My dog barks when i come home and no other time. How do I get him to stop? What is the best way?

Question

He only barks when I come home...he is the best dog. He doesn't bark ANY OTHER TIME. (A Beagle...if that helps)

Answer 1

As odd as it sounds, do not pay any attention to him when you get home. Do not look at him, don't talk to him and don't pet him until he is calm (and no longer barking). It may take 10 minutes the first time you try it, but once he gets the hint the time needed for him to calm himself down and be quiet will reduce dramatically. When he is calm, leaves you alone and lies down on his side, wait about 5 minutes and then call him to you and fuss over him, give him love, treats, scratches behind the ear, everything! But make sure he comes to you and not that you go to him. He'll catch on fast!

Answer 2

Is anyone else home when you arrive? If so, she should be taught to sit on command, and then put into sit while you enter and until you are ready to greet her. If she is concentrating on the command, she'll be focussed on the person issuing it, not you. Just telling a dog NO is never as successful as following the NO with a positive command and praising/rewarding for obeying. Another way to go is for that person to squirt water at her with a spray bottle, or rattle a soda can with some coins, metal nuts/screws, or pebbles in it. None of these will harm her, but she'll learn to associate barking with unpleasant consequences.

Answer 3

How do you know he only barks when you come home if you're not there to hear him??

Beagles generally bark a LOT.

Answer 4

He is barking with excitement. His human has returned and the excitement is more than he can stand. He's telling the world, My Human Is Home and I'm So Happy!. Doesn't he stop after you are home for a few minutes. Enjoy it! No one else in the world thinks that you are that important.

Answer 5

Ignore him utterly and completely when you come in the door, and until a few minutes have passed and he has calmed down. Don't even acknowledge him to tell him to stop barking. You want your comings and goings to be as uneventful as possible, so you want a very nonchalant attitude about returning home. "La la la, just coming in the door now... la, la, la, just going to hang up my jacket, sort the mail, hang up my keys, oh, hello there!" Of course it's a big deal to him that you're home, but your attitude will go a long way to setting the stage for how exciting the reunion needs to be.

I had one rescue dog, a big shepherd, who would get so excited that she'd leap up and would end up whacking me in the face with her big ole teeth. Not even a nip, they would just hit into me painfully in her excitement. I had to come in the door while ignoring her, and shut myself in the bathroom for a few minutes while she calmed down! Fortunately, she got the new routine after a while. Now if any of the dogs happen to bark when I come home, I walk back out and shut the door behind me. If they want to see me, they have to chill out first.

Answer 6

My dog barks when we open the door to leave. The only time so if you find a solution let me know.

Answer 7

With few exceptions, all dogs bark. Barking is a natural behaviour and it is a way of communicating. While the messages can range from loneliness to hunger or playfulness, most often barking is used as an alarm or alert signal that indicates to the other pack members that a stranger or intruder is approaching

Most people have a feeling of security and comfort knowing their dogs are “on the job”. Some people even encourage their dogs to bark and growl when the doorbell rings or someone knocks. They feel this is acceptable behaviour, however, when the dogs become uncontrollable, with barking that is excessive, they become a nuisance. Life is miserable for neighbours who must listen day after day to barking dogs.
Excessive barking often begins in puppy-hood, when the pup who is not yet house-trained is unwisely shut behind closed doors. Improper confinement will definitely cause a barking problem, and dogs that are tied or tethered will eventually become frustrated and begin to bark to communicate their displeasure. We must always remember that dogs are pack animals. It is not natural or normal for them to be alone, however, millions of dogs must learn to cope confidently while members of the family go out daily to work.

Chewing, uncontrolled barking, house-training problems and destructive behaviour have put many dogs out of their homes, and all of this could be avoided if we simply communicated more effectively with our canine companions. They are part of a pack or family, similar in behaviour to their ancestors, the wolves. Wolves travel, hunt, sleep and eat in a group environment, therefore, we must modify this instinct. We must, in our human packs, make our dogs feel comfortable and secure about being alone in the “den” while the other pack members are away.

Because most barking takes place when you are away from home, you have no choice but to believe your neighbours when they complain.

Barking is actually quite common and not that difficult to rectify. Let us consider the encouraging owner who inadvertently praises and teaches his or her dog that its barking is the greatest thing, which makes the dog feel its owner is happy and pleased when he barks.

The easiest way to teach the dog to bark is command him to “speak”. So while the dog is barking at the door, the owner may use the command word “speak”. The dog will associate barking behaviour with this word. Now, your golden moment has arrived. You are going to teach your dog the word “quiet”, or “enough” or “shush” (your choice!). We do not teach the word “No”, because “No” means “Never, ever do that - ever".

When you command your dog to be “Quiet” and he keeps barking, you will have to teach him the meaning of the word “Quiet”. Hitting your dog or using other physical measure or mechanical or electronic aids are unkind and unnecessary. You may hold your dog’s muzzle closed (gently and kindly), or you may have to use a water pistol. Another method is to make a sudden sharp sound (rattle a pop can with some coins in it, or bang on a pot) to divert your dog’s attention from barking. When your dog has ceased to bark for at least three to five seconds, praise him in a quiet, calm voice, perhaps saying, “Good, quiet. Good!”. Avoid stroking, patting and hugging your dog at this point, as you may over-excite him again, and he may miss the point of the whole exercise.

Before you leave your dog alone, remember the following points:

Provide adequate exercise.

Leave the radio or television on.

Provide your dog with proper chewing material - rawhide, nylabones and Kong toys stuffed with yummy stuff are good (beware of using real animal bones - they can splinter).

Crate train your dog.

Unplug your phone.

Place a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door. This may prevent trades people from knocking or ringing the bell, which would set your dog off on a barking cycle.

Shut the shades or drapes so your dog cannot see outside.

Make your departures calm. Tone things down and be matter of fact. Over-emotional, guilt-ridden departures (and entrances) put your dog in a state of anxiety.

Answer 8

WHAT MY VET TOLD ME TO DO IS PUT SOME ROCKS IN A SODA OR BEER CAN WITH TAPE ON THE TOP. WHENEVER YOUR DOG BARKS, SHAKE IT JUST ONCE. FOR SOME REASON. DOGS HATE THAT SOUND, SO IT WORKS LIKE A CHARM.

Answer 9

well I would sugest teaching him a command for barking like speak once he masters that than you can conter it by saying no speak....when he is speaking out of turn..... just a thought is it really that big a deal that he barks at you when you come home he is prolly jsut excited to see you and is saying so......

Answer 10

go up 2 the dog and give it sum luv. pet it, hug it, and maybe it would stop.