Nothing is more annoying and stressful than to deal with constant dog barking. It is a frustrating and futile experience to control this unwanted behavior without a basic understanding of why they bark.

Dogs bark for various reasons. It is their way of communicating to you their moods, excitement and to get your attention to their needs. It is not mere noise but in conjunction with their body language, tail movements and facial expressions they tend to convey their message across to you.

Some instances are- Low pitched growl and loud bark with ears perked and tail up shows sign of his dominance. Short and sharp bark along with swift tail wags shows he is excited. Low growl escalating to a howling bark with bristled tail when he perceives intruders in the territory. High pitched constant bark when he is in distress or alone and so on.

Once you identify the causes of barking then finding a solution to stop barking is easier. Key reasons for barking are underlying behavioral issue and situations and surroundings aiding to the barking. Natural instinct barks are very normal and should not be suppressed.

Now, let's see ways to stop your dog's problem barking which is repetitive and annoying:

* Your dog must learn first what is expected of him and what is not. If he barks to get your attention and manipulates you to give in to his needs then it is not good. If you give him a treat or play whenever he barks then it reinforces that behavior and he will do even more in the future. Turn away from him and simply disregard his barks. He may be surprised and bark harder at first by your action but the more consistent you are the effective control it would be.

* Divert his attention whenever he barks. Use "quiet" or "enough" or whatever word you want to use to divert him when he barks. Use the same word all the time not to confuse him. When he obeys to your command and stop barking, reward him with a treat and praise him immediately. He starts to associate treat and praise with the command you use and learn to be quiet.

* When your dog feels dominant he will simply ignore any of your commands. He needs to be taught at earlier stage before he becomes teen the hierarchy of the household. He has to learn that he is below every member in the household. Dogs behave well under a leadership and form a good relationship based on trust and regard.

* Constant barking due to boredom or lack of socialization: They become anxious or stressed without social interaction and resort to meaningless barking to let out their stress. Spend time and engage your dog with playful activities, which are interactive like fetching the ball or taking for a long walk.

* Loneliness and separation anxiety are other causes of constant barking. They bark in an effort to get out of their confinement when left alone. Vigorous exercise before you leave will make him sleep when you are away and with chewy toys and items around will keep him busy till you return.

Use of shock or citronella collars to control your dog barking is not recommended and can be used only as last resort for a stubborn dog. Understanding and retraining by reward is the most humane approach to dog barking problem.