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Weimaraner Barking: 3 Tips To Better Barking Training

 

 Weimaraner Barking: 3 Tips To Better Barking Training


Weimaraner Training
 Weimaraner Dog Training

There is really only so much barking training you can do to stop your Weimaraner barking altogether. After all, dogs are hard wired to bark! Despite hundreds of years of breeding the need to express their feelings and wants through barking remains an innate and often urgent desire in most dogs. Barking occasionally from excitement or if they feel threatened is natural behaviour in Weimaraners and is to be expected. Barking only becomes a problem if it is prolonged, or occurs frequently and unnecessarily. That is when you need help with barking training.


However, if it is a problem then you can stop your Weimaraner barking – but you will have to understand 2 main points. The first is why the dog is barking and the second is what types of barking you can actually control.


The Reasons for Weimaraner Barking


A dog may begin barking for a variety of reasons. As I mentioned above some of these reasons are perfectly natural responses and can be tolerated to an extent. However some are not so natural and should not occur if your dog’s environment is good. Below is a list of reasons for why your Weimaraner might initiate barking.


Raising an alarm (something has alarmed them or you)

Territorial barking

Barking in greeting of the other pack members

Barking when injured or ill

Barking to seek attention

Barking from a sense of frustration (e.g.: needing exercise)

Barking compulsively (In Weimaraners this barking is mostly associated with separation anxiety)


What is evident here is that barking is a major part of your dog’s identity. It is not possible to stop your Weimaraner barking entirely. In fact the expression of barking at appropriate times relieves your dog of stress and must be tolerated to an extent. It is the problem barking we need to address with barking training.


How to Stop Problem Weimaraner Barking

When your Weimaraner refuses to stop barking, you need to first check out whether the continued barking is justified or warranted. There could be good grounds for it such as an intruder or another animal in their space. However, 90 percent of the time prolonged barking is excessive and in order to control it you need to ask yourself 3 key questions:


What is your Weimaraner barking at?

At what time does your dog bark?

And is the barking started by a specific trigger?


Remember that you must not start out by yelling at your Weimaraner to stop barking. While the barking might stop this way (although not always), the underlying issue has not been dealt with. For example if your dog is barking to protect its territory, they might stop barking but the territorial problem remains. Your Weimaraner will not know what your message is. Actually this negative reinforcement can lead to other forms of aggression coming out when your dog feels threatened, rather than just barking.


To counteract this response it is best to create an environment where your dog does not have to feel the urge to protect its territory. Again, barking training starts by you taking control and being the alpha pack leader. You do this by showing your Weimaraner that you are the alpha dog in charge of the space. The next thing to do is reduce the likelihood of your dog being alarmed. Do this by erecting a fence that your dog cannot see through and make sure your blinds are drawn so they don’t see through to the street.


Weimaraner Barking Due To Anxiety


If you don’t already know, Weimaraners are particularly susceptible to anxiety. This is part of their breeding heritage. They form very strong bonds with their masters and may bark continuously when you are away because they feel unsafe until you return. Often, this behaviour is reinforced by you rewarding your dog with attention when you first return home. Your Weimaraner is excited at your return and you give them your attention immediately. This is a powerful message to your dog to keep barking until you return! To stop this behaviour, you need to ignore your dog for around 10-15 minutes when you first get home rather than giving them a reward. As a result you will stop them making an association between barking, your return and attention.


Lastly, you can teach your Weimaraner how to speak out and how to be quiet. You need to devise a command that controls the barking behaviour. In this way your dog will learn controlled barking. The benefit here is that your Weimaraner will still alert you by barking if there is a good reason, but will be able to be quiet at command.


If you use barking training to control your dogs behaviour early then you won’t have to worry about your Weimaraner barking all day or in unnecessary situations, and you won’t have your neighbours complaining on your doorstep!


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