Why does my dog bark when my husband talks to me? How to stop it?

Question

I have a toy poodle and he barks when my husband talks to me. How can we stop this? Pet's info: Dog | Toy Poodle | Male | neutered | 2 years and 3 months old

Debi Matlack · Accepted Answer

Figure out what he gets out of barking and remove it. Don't give your dog the opportunity to continue the barking behavior. But don't ever shout at your dog to stop barking, because they see that as you 'barking' with them and it does little to discourage them. Ignore your dog's barking for as long as it takes him to stop. That means don't give him attention at all while he's barking. Your attention only rewards him for being noisy. Don't talk to, don't touch, or even look at him. When he finally quiets, even to take a breath, reward him with a treat. To be successful with this method, you must wait as long as it takes for him to stop barking. Yelling at him is the equivalent of barking with him. Teach your dog the ‘quiet’ command. Oddly, the first step is to teach your dog to bark on command. Give your dog the command to "speak," wait for him to bark two or three times, and then stick a tasty treat in front of his nose. When he stops barking to sniff the treat, praise him and give him the treat. Repeat until he starts barking as soon as you say "speak." Once your dog can reliably bark on command, teach him the "quiet" command. In a calm environment with no distractions, tell him to "speak." When he starts barking, say "quiet" and stick a treat in front of his nose. Praise him for being quiet and give him the treat. Make sure your dog is getting sufficient physical and mental exercise every day. A tired dog is a good dog and one who is less likely to bark from boredom or frustration. Depending on his breed, age, and health, your dog may require several long walks as well as a good game of chasing the ball and playing with some interactive toys.

Why does my dog bark when my husband talks to me? How to stop it?

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