Can you get a dog not to bark at night If you can then I need to teach my German Shepherd?

Question

She is an outside dog and well my dad has to get up early and when she barks it wakes him up so we bring her inside.

Answer 1

Yes of course, but it can be a lengthy process.
The immediate human reaction to a dog barking is to yell "SHUT UP!" or something. But this has an opposite effect - the dog thinks you are barking, too, and it may just keep on barking. You need to assert your dominance while demonstrating that there is no reason to bark.
You may lose some sleep, but it'll be worth it. I suggest looking into some dog training classes so you can teach your dog when to bark and when NOT to bark; this applies at night, too. In the meantime, distract your dog when he drives you crazy. Get up, stand over him and look down at him in the eyes, and he will submit. When he is sitting quietly, pet him, give him a kong, and show him back to his bed.

God, don't use a shock collar, and don't yell at him or smack him. Dogs talk by barking. How would you like to be smacked or shocked for talking? However, like children (and unruly adults!), dogs should be taught when it is acceptable to "talk", and when they need to keep quiet.

Answer 2

German Shepherds are very smart and yes there are ways you can help to control their barking. I have to comment on Natasha D's answer. This is the most horrible thing I have ever heard in my life. First you do not even need to yell at your Shepherd, you DO NOT hit them, and YOU DO NOT HIT THEM WITH AN AIR GUN! This person is very misinformed and had no right owning dogs and should have them taken away. Please do not do any of these things to your beautiful Shepherd. You can teach your Shep to bark on command, and like wise to be silent on command. When she barks say the word Speak. When she barks when you say Speak give her praise. Then when she barks teach her to stop by giving a command such as Enough. When she stops barking say, good "Enough" and give treats and praise. Soon she will learn this means to quit barking. What I did with my Shepherd is bought a humane shock collar which gives a very slight, uncomfortable vibration when they bark. After just about a month of the collar, she learned to control her barking and now doesn't even need it. She only barks now if someone walks up onto our property, and not at every little drop of a leaf or squirrel. Another idea would be to just let your shepherd sleep inside at night, so she wont be tempted to bark. I hope this helps good luck!

Answer 3

Few things. First, you will have to keep the dog with you to show your dominance over the dog. if the dog is outside and you are going out and yelling at him to shut up, or in a different room to shut up, then it really isn't going to work. All you are going to show him is that if he barks than he is going to get you to come to him. You are going to have to be in the same room with him and you may loose some sleep over it. First thing is when he barks squirt him with water in the face, and tell him no, or bad. You may have to do this alot. but the water will get him. Worked great with a jack russel I watched for a friend in Korea once! Another great tool is a remote that is not a shocker, but sends off a high pitch sound. Use this and say no, or bad, (cause I had another dog that loved the water so the water thing didn't work on him, but that got his attention). It also works if he is barking outside at the neighbors dogs cause you will get all the dogs to be quiet! hehehe! Works great on the cat too! But all these things do not work right off the bat, you may have some sleepless nights, but with a little training, he'll stop.

Answer 4

Dogs are very social creatures and crave being around their pack....i.e you and your family. Do you keep her outside during the day as well? If you keep her inside during the day and out and night, I'd suggest keeping her inside at night, in a room with somebody, and if she whines or barks there, have a soda can nearby with a few rocks/coins in it and shake it as soon as your dog starts barking. This will startle him and he'll stop. It may take a few nights, but it'll start working. If you want to keep him outdoors, put some old clothing in his doghouse or pen that smells like you. This will help his loneliness. Your dog has learned through experience that if he barks enough when left outside, he will eventually be let in, so it might be hard to break him of this habit.

Answer 5

Do you keep him inside at night? If not, there's your answer. German Shepherds are working dogs. Guarding their property is their job. They take it seriously. This is good. There are anti- bark collars, but if you want him to protect you- this is not the best idea. I would suggest bringing him in at night -there are fewer distractions for him to be concerned with. When he does bark, acknowledge it with a "Thank you, that's enough. Good dog." Also, pick up a copy (or check it out from the library) Cesar's Way- he's the dog whisperer. Good luck. God bless.

Answer 6

I used a shock collar on rocky when we lived in an apartment. When we put him in his cage and leave he would bark... we didn't want the neighbors to complain so we tested the collar on us to see how bad it was (not too bad) and then only used it while we were gone. He learned real quick and we only had to use it for a month. He doesn't bark in his cage anymore even 3 years later long after the collar has been given to someone else and we live in a house now with a back yard. Good luck, oh and to make you feel better it has safety settings if they bark more than so many minutes after the 6th (highest level it goes to) it turns itself off!

Answer 7

Have you tried yelling at him and telling him no? If he is inside put him out when he does. He might just be sacred of something and need a bit of comfort. Not matter what your dog is going to bark. But you should just let him know that you dont like it. My dog and I got to the point where I just had to look at her when she was barking and she knew that she had to stop.

Answer 8

The only way is to keep her inside, from my experience. Barking collars are either a torture or non-effective, usually both.

Answer 9

yes you can. It may sound cruel, but my dad did it in degrees. At first he simply yelled at them, and they were quiet for a little while, but started up again, then he took to swatting them, which quieted them for a little while longer, but after that he shot them with an air gun which simply pelted them with a force of air. but we live out in the country, and sirens and wild animals out in the yard really stirred them up. On nights that he had to get up early in the morning he shut them up in the dog house. your germy needs to learn that the only time he should bark is when someone he doesn't know has come up to the house. birds and squirrels don't count. If he barks, spank him and lock him up somewhere small. let him out once he is quiet, and if he is quiet right after you put him in there let him stay there for about 10 to 20 minutes. it may sound cruel, but he will learn.

Answer 10

Electronic No Bark Collar works great.

or get ear plugs.

But remember if he is bothering you he most likely is bothering your neighbors. They just haven't started complaining yet.