08/07/2026
🐕🔊 LET’S TALK ALL THINGS BARKING…
One of the most common behavioral complaints I hear is:
“My dog won’t stop barking.”
“She barks at EVERYTHING.”
“He loses his mind when someone comes over.”
“She barks out the window all day.”
“He barks at every noise.”
“Can we just use a bark collar?”
And another one I hear more often than you might think:
“My dog still barks, so the trainer didn’t do their job.”
There is A LOT to unpack here. Because when it comes to barking, my first question usually isn’t: How do we make the dog stop?
It’s: WHY is this dog barking?
Because barking is communication and not all barking is created equally.
Dogs bark because they’re excited.
They bark because they’re frustrated.
They bark because they’re bored.
They bark because they’re anxious or fearful.
They bark because they’re territorial.
They bark because they want something.
They bark because something worked for them before.
They bark because genetics tell them to alert.
And sometimes they bark simply because they have practiced it 5,000 times and it has become part of their everyday routine.
Before I ever start talking about correcting barking I want to look at the WHOLE DOG.
FIRST THINGS FIRST: ARE YOUR DOG’S BASIC NEEDS ACTUALLY BEING MET?
And when I say “basic needs,” I’m not just talking about:
Food ✔️
Water ✔️
Shelter ✔️
Potty breaks ✔️
Those things keep your dog alive. I’m talking about the things that allow your dog to actually function and THRIVE:
🐾 Appropriate physical exercise
🧠 Mental enrichment
👃 Opportunities to sniff and explore
🎾 Play and appropriate outlets
🦴 Chewing, licking, foraging and problem solving
😴 Adequate rest and the ability to settle
🐕 Breed appropriate fulfillment
📚 Training, structure and communication
I would confidently say that nearly 90% of the dogs I work with are significantly lacking in physical exercise, mental enrichment, or BOTH.
I work with dogs who are incredibly loved. They have nice homes. They get cuddled on the couch. They have baskets overflowing with toys. They get treats. They have fluffy beds. They are absolutely part of the family.
But their behavioral, physical and biological needs are still being neglected.
Love does not automatically equal fulfillment.
And eventually, an underfulfilled dog’s energy has to go somewhere.
Sometimes it becomes destruction.
Sometimes it becomes digging.
Sometimes it becomes pacing.
Sometimes it becomes jumping.
Sometimes it becomes reactivity.
Sometimes it becomes attention seeking.
And sometimes…
IT. BECOMES. BARKING. 📢
If your dog spends the majority of their day inside a house or backyard without meaningful physical or mental activity, they’re eventually going to find themselves a hobby.
And sometimes that hobby becomes a full time position with Neighborhood Watch. 🤣
Every vehicle.
Every squirrel.
Every neighbor.
Every delivery driver.
Every dog.
Every child.
Every leaf that had the AUDACITY to blow across the driveway.
Your dog has created their own enrichment.
Unfortunately, you hate their chosen activity. 😂
THEN WE HAVE LEARNED BARKING.
This is where owners sometimes accidentally play a MUCH bigger role than they realize.
Your dog barks.
You look at them.
Your dog barks.
You talk to them.
Your dog barks.
You touch them.
Your dog barks.
You eventually give them whatever they wanted. Congratulations. Your dog just learned that BARKING WORKS.
Attention can be reinforcing even when YOU don’t think you’re rewarding your dog.
And my little dog owners, I’m lovingly looking at some of you here. 👀🤣
Your 12 pound dog absolutely loses their marbles when somebody walks through the door.
BARK.
BARK.
BARK.
BARK.
BARK.
So what happens?
You scoop them up.
“Shhhh… Fido… hush… it’s okay… stop… shhhh…”
Now you’re holding them.
Touching them.
Talking to them.
Comforting them.
Giving them your undivided attention while they’re carrying on.
So what consequence did barking actually have? In many situations, NONE.
In fact, barking may have just earned exactly what that dog wanted. Your attention and physical contact.
Meanwhile, if your 90 pound German Shepherd was behaving exactly the same way, chances are you wouldn’t scoop him up like a football and carry him around the living room. 😂
Small dogs are still DOGS.
Small.
Medium.
Large.
Round.
Skinny.
Tall.
Short.
DOG.
Put your dog on a leash. Teach them what you ACTUALLY want them to do when somebody enters your home.
Maybe that’s place.
Maybe that’s a down stay.
Maybe that’s calmly existing beside you.
Maybe that’s temporarily creating distance.
Maybe that’s going behind a gate.
