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How to Stop a Beagle Barking

Beagles are a well-known breed of dog, their lovable and active character make them the ideal pet.  There are not many issues related to the Beagle breed, but one thing that many people find to be a nuisance in Beagles is excessive barking.

Most of the time, Beagles bark in response to a stimulus; it can be a stranger approaching, loud noise, hunger, fear, boredom, etc.  You may be surprised to know that ways to stop your Beagle from barking do exist!

Give Your Beagle Adequate Exercise

 

Boredom and unreleased energy are two of the most common factors that cause excessive barking in Beagles.  Take your dog for long walks or encourage him to play games such as Frisbee and ball catching.  Incorporating a daily exercise routine into your schedule will allow your dog release the energy built up inside of him.

Keeping your Beagle busy throughout the day causes distraction and doesn’t give your dog the time to even think about barking.  You can also schedule various activities throughout the day such as obedience training.  This is one way to stimulate your dog’s brain and avoid boredom.

Use Positive Reinforcement

Today, positive reinforcement has proved to be the best way to train dogs.  It is also
You may be asking yourself; “how does positive reinforcement and excessive barking in beagles work together?”  It is actually quite simple; reward your Beagle when he does not bark in situations he normally would do so.  For example, if your dog usually barks when the mail man goes by your home, reward him each time he doesn’t bark in that situation. very effective at getting rid of unwanted behavior in Beagles.

This will condition your dog to not bark because the situation is perceived as a positive experience.  With time, your Beagle will learn when it is or isn’t appropriate to bark.

Ignore Unwanted Barking

For most people, their natural instincts cause them to react to excessive barking with scolding or even screaming.  When you portray such behavior, your Beagle thinks you are simply joining him.  This means that your do

g sees his barking as normal and not as inappropriate behavior.

To get the best results, ignore any type of unwanted barking in your beagle.  The less attention you pay to your dog’s excessive barking, the faster the problem will resolve.

One thing to keep in mind though, is to make sure the barking is actually inappropriate.  Many times, Beagles use barking as a way to alert the owner of strangers approaching the home or to let them know that they are hungry.  This type of behavior is considered normal and the Beagle should not be corrected or punished.

Remove Your Beagle from the Cause

Learn what triggers you Beagle to bark excessively.  Knowing what situations or things make your dog bark will help you correct the problem.  If your dog is territorial and barks when people or other animals pass by your home, take the necessary steps to remove your dog from that situation.

Keeping your Beagle away from windows is one way to resolve the issue.  If he cannot see the people or animals passing by he will not bark!  If it is not possible to remove your dog from the situation, then remove the stimulus from your dog.  This means avoiding places and things that cause your Beagle to bark.


Teach Your Beagle to Bark On Comman

If all else fails, you can look into teaching your Beagle to bark on command.  This turns the issue into an overall positive experience.  It also allows your dog to get rid of the urge to bark, while being rewarded at the same time.  It is a way to turn the barking from a nuisance into a trick!

Your Beagle will enjoy showing off his bark to everybody that visits.  Once your dog has successfully learned the command, make sure to have him practice it a few times a day.  Your Beagle’s necessity to bark will soon diminish, as he will see it as an ordinary behavior.

In Conclusion, a Beagle’s stubbornness can get in the way of eliminating unwanted behavior, but with determination and consistency you can definitely get your Beagle to stop barking.  Remember that most important of all is maintaining your patience; portraying confidence gives your dog the needed assurance to get through the process.

By Michelle L.