What the best way to break my dog’s habit of barking?

Barking can be a very tough habit to break and can require a lot of patience on the owner’s part. Dogs can bark for many reasons; boredom, because the neighbor dog is barking, they want you to play with them, or they’re alerting you of an intruder/stranger (which often times is just the wind blowing a tree branch up against the garage). Either way, it can be a nuisance to both you and your neighbors. We find that most dogs bark while the owner is out, so it’s crucial to break this habit when you are present and from the instant the habit begins. Once again, corrective measures like verbally saying “No” can work (through the reinforcement of an obedience class), spray bottles of water, or even bark collars can help. If you are interested in the bark collar approach we would recommend properly introducing this collar to your dog so that they understand what it means when it’s on them. We have bark and electronic collars at On Command and we’re available to help and guide you through the uses of these collars.