Maybe that’s learning neutrality around guests.
But give your dog an actual JOB instead of repeatedly screaming “STOP BARKING!” from across the house.
OWNERS SPEND A LOT OF TIME TELLING DOGS WHAT NOT TO DO.
Don’t bark.
Don’t jump.
Don’t run to the door.
Don’t pull.
Don’t chase.
Don’t do this.
Don’t do that.
Okay…
WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR DOG TO DO?
Training requires clarity.
If the doorbell rings, what should your dog do?
If somebody walks past the window, what should your dog do?
If another dog walks past your fence, what should your dog do?
If they hear something outside, what should they do after alerting you?
If they want your attention, what behavior WILL get rewarded instead?
Those answers matter.
And YES, sometimes inappropriate behavior needs an appropriate consequence.
I am a balanced trainer. I believe dogs deserve clear communication on BOTH sides.
There are behaviors I reinforce and reward, and there are behaviors I interrupt, redirect or correct when appropriate for that individual dog.
But here’s something extremely important: You cannot correct your way out of a lifestyle problem.
If your dog is chronically under stimulated, has zero structure, rehearses barking at the front window for six hours every day and gets rewarded for demand barking constantly, correcting them every once in a while isn’t fixing the entire picture.
MANAGEMENT MATTERS.
If your dog spends all day posted at the front window screaming at every person, dog, squirrel and delivery truck…
WHY are they still being given unlimited access to that window while you’re actively trying to change the behavior?
Close the blinds.
Use privacy film.
Move the furniture.
Use baby gates.
Use a leash.
Create distance.
Interrupt the pattern BEFORE your dog reaches a 10/10. Give them something productive to do. Stop giving your dog eight hours every day to practice the exact behavior you’re paying somebody to help you change.
Because every repetition matters. The more your dog rehearses a behavior, the better they become at performing it. Management prevents unnecessary repetitions. Training teaches the dog what to do instead.
You need BOTH. If I tell you to use a leash when guests enter, that doesn’t mean your dog needs to live on a leash forever. We’re controlling the environment while teaching a different response.
If I recommend closing the blinds or blocking access to a window, I’m not “avoiding the problem.” I’m preventing 47 unnecessary repetitions while we’re actively teaching your dog how to disengage.
If I tell you your dog needs significantly more exercise and enrichment, I’m not ignoring the barking. I’m addressing something that may be contributing to it. Sometimes the least exciting pieces of a training plan are actually the most important ones.
NOT ALL BARKING IS THE SAME.
🚨 Alert barking
😨 Fear based barking
😤 Frustration barking
🏠 Territorial barking
👀 Attention seeking barking
🎾 Excitement barking
😰 Separation related barking
😴 Boredom barking
🗣️ Demand barking
🐕 Reactivity related barking
These should NOT automatically be handled the exact same way.
A dog barking because they’re terrified should not necessarily receive the same training plan as a dog who has learned that screaming at Mom for 15 minutes eventually makes her throw the tennis ball.
Emotion matters.
Motivation matters.
Environment matters.
Genetics matter.
Learning history matters.
And the OWNER’S response matters.
One of my favorite questions to ask is:
“What happens immediately AFTER your dog barks?”
Do you let them outside?
Do you open the door?
Do you throw the toy?
Do you feed them?
Do you pet them?
Do you pick them up?
Do you start yelling?
Do you chase them?
Do they gain access to whatever they wanted?
Sometimes the dog is getting EXACTLY what they wanted, and the humans don’t even realize they’re paying the dog for the behavior.
AND NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT THE TRAINER’S JOB.
Because I hear this one too:
“We hired a trainer for barking and my dog still barks.”
Therefore… “The trainer didn’t do their job.”
No. No. No.
A behavior continuing to exist does NOT automatically mean your trainer failed to address it.
There is a MASSIVE difference between a trainer never giving you the knowledge, tools, techniques or training plan to address a behavior…
and a trainer giving you those things, demonstrating them, practicing them with you, adjusting them for your individual dog and coaching you through how to use them…
only for the behavior to continue outside of training because those strategies aren’t being consistently implemented.
Those are two VERY different situations.
As your professional dog trainer, my job isn’t to wave a magic wand over your dog and permanently uninstall barking from their operating system. 🪄🤣
My job is to evaluate the behavior.
WHY is your dog barking?
What triggers it?
What emotion is driving it?
What reinforces it?
What does the dog’s daily life look like?
Are they physically and mentally fulfilled?
How long have they practiced the behavior?
What happens immediately afterward?
