How To Train a Golden Retriever To Stop Barking

Golden retrievers typically aren’t barky. They were bred to retrieve waterfowl, and a barky dog would make a poor hunting companion as it would scare away the birds.

Consequently, a golden retriever barking always has an underlying issue. To effectively deal with the problem, you need to understand why your dog barks and find the best suitable training method.

Note that some cases might require professional help, particularly if your dog barks because of fear or aggression.

Understand Why Your Dog Barks

Golden retrievers are moderate barkers, so if your dog barks a lot, you should first identify the root of the issue. Some dogs are naturally more vocal than an average golden retriever or too excited and bark to express positive emotions.

However, sometimes, barking signals underlying issues that may affect how you need to deal with the problem.

The reasons dogs bark include drawing attention, alarming the owner, excitement, fear, aggression, and resource guarding.

Request barking with the intent to draw attention is, perhaps, the most common reason. Dogs have no way to communicate their needs and desires to owners other than barking.

Your golden retriever might bark when it needs to go potty or for a walk or is hungry. Usually, the dog will stare at you intently between barks, waiting for your reaction.

If your dog barks to announce the presence of something, its body language will show it’s alert. It’s crucial to distinguish alert barking from aggression. Usually, an alarm bark is a sequence of one to three barks with pauses in between.

You can understand your dog barks out of excitement by the body language and setting – for instance, when you come home from work or take your pet’s favorite toy.

Identifying fear barking is a bit trickier because dogs express their discomfort differently – some appear anxious and terrified, whereas others mask fear with aggression.

An aggressive bark is usually loud and deep, sometimes accompanied by growling and snapping. Resource guarding is similar to aggressive barking, but the dog will also try to hide or take possession further away.

The Quiet Method

One way to teach your dog not to bark is the quiet method. You need to teach your dog a command word, such as “quiet,” “stop,” or “enough.” Most importantly, be consistent with the chosen verbal cue.

Wait until your dog barks or give it a reason to bark. Then, say the verbal cue in a low, calm voice while holding a treat in front of your dog’s face.

When your dog draws attention to the reward and stops barking, mark the action with “good” or “yes” and give it the treat.

As the training progresses, increase the waiting duration, making your dog stay quiet for longer until it gets the reward.

After some while, try adding distractions after the command by presenting your dog with the barking cause again. If your dog stays quiet after you introduce the distraction, your training is working.

The Barking Method

While this method may seem counterintuitive, it’s among the most effective ways to teach a dog not to bark.

The goal is to teach your dog to associate barking with a command. This way, your dog will understand it cannot bark whenever it wants.

Decide when you want your dog to bark – for example when you go for a walk or see an old friend (assuming such a greeting doesn’t terrify them). Now, choose a command word like “speak” or similar.

When your dog barks in appropriate circumstances, say the verbal cue and reward it instantly. If your dog barks in other situations, turn your back or face away to show you disapprove of the behavior.

Reward your dog when it doesn’t bark. You will have to pay close attention to its behavior over the course of training to notice when it doesn’t bark in situations it normally would.

After a while, you can wean your dog off the treats and replace them with other positive reinforcement forms, such as praise or gentle tapping.

The Good Dog Method

Another way to train a golden retriever not to bark is the good dog method. You need to recreate a situation in which your dog would naturally bark.

For example, if your golden retriever barks uncontrollably when someone passes near the window, have a friend stand outside to guide the barking.

Whenever your dog starts barking, call its name to distract it. As your dog stops barking and looks at you, say, “good dog,” and give it a reward like a toy or tasty treat.

Practice several times daily, both in a controlled setting and a natural environment. Every time your dog starts barking in real-life moments, call its name and give it praise.

Remember not to reward your dog until it stops barking. If your dog looks at you but continues the behavior, don’t reward it. When your golden retriever gets used to the command, start saying it before your dog barks.

Whenever you see something that would typically make your dog bark, say, “good dog” without using your pet’s name. Your dog will then turn to you, expecting a reward, which will prevent it from barking.

After some time, you can phase out the treats and leave only the verbal cue. Don’t do it too soon, though.

Deal with the Underlying Issue

The above-mentioned methods help take barking under control, but you cannot expect your dog to stop barking entirely, particularly if there’s an underlying issue. Thus, you should deal with the root of the problem first.

If your dog barks to draw attention, ignore it. If you pay attention, you unintentionally reinforce the poor habit. Only give your dog what it wants once it stops barking.

In the case of alarm barking, you don’t want to stop it entirely. Alarm barking is a natural safety mechanism that can sometimes be handy. However, you can teach your dog to respond to daily occurrences calmer.

For example, if your dog alarms you every time someone walks past the window, you can install a frosty film on the glass to obscure the view. Alternatively, you can use gates to block access to alarm barking hot spots.

Excitement barking in golden retrievers is common because they are friendly, exuberant dogs. You can interrupt such barking by giving your dog something to carry in its mouth.

Alternatively, you can impose a short time-out to show your dog that if it gets overly excited, it will lose access to the thing or situation.

Fear and aggression barking is more complex because they can be caused by numerous reasons and are often hard to deal with. Firstly, you need to give your dog some space from what’s causing it to feel discomfort.

Be proactive in keeping a distance from the person, dog, or object causing your dog to be fearful or aggressive. Don’t take the situation lightly because each new negative experience reinforces the problem.

Secondly, you need to understand what causes the behavior, whether it’s a lack of socialization, temperament peculiarities, or history of abuse, and deal with that reason. Often, professional behavioral therapy is the best solution.

Resources guarding is another serious golden retriever behavior problem that requires the intervention of an expert. You don’t want to attempt to fix the issue on your own because your dog might hurt you.

Mistakes to Avoid

Learn about the mistakes to avoid when training a dog not to bark before you begin. Don’t reinforce poor habits by budging.

If your dog understands that barking gets attention, treats, or other positive things, it won’t stop being vocal.

Don’t use harsh punishment. Firstly, it can damage your relationship with the dog and create new behavior issues. Secondly, it can traumatize your dog, making it feel anxious and fearful in its home.

Thirdly, physical punishment can lead to injuries if you don’t evaluate your force adequately. The best way to discipline a dog is to ignore it when it does something wrong or remove it from the situation.

One of the most common mistakes in golden retriever training is being inconsistent.

If you constantly change the verbal cue or reaction to a particular action, your dog will struggle to draw connections between the action and consequences.

Another dog training mistake is not addressing the dog’s essential needs first. For example, if your dog barks because it wants to go for a walk, consider whether your pet is getting enough exercise.

An under-exercised, under-stimulated golden retriever won’t be obedient and can display a range of behavior issues. You want to ensure your dog is happy and healthy before disciplining it.

Lastly, don’t expect universal tips to work for your dog. Every golden retriever is unique, and so is every situation. Treat your dog as an individual to find the best suitable approach.

Sources