Have you ever barked at your dog in hopes that he would bark back? If so, you're not alone. Some breeds are more prone to barking than others, like hounds and terriers. While it may be easier to train these breeds to bark on cue, you can learn how to make a dog bark no matter what size or breed he is.
Wild dogs use barking for a number of reasons, including:
- communicating with their pack
- protecting their territory
- pack bonding
- as an alert signal
- when they are in distress
Domesticated dogs still have that natural instinct, sometimes it just takes some coaxing to get them to bark on command. If your dog doesn't bark a lot on his own, it's going to take longer to get him to bark on command. If your dog is more apt to bark from time to time throughout the day, it should be pretty easy to train him to do it on command.
SEE ALSO: 20 Most Talkative Dog Breeds That Bark A Lot
How To Make A Dog Bark
Quite often a dog will bark if stimulated in one way or another. As I demonstrate in the video guide above, getting your dog excited is one of the best ways to get him to bark. Whether your dog is motivated by toys or treats, find something that he really wants to get him excited.
Hold something that your dog really wants. Talk to him, move the reward around and really try to get him worked up. Eventually, your dog will bark to communicate to you that he really wants his reward.
When he barks, reward him. Give him the toy or treat. Praise him verbally and show him physical attention. Show him that the bark is what you want.
Once you find a way to get your dog to bark you can start giving him a command before he barks. When you start to notice that he's getting worked up to the point of barking, use a command like “speak” or “bark” before he makes a noise. Be sure to praise him as soon as he barks.
Gradually you should be able to phase out the enticement of the treat or toy and simply use the command to get your dog to bark on cue. Continue to reward the barking until you're sure that your dog fully understands this difficult trick. Eventually, you should be able to phase out the reward entirely and your dog will know how to bark on command.
Take things slowly and have a lot of patience. Be sure to reward your dog for a job well done. As I said, some dogs will learn how to bark on command more quickly than others. As long as your dog is making progress, you just have to stick with it.
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