What are YOU currently doing when it happens?
Then my job is to develop a training and management plan appropriate for THAT individual dog.
From there…
I demonstrate.
I coach.
I practice alongside you.
I troubleshoot.
I adjust when necessary.
I teach management.
I teach alternative behaviors.
I teach you how to use your leash and other appropriate training tools.
I teach you when to reinforce.
I teach you when to redirect.
I teach you when to interrupt.
And, as a balanced trainer, I teach you when an appropriate consequence may be necessary for a behavior your dog understands they’re expected not to perform.
I also provide MULTIPLE options whenever possible because there isn’t one magical barking solution appropriate for every dog.
THAT is me doing my job.
My job is to give you the education, communication skills, management strategies and training techniques necessary to successfully handle your dog when I am no longer standing beside you.
Because ultimately… I am not JUST training your dog. I am training YOU to train and handle your dog.
That’s one of the biggest pieces of professional dog training people sometimes misunderstand.
You aren’t hiring me to become your dog’s owner for six weeks. You’re hiring me to help YOU become a more knowledgeable, capable and confident handler of the dog you’re going to live with for the next 10+ years.
I might see your dog for an hour or two each week.YOU LIVE WITH YOUR DOG. You’re there when the Amazon driver knocks. You’re there when the neighbor walks their dog past the window. You’re there when Grandma comes through the front door. You’re there when your dog starts demand barking because they want dinner. You’re there when they hear something outside at 10:30 at night. You’re there for the hundreds of tiny training opportunities that happen between our sessions.
THOSE MOMENTS ARE TRAINING.
Whether you’re intentionally training during them or not, your dog is learning something.
HERE’S WHERE THINGS CAN FALL APART.
During our session:
Dog barks → we interrupt → redirect → ask for an alternative behavior → reinforce appropriate behavior → dog settles.
Then I leave.
The next day:
Dog barks → owner says “Fidoooooo stoppppp” six times → dog continues → owner eventually picks them up, opens the door, gives them attention or simply allows them to continue barking.
Your dog is STILL learning. Except now they’re learning that the expectation changes depending on whether the trainer is standing in the room.
Dogs don’t understand “training session” versus “regular life.” To your dog, it’s ALL regular life.
If we spend an hour practicing calm behavior when somebody knocks, but your dog spends the other 167 hours of the week rehearsing the exact opposite…
Which behavior do you think is getting more practice?
If I teach you how to manage barking at the window, but the blinds stay open all day while your dog spends six hours practicing Neighborhood Watch…
Which behavior is getting stronger?
If I teach you how to address demand barking, but sometimes barking gets ignored, sometimes it gets corrected, sometimes it gets cuddles, sometimes it gets treats and sometimes it gets you throwing the ball…
Your dog isn’t receiving a clear message. Training cannot compete with inconsistency forever.
You have to follow through.
Every day.
Every opportunity.
Every guest.
Every doorbell.
Every walk.
Every window.
Every trigger.
Not PERFECTLY.
Nobody is perfect.
But consistently enough that your dog begins understanding: “This expectation doesn’t change just because the trainer isn’t standing here.”
Your trainer cannot undo hundreds or thousands of repetitions of a behavior in a couple of sessions while your dog continues practicing and being reinforced for that same behavior at home.
AND TRAINERS AREN’T ABOVE ACCOUNTABILITY EITHER.
If your trainer isn’t listening to your concerns…
If they aren’t actually addressing the behavior…
If they aren’t giving you anything to practice…
If they aren’t explaining what they’re doing…
If they aren’t teaching YOU how to handle the situation…
If they aren’t adjusting when something clearly isn’t working…
That’s a completely different conversation. Trainers should absolutely be accountable for the professional service and education they provide.
But accountability works BOTH ways.
A trainer is responsible for providing appropriate professional guidance, education, training and support.
An owner is responsible for consistently implementing that guidance in everyday life.
You cannot hand somebody a gym membership, workout plan, nutrition plan and personal trainer, never follow the program, and then six weeks later blame the personal trainer because your body didn’t magically change.
Dog training isn’t much different. The session teaches the skills. Everyday life builds the habits. And that’s why my goal isn’t for your dog to behave beautifully only when I’M holding the leash. That doesn’t impress me very much.
I want your dog to respond to YOU.
I want YOU to know what to do.
I want YOU to understand WHY you’re doing it.
I want YOU to recognize when your dog is escalating.
I want YOU to know when to intervene.
I want YOU to know how to reinforce the behavior you want.
