Action Prompting Barking

What is it?

There are some dogs that will bark at you to prompt you into action to gain something they want.  The purpose of this barking is to prompt you to take action on their behalf.  In some situations it may be desirable, for example, some people like their dog to bark to communicate a need to go outside and potty, however, with some dogs it can become an issue.

How to stop it?

​The keys to addressing action prompting barking are

1. Don’t do the desired thing when your dog barks
2. Clearly instigate desired activities when your dog is calm and not trying to prompt action from you. 
3. Teach appropriate ways to request things you don’t mind responding to, i.e. a request to go outside to potty.
4. Randomize your routines if possible, to avoid tying them to a set time (i.e. supper always at 5:00 pm exactly)

Clearly instigate activities
When your dog is resting calmly, tell him/her what is next i.e. “time for dinner”, “let’s go for a walk” etc.  THEN put your book down, get up, close your computer, etc.  When your dog learns that the relevant cue is you announcing the desired activity is next, he/she will stop being so excited when you get up without saying anything.

Teach appropriate ways to request things

You may wish to respond to some of your dog's requests, such as to go outside to potty.  Since we don’t want to promote barking, teaching an alternate way to communicate that request such as ringing bells to go outside will give your dog a way other than barking to communicate that to you.  To avoid having him/her ring the bells when he/she wants out to play, the only thing that will happen when he/she rings the bells is a potty trip.

Randomize Routines
Dogs are more likely to start barking for dinner if it is always at the same time every day, as they do have the ability to sense when that time of day arrives.  If us closing a laptop is often followed by going for a walk, you’ll want to sometimes close the laptop, then open it back up again and keep working.  Close the laptop, go to the bathroom and return to keep working.  That way the link between closing laptop and going for a walk is broken.  Coupled with cuing “let’s go for a walk” when your dog is calm that will help your dog learn that the reliable predictor of a walk is your phrase, not you closing the laptop.  Substitute “closing a laptop” with whatever tends to set of your dog's excitement about a desired activity.

If your dog can't make it through an activity without barking (i.e. meal prep) 

• break it down into smaller steps (i.e. one scoop in the bowl, reward quiet waiting on the mat.  2nd scoop in the bowl, reward quiet waiting on the mat)

• After several successful sessions, try fading one of the reward treats.
• After several successful sessions, fade another treat.
• Repeat until your dog can be quiet until the end.

When Your Dog Barks to prompt action from you

• Give a warning cue i.e. “that’s enough, not now” or “that’s enough, later”  This cue needs to be consistent.
• If barking continues, implement the consequence (i.e. you leave the room, give your dog a brief time away from you)

Please note, if you only do this step the barking will likely get worse initially, as your dog won't understand why it suddenly isn't working (imagine a person putting money in a pop machine, pushing the button and not getting a pop).  And you need to be very careful not to occasionally respond to the barking, or you set up a slot machine situation instead of a pop machine, in which your dog will continue to bark because sometimes they hit the jackpot.  Since it is very difficult to ignore barking, I recommend implementing the other strategies first, then only utilizing this one if you end up with barking.