How to train a dog not to bark at the doorbell is probably one of the most important dog training tips you can learn. This is one reason why many dog owners fail in their attempts to train their dogs. With all the possible distractions, it becomes easy for dogs to ignore signals sent by us. But, if you want to effectively train your dog to stop barking at the doorbell, you need to follow these steps. It will take you a bit of time, but your efforts will certainly be worth it.
To begin the training, you need either your dog’s favourite toy or some small dog treats. Rewards should always be valuable and immediate. You have to make the act worth it for your dog.
You can use a simple dog training trick such as this to teach your dog to go to the opposite direction. First, have your dog on a leash. Then, call him over to you. Show him the ball. Then, say “Stay” in a firm voice while putting your arm near your chest. If he follows your command, give him a treat and then praise him profusely.
In order to train your dog to stop barking at the doorbell, you can also try dog tricks such as the one mentioned above. But, these tricks require much more focus and determination since you can only instruct one dog at a time. If you don’t have time, then the clicker training is the next best thing that will give you the results that you want without spending much time.
To begin with, have your dog on a leash. Show him the ball, but hide it so that he won’t see it. Call him over to you, still holding the ball. When he arrives, immediately click his collar with the clicker. Praise him and then give him a treat for obeying your command.
This may sound difficult, but you’ll be surprised at how easy it really is. Have your dogs close by and hide the ball. When they start to arrive, shout “stay” and give them a treat. Give him a dog treat and praise him. Repeat it again until he understands what you want him to do.
The last method involves having your dogs close by and using the same treats and praise. When he shows you the object and you give him praise, immediately click his collar with the clicker. Call him over to you, still holding the ball. When he arrives, immediately click his collar with the clicker. Immediately treat him and then give him a treat for obeying your command.
When he understands what you want, give him a treat and praise him again. Continue this method until your dog has learned that he gets a treat for showing you the object when you call him over to you. Then, replace the hiding object with a high-pitched, high-value sound (like the “bark” sound made by dogs). Once he has learned to associate the “Stay” command with the sound, and not with the click, you can safely include a high-pitched, high-value sound in your training sessions.
You can also train your dog not to bark at doorbells using your dogs tricks. Your dog can fetch any toy he finds interesting; for instance, throw a squeaky toy or a ball. Your dog will learn quickly that he gets a treat or a reward for fetching the toy. Have the dog fetch the object and have him perform the appropriate dog training exercises. Repeat the exercises until he is able to do them perfectly.
Some people recommend clicker training as a dog training method because it is highly effective and highly humane. Clicker training is not cruel and it does not cause damage to animals. Your dog learns obedience by performing easy exercises and when he has mastered those exercises, he is taught the next easier exercise. This is why clicker training is so popular with dog trainers.
During training sessions, you need to make sure that your dog follows all the training instructions that you give him. You can easily accomplish this by having him wear a small plastic dog collar that contains a couple of audio tones. Whenever your dog gets in the way of the training, the collar emits a specific sound that makes him stop. If your dog tries to go beyond a certain point, then the collar emits a sharp shock that makes the dog stop immediately.
To teach your dog not to bark at the doorbell, you need to teach him how to recognize the sound of the bell and go outside if he finds that the bell is ringing. By doing this, you are reinforcing your dog’s fetching skills and helping him to gain the appropriate social skills necessary for him to live as an independent dog. This is possible only if the dog continues to repeat the behavior after you’ve taught him the behavior. The trick is that you must continue to provide the correct motivation after he has learned the behavior.