I want YOU to know how to manage situations your dog isn’t ready to handle.
Because eventually our training program ends. You and your dog still have an entire life to live together after I’m gone.
I coach.
I teach.
I demonstrate.
I troubleshoot.
I adjust.
I provide the tools.
I provide the plan.
Then we work together to transfer those skills to YOU.
Because successful dog training isn’t:
Trainer + Dog = Fixed Dog.
It’s: Trainer + Owner + Dog + Practice + Consistency + Time = Lasting Change. 🐾
AND WHAT ABOUT BARK COLLARS?
This is another misconception I want to address because I do NOT immediately jump to:
“Put a bark collar on the dog.”
That is not my first step. My goal isn’t simply to make your dog physically stop producing noise.
My goal is to figure out WHY the behavior is happening, determine what’s maintaining it, improve the dog’s lifestyle where necessary, establish clearer communication, teach alternative behaviors, prevent constant rehearsal and THEN determine whether additional tools are appropriate for that individual dog.
I don’t want to simply suppress communication while leaving the reason behind that communication completely untouched.
A bark collar may be something I consider in certain situations as an additional tool or final option, but it is entirely CASE DEPENDENT.
It isn’t appropriate for every dog. It isn’t appropriate for every type of barking. And it certainly isn’t a replacement for training, fulfillment, management and owner involvement. I want to address as much of the ROOT ISSUE as possible.
AND YES… BREED MATTERS.
You bought a dog genetically predisposed to notice movement, guard property, alert, herd, chase, work or VOCALIZE?
We need realistic expectations.
A livestock guardian barking at suspicious noises isn’t defective. A hound using their voice isn’t defective. A herding dog being hyper aware of movement isn’t defective. Genetics aren’t an excuse for uncontrollable behavior. But genetics absolutely matter when we’re deciding what is realistic for that individual dog.
My ultimate goal isn’t necessarily: “My dog NEVER barks again.” Dogs bark.
My goal is: CONTROL.
Your dog can alert. But can you interrupt it? Can you redirect them? Can they disengage? Can they listen to you? Can they recover? Can they settle? Can YOU successfully manage the situation?
I want a dog who can understand: “I heard it. I noticed it. I alerted you. Now I can disengage, listen to you and settle.”
Your dog gives a couple of barks because somebody pulled into the driveway?
Cool.
Your dog is still screaming about that vehicle 17 minutes after Grandma has walked inside, taken her shoes off, grabbed a Diet Coke and sat down on the couch?
Now we have something to work on. 🤣
SO WHEN SOMEONE TELLS ME THEIR DOG HAS A BARKING PROBLEM…
I’m looking at the WHOLE picture.
🐾 What does this dog’s average day look like?
🐾 How much physical exercise are they getting?
🐾 How much mental enrichment are they getting?
🐾 What were they bred to do?
🐾 What triggers the barking?
🐾 What emotion is behind it?
🐾 What happens immediately afterward?
🐾 Has the behavior been accidentally reinforced?
🐾 How long has the dog practiced it?
🐾 What structure exists inside the home?
🐾 What training does the dog already understand?
🐾 What is the owner doing when barking happens?
🐾 What behavior would we rather see instead?
🐾 What management can prevent unnecessary rehearsal?
🐾 And most importantly, is everyone in the home actually being CONSISTENT with the training plan?
So instead of focusing solely on:
“HOW DO I MAKE MY DOG SHUT UP?”
Start asking:
“WHY IS MY DOG BARKING?”
Because once we understand the WHY, we can start working on the HOW.
Fulfill the dog. Exercise the dog. Challenge their brain. Manage the environment. Prevent unnecessary rehearsal. Teach the expectation. Reward what you want. Address what you don’t. Follow through. Communicate clearly. And BE CONSISTENT.
Your trainer can give you the roadmap, teach you how to drive and sit beside you while you’re learning. But eventually, you’re the one behind the wheel.
And if your dog still occasionally barks after working with a trainer, that alone doesn’t tell me whether training “worked.”
Instead, ask:
Do you understand why they’re barking?
Do you know how to respond?
Can you interrupt and redirect them?
Can your dog recover and settle?
Have you been given appropriate strategies?
Are you consistently practicing those strategies outside of your sessions?
Has the behavior improved from where you started?
Those answers tell me a WHOLE lot more than simply asking:
“Does the dog still bark?” Because barking isn’t always the actual problem. Sometimes barking is simply…
THE LOUDEST SYMPTOM OF EVERYTHING ELSE THAT’S MISSING 🐾🔊
