Rover the dog caused problems with his barking every night.
Rover’s bark robbed his owner, Bob, of precious sleep. He had to get up early to go to work.
Bob was tired… and he longed for PEACE and QUIET.
Even the stupid neighbors started protesting Rover’s behavior… never mind the fact that the neighbor’s dog “Fluffy” was also an annoying barker as well.
Bob couldn’t take it anymore… so he looked online and landed on an article similar to the one you’re reading right now.
As you’re reading this, you ask, “how do I stop my dog’s annoying barking?… and how can I also, secretly, stop my neighbor’s dog ‘fluffy’ from barking as well?”
Read on to learn 4 ways to stop your dog from barking at night. (#4 is the most fun)
Let’s start with the first bark control method.
What Will I Learn?
Bark Control Method #1: Ultrasonic Bark Control Devices
What’s an Ultrasonic Anti-Bark Device?
This is a device you put in your back yard or wherever your dog hangs out with the purpose of controlling its excessive barking.
How Do Ultrasonic Bark Control Devices Work?
Ultrasonic bark control devices work by emitting a high-pitched sound when they detect dog barking.
This brief high-pitched sound can only be heard by dogs, (not humans), and it’s meant to be unpleasant to them so that they associate barking with that aversive high pitched noise.
This is what they call “positive punishment” to discourage a specific behavior.
Here’s a basic ultrasonic anti barking device you can check out on Amazon:
- This little device stops barking by emitting an ultrasonic sound to silence the dog.
- It Picks up barking within 50 feet, indoors or outdoors. (But it won’t work on Rover if he’s deaf/hearing impaired)
- It has a “cute” mini design that’s easy for hanging/mounting on walls, fences, or even on a tree.
- Put it close to where your dog hangs out and barks the most, so that it’s within range to detect the barking.
- You can even use it to silence your neighbor’s dog
Now I like this one because I don’t care too much for fancy designs… but if you want a fancier “bird house” look to the anti-barking device check this one out on Amazon:
This one is cool because it has a hanging rope included. Effective bark detection range is also 50 feet, and it also specifies that it’s safe for small, medium, and large dogs.
It’s a bit more expensive but it’s durable and weatherproof.
Are Ultrasonic Bark Devices Safe For Dogs?
Most ultrasonic bark devices are considered safe for dogs.
They are designed to capture a dog’s attention without causing harm.
But the sound can be irritating to some dogs, and prolonged exposure may lead to stress or anxiety.
If a dog is barking excessively, it might be a sign of an underlying problem, such as separation anxiety or boredom.
Using an ultrasonic device without addressing the root cause may mask the problem without solving it.
Some animal behavior experts recommend positive reinforcement training methods over using devices like ultrasonic bark controllers.
Rewarding desired behavior often leads to more long-term success in managing barking and builds a positive relationship between the dog and its owner.
Bark Control Method #2: Using an Anti-Bark Collar
If your back yard is a giant endless playground, where the ultrasonic anti-bark device loses its range, you may want to invest in a collar to do the trick.
In particular, the “StopWoofer” is listed as a “No Shock, No Pain, Humane Barking Control Device for Small, Medium and Large Dogs”.
Have a look at it here:
Bark Control Method #3: Give Your Dog Anxiety Pills
Less anxiety means he won’t bark at the slightest ant fart noise that lands on his ear drum.
As always, I recommend you do your own research on this to see if it’s right for you and your pet.
Bark Control Method #4: Make Your Dog Expend More Energy During the Day!
I like this method the best because it doesn’t use any sort of punishment or pills to change your dog’s behavior.
In fact, this back control “method” all comes down to energy.
Find ways for your dog to expend more energy during the day… leaving less for him to use at night… when he should be silently sleeping like a good boy.
A dog who isn’t given an outlet to expend his energy will have pent up energy that gets stored in the form of anxiety, and then released as excessive barking and other bad behaviors.
With less anxiety, he won’t bark at anything that makes noise.
Like airplanes, other dogs barking, ant farts… etc.
Walk your dog more often… give your dog toys to keep him entertained… get him another dog to play with.
In fact, a little experiment you can do is to…
Track Your Dog’s Behavior With an Activity Collar
If you’re a nerd like me, you might find it fun and useful to track your dog’s night time activity.
For this you can use “FitBark”, which can track when and how much they move around (in distance).
It’s easy to install FitBark, you just clip it onto your dog’s collar, connect it to an app you download, and voila.
You can learn more details here:
Do a little experiment.
Walk your dog every other day.
And track his activity at night with the collar.
Does it decrease on the days you walk him? Does he move around less at night?
I hope so.
And I hope you enjoyed this article on the ways to stop your dog from barking at night.
All the best,
Frankie