How to Train Your Dog to Not Bark When Playing

Hello Lisa, I recommend teaching an Out command and Come command and Quiet command. Quiet method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Out - which means leave the area: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Come: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/train-dog-to-come-when-called/ Once pup has learned those commands, practice them often using a long training leash, 15'-30' long and a padded back clip harness. Gradually work up to more and more distracting locations. You can even practice pup's recall at places where the are other dogs that can't get to your dog, like regular parks or outside a dog park (don't go inside the dog park area though since having pup on leash in there isn't safe and could lead to fights). Once pup is really good at Come and Out and Quiet on the long leash, recruit a friend and their friendly dog. Have the dogs play in a controlled, fenced area without other dogs around, while they are wearing a back clip harness and drag leash. Periodically call the dogs away from each other when they are not entangled wrestling if pup barks. Have each other call their dog from different areas of the yard so the dogs go in different directions when they disengage. Use the drag leash to carefully and quickly reel pups in to each of you if they don't obey when you call. Once your dog gets to you (because they obeyed or because you reeled them in with the leash), have pup obey a couple commands like Sit or Down, and give high value treats - this is why the dogs are being called to separate locations, you don't want competing for the same food while aroused from playing). After both dogs are focused on their people and calm from the obedience practice, allow the more timid of the two dogs to go first, telling them "Go Play" and releasing them. If they still want to play, let the second dog go also, telling them to "Go Play" as well. Practice this for 10-30 minutes a training session, often, until your dog will obey Out and Come and Quiet consistently while in the middle of playing without having to be reeled in. While doing all of this, I would avoid going to the dog park where pup could ignore your command and that would undermined your training efforts. Once pup is very good at obeying while aroused, then you can use the new commands in real life to help pup manage their behavior at the park. You may also find you need to teach pup that a remote vibration collar being vibrated means quiet and use that as a reminder as needed. Specifically watch for when pup is getting overly aroused - most dogs bark primarily when aroused. The barking isn't something that's likely to be eradicated completely. It's normal for many dogs to bark while playing - some dogs are just more talkative if it's all in good fun and not due to aggression; however, you can teach pup to respond to your Quiet command, bark less overall, and take a break when they are getting too excited to control their barking. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello! It can take up to 6 months to have a fully trained dog. But even then, it can take until your dog is a year old for them to be consistent. I usually tell my personal customers to start with the basics. Teach 1-2 new commands a week, while reinforcing the old or learned commands. Spend 15 or so minutes in two different blocks of time, going over these commands. So maybe once in the morning, and once again in the evening for example. And also use their commands in real life settings. Sitting before eating and randomly while out on walks, things like that. Dogs will typically be very good with sit, lay down, leave it and come within a few weeks of practicing it. But getting them to be consistent with those behaviors in a distracted environment is trickier. Dogs often plateau and even regress during the training process. It all has to do with their cognitive development. As long as you stay consistent, you should be just fine.

Hello Natasha, For the barking I would start by teaching pup the Quiet command to make communicating with pup easier. Quiet method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark I would then use something like a bark collar or low level remote collar stimulation to enforce the Quiet command. Start by making the fetching game boring, with short throws in a calm location. Reward pup for Quietness with more throws or treats, and calm praise. When pup barks, tell pup "Ah Ah" calmly, and either correct with the collar, the bark collar will correct on it's own, or withhold the ball until pup calms down. Practice a couple of commands with pup to get them focused and calmer again, keeping your attitude patient and calm while doing so. Once pup is calm, resume the game, praising calmly for quietness, reminding pup "Quiet" as needed, rewarding continued quietness, and correcting the barking. Start all of this in a very calm setting, with less exciting throws, and no other dogs around. Pup will need to work up to more exciting situations very gradually. Keep these ball sessions short because pup will have a harder time learning and obeying the more tired they get and the more aroused they get most likely. For the nipping, I recommend teaching an Out command, Leave It command, and Come command. Out - which means leave the area: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Leave It method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Come: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/train-dog-to-come-when-called/ Once pup has learned those commands, practice them often using a long training leash, 15'-30' long and a padded back clip harness. Gradually work up to more and more distracting locations. You can even practice pup's recall at places where the are other dogs that can't get to your dog, like regular parks or outside a dog park (don't go inside the dog park area though since having pup on leash in there isn't safe and could lead to fights). Once pup is really good at Come and Out on the long leash, recruit a friend and their friendly dog. Have the dogs play in a controlled, fenced area without other dogs around, while they are each wearing a back clip harness and drag leash. Periodically call the dogs away from each other when they are not entangled wrestling. Have each other call their dog from different areas of the yard so the dogs go in different directions when they disengage. Use the drag leash to carefully and quickly reel pups in to each of you if they don't obey when you call. Once your dog gets to you (because they obeyed or because you reeled them in with the leash), have pup obey a couple commands like Sit or Down, and gives high value treats - this is why the dogs are being called to separate locations, you don't want competing for the same food while aroused from playing). After both dogs are focused on their people and calm from the obedience practice, allow the more timid of the two dogs to go first, tell them "Go Play" and releasing them. If they still want to play, let the second dog go also, telling the to "Go Play" as well. Practice this for 10-30 minutes a training session, often, until your dog will obey Out and Come consistently while in the middle of playing without having to be reeled in. While doing all of this, I would avoid going to the dog park where pup could ignore your command and that would undermined your training efforts. Once pup is very good at obeying while aroused, then you can use the new commands in real life to help pup manage their behavior at the park. Learn how to read the body language of other dogs if you do not already, so you can easily spot when the dogs are getting too aroused or one dog wants to stop and isn't being allowed to, and you can intervene before things get tense, moving your dog to another part of the park and letting them calm back down again, before playing with a new dog while that one rests. Be aware that some dogs need the play to end for the day when they get to that point because their ability to control themselves will decrease the more tired they get, even though they seem to be getting wound up instead of tired. For those dogs, it's best to end the play for that part of the day, and if you find they still need exercise, use some structured obedience practice to wear them out mentally too, which can also get their minds back into a calm state before going home. Do obedience practice outside of the dog park fence, not inside the dog park though, for safety reasons. For dogs who have a really hard time with such behavior, you may also need to find a different social activity that's less arousing for pup, like heeling walks and hikes with others and their dogs on leash, classes, canine sports, or swimming. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Alana, I recommend teaching Out and Quiet first. Quiet method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Out - which means leave the area: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ With pup on a long training leash clipped to a padded back clip harness, I would recruit a friend with another friendly dog who plays well with your own, and practice letting them play, and Out and Quiet during the game. Have the dogs play for a minute, then when they are not interlocked, gentle pick up the end of each dogs dragging long leash, once you have the leashes tell the dogs Out! happily, and quickly reel them into you, having both go to their own owner separate directions from each other. Once they arrive, give a treat, practice a few commands, then once they are calm, tell them "Go Play" and let them play again. Once both dogs have the hang of coming toward you quickly when you say out, before having to be reeled in, whenever pup barks give a Quiet command, and follow it up with an out command and reeling in if pup doesn't obey. Practice Quiet often in real life once pup has learned it at the door. Keep training treats on you for when pup obeys Quiet, and for when pup chooses not to bark at something they normally would have - rewarding pup's display of quietness and self-control to help pup build that quietness into a habit in general. When you practice this training make sure the other dog gets along very well with your dog and the two aren't likely to fight, make sure the area is fenced but not so large the dogs can take off and their leashes snag on something (although that's why the padded back clip harnesses are important, to protect pups' necks better), and wait until the dogs don't have each other's mouths on one another before you call and reel in (timing will be important because if they like the wrestle you will get only seconds of them being disengaged from that). Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Kathleen, For the barking, check out the Quiet method and the Desensitize method I have linked and the video series on barking below. Quiet method and Desensitize method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Barking videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAA4pob0Wl0W2agO7frSjia1hG85IyA6a Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden