog with treats only when a bark follows the command. If your dog becomes confused, take a break from the “speak” command and focus again on the “quiet” command. Some pups become overloaded with commands and don’t understand what their parent wants.
If your pup understands the “speak” command, incorporate the “speak” and “quiet” commands together. Remember, practice makes perfect. Do this with your pup every day until it becomes as easy as sit or stay.
Check out a list of other tricks to teach your dog here.