How to Train Your Dog to Not Bark When Playing

Hello Jeff, Work on teaching her the "Quiet" command and the "Out" command. Also, work on getting her really excited and then suddenly giving her a command. When you give her the command, stop all play and wait until she obeys. When she obeys, then reward her, and after a minute tell her "Okay" and start playing again. Do this to help her learn self-control and how to calm herself down. Check out the article below and follow the "Quiet" method. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark To teach her "Out", toss a large treat several feet away from you, while with the same hand, you point to where you want her to go with your pointer finger. When she runs over to get the food, praise her. As soon as she finishes eating the treat, tell her "Okay" to indicate that she can come back toward you, and encourage her back. Repeat this often until you can point and say "Out" and she will go to where you are pointing before you toss the treat. When she does that, then toss the treat to her when she is in the correct spot, away from you, where you pointed. Next, transition to using it in real life. Whenever she disobeys the "Out" command, then get in front of her and calmly and firmly walk toward her until she backs out of the area you told her to get out of. Continue to block her and stand firm until she gives up trying to go back to where you told her to leave. If she tries to return to the area you told her to leave once you walk back there or away from there, then repeat walking toward her. Expect to repeat it a lot at first. The more consistent you are about enforcing her staying out of somewhere you have told her to leave, the more likely she is to respect your command. Practice in the kitchen, around things she wants to bother like plants, and finally, around other dogs. Start with calmer dogs first and work up to her favorite play buddies. Keep her out of the area you tell her to leave, until she is told "Okay", so that she will learn to learn and stay out of an area through your consistency. This takes repetition. Once she knows "Quiet", "Out", and how to calm herself, then when she is playing give her instructions. Tell her "Quiet" when she barks, and if she continues to bark, tell her "Out" and get between her and the other dog and walk toward her until she leaves the other dog alone, then give her time to calm back down. When she is calm, release her with "Okay" to let her play again. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Karly, Work on teaching her the "Quiet" command and the "Out" command. Also, work on getting her really excited and then suddenly giving her a command. When you give her the command, stop all play and wait until she obeys. When she obeys, then reward her, and after a minute tell her "Okay" and start playing again. Do this to help her learn self-control and how to calm herself down. Check out the article below and follow the "Quiet" method. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark To teach her "Out", toss a large treat several feet away from you, while with the same hand, pointing to where you want her to go with your pointer finger. When she runs over to get the food, praise her. As soon as she finishes eating the treat, tell her "Okay" to indicate that she can come back toward you, and encourage her back. Repeat this often until you can point and say "Out" and she will go to where you are pointing before you toss the treat. When she does that, then toss the treat to her when she is in the correct spot, away from you, where you pointed. Next, transition to using it in real life. Whenever she disobeys the "Out" command, then get in front of her and calmly and firmly walk toward her until she backs out of the area you told her to get out of. Continue to block her and stand firm until she gives up trying to go back to where you told her to leave. If she tries to return to the area you told her to leave once you walk back there or away from there, then repeat walking toward her. Expect to repeat it a lot at first. The more consistent you are about enforcing her staying out of somewhere you have told her to leave, the more likely she is to respect your command. Practice in the kitchen, around things she wants to bother like plants, and finally, around other dogs. Keep her out of the area you tell her to leave, until she is told "Okay", so that she will learn to learn and stay out of an area through your consistency. This takes repetition. Once she knows "Quiet", "Out", and how to calm herself, then when she is playing give her instructions. Tell her "Quiet" when she barks, and if she continues to bark, tell her "Out" and get between her and the other dog and walk toward her until she leaves the other dog alone, then give her time to calm back down. When she is calm, if the other dog wants to play or she can be calm around the other dog now, then release her with "Okay" to let her play again. Be very consistent with this. Expect it to several repetitions of making her leave the area before she gives up. If the barking continues, even after she leaves the area, then purchase a small canister of Pressurized air, called a Pet Convincer. Tell her "Quiet" one more time. If she disobeys, then tell her "Ah Ah" while spraying a bit of air at her side, by her rib cage. Do not spray her in the face. The air is simply to snap her out of the barking, since barking is a self-perpetuating behavior, meaning that it is it's own reward. When she is calm and leaving the other dog alone or playing quietly with him, then reward her with calm praise and treats. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Leticia, First, I suggest teaching the "Quiet" command using the "Quiet" method from the article linked below. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Second, I suggest teaching an "Out" command - which means leave the area, to use when she needs a time out to calm back down, or if disobeys your Quiet command. https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Once she knows the Out command, to avoid being bitten during the wrestling, I suggest keeping a drag leash on her that doesn't have a handle, so that you can simply step on the leash if she ignored your command, pick it up and lead her away from your husky to enforce obedience. Check out VirChewLy leashes from the link below for something durable that is less likely to get caught on furniture (only use the leash on her when you are supervising). VirChewLy leashes: https://www.amazon.com/VirChewLy-Indestructible-Leash-Medium-Black/dp/B001W8457I?psc=1&SubscriptionId=0ENGV10E9K9QDNSJ5C82&tag=lidotr-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B001W8457I Work on obedience with your Husky as well so that she will respond to commands and leave the area or become quiet as needed also. Be careful anytime you are trying to get between two dogs - use the right tools and precautions to avoid teeth, such as drag leashes. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Emmy, I suggest teaching her a command such as Quiet or Out - which means leave the area. Quiet method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Out command: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Work on those two command and also following the "how to use out to deal with pushy behavior" section of the Out article. If the barking continues as disobedience once you tell her Quiet or Out, then it's time to use a punisher carefully to interrupt her obsessiveness and calm her down enough to redirect her focus onto something more appropriate. You can use a Pet Convincer, which is a small canister of pressurized air sprayed briefly at her side to surprise her. Only use the unscented air and NOT citronella - which lingers to long .Teach her Out and Quiet first though, so that the discipline is for disobeying your command when she continues to bark, which helps her understand why she is being disciplined and how to avoid it in the future. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Moyra, I suggest teaching the "Quiet" command from the article linked below. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Once she has learned what Quiet means, use that command when she barks and hide the ball until she stops barking. When she stops barking for even a second, throw the ball for her as a reward for barking. Once you have practiced that so that she understands that she is supposed to be quiet when told quiet and will be given the ball if she obeys, if she still continues to bark regularly after a couple of weeks, then I suggest looking into a high quality bark collar (NOT citronella). Do your research into brands and quality. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden