How to Train a Doberman to Not Bark
Jump to section
Introduction
When your Dobie is a puppy those little barking noises are pretty darn cute. But by the time he is a teenager, they can be pretty darn annoying. And by the time he reaches adulthood, they can scare away the mailman and anyone else who dares to approach before you have a chance to open the door. Along with this, his scary barking is starting to upset your neighbors, who are talking about taking some kind of action.
The good news is that Dobies are very intelligent and learn new training very quickly. The fact that they can be taught to be exceptionally quiet is one of the main reasons they are used as guard dogs. By training him to be quiet, you will find going for walks and meeting other people along the way will be a lot more pleasant.
Top
Defining Tasks
As daunting as it might sound, training your Dobie to stop barking is not as difficult as it might seem. However, while it might seem odd, you need to follow our guide on training your Doberman to speak before you can work on training him not to bark. The younger you start working on teaching your pup to be quiet, the better. v
A puppy's brain is growing pretty fast, making this the perfect time to train your pooch to be quiet along, with many other tasks. In most cases, you will start to see some success within the first couple of weeks if you are working with a pup, a little longer if you are trying to train an older dog. Once you have him properly trained, you should never have to worry about him bothering the neighbors again.
Top
Getting Started
While many different types of training require a significant number of supplies like toys, leashes, training dummies, special sprays, and scents, teaching your pup to be quiet has only one requirement and one item you must have. The requirement is that you have already taught your pup to "speak" on command. The thing you will need is an endless supply of his favorite treats. Oh, and you will need plenty of time and patience to work with your pooch.
Top
The Caught You Method
Effective
0 Votes
Effective
0 Votes
Pack your pocket
Pack your pocket with plenty of your pup's favorite treats.
Bark, bark, bark!
When he starts to bark, do nothing but wait for him to stop.
When he stops
When your pooch gets tired of the racket he is making, be ready praise him with an excited voice and give him one of those tasty treats. Do this over the next few days each time he starts barking. This will help him relate the praise and treats with stopping barking.
Introduce your command
Now that he is starting to get the idea about stopping barking, the next time he starts, wait for him to stop and give him the "Quiet" command. Follow this up with a treat and lots of praise. Now he can put the action together with the command and the reward.
Keep it going
Start extending the time between when he obeys and stops barking and when you give him the treat. The more time you spend working with him the faster he will learn to stop barking on command, which in turn will lead to his not barking unless he has a very good reason. Job well done!!
The Do You Hear Anything Method
Effective
0 Votes
Effective
0 Votes
A pocket full of treats
Fill one of your pockets with a handful of your pup's favorite treats to use as rewards each time he does what you ask of him.
Spend time together
This is a good time to start bonding with your pup, especially in those environments that tend to spark off a barking fit.
When he goes off
The moment your Dobie starts to bark, turn away from him and let him see you are ignoring him. This is important, any sign you are paying him any attention at all will only encourage him to keep barking longer.
Ah, so quiet
At some point, your pooch is going to run out of air or voice. When he finally stops, say "Quiet!", give him one of those treats and praise him.
Changing locations
Keep working on this in a variety of locations making sure you give him treats and praise when he stops barking. It may take a few weeks or even longer, but at some point, your pup will finally figure out that barking doesn’t get him anything but being quiet sure does.
The Tell Me About It Method
Effective
0 Votes
Effective
0 Votes
Clip him in for training
Bring your pup over to you and clip him on his leash. This puts you in the driver's seat.
Tell me
Give your dog the "Speak" command to get him started barking. Next, give him the "Quiet" command using a nice firm voice.
When the noise dies off
When your pup stops barking, be sure to excitedly praise him and give him a tasty treat. Keep doing this to help ensure your pup gets the idea.
Beyond the immediate reward
Now that you have your pup trained to stop barking in anticipation of an immediate reward, it's time to work on longer times between when he stops and when you give him a treat.
Stick to your guns
From here just keep working with the 'quiet' command and rewards for getting it right. In time he will no longer bother to bark unless he has a very good reason to do so.
By PB Getz
Published: 03/09/2018, edited: 01/08/2021
