Excessive howling or barking can be a real nuisance with dogs. The key to understanding your dog's howling and barking is to understand its roots. Dogs are pack animals that use howling or barking to communicate. Because we have brought dogs into our homes and lives, we have become a part of their pack. As a result, they communicate to us just as they would other dogs. Sometimes this is through inappropriate dominance behavior, but sometimes this is through vocalization.

Because we generally don't enjoy being barked or howled at, our dogs need to be taught to ignore their nature and turn down the volume a bit. By praising your dog when they are quiet, you teach them that their quiet moments are when they get the most attention from you. When your dog does begin to howl or bark, sternly rebuke them. When they calm down, praise your dog. Your dog lives for your praise and will pick up on things quickly.

It's extremely important that you don't punish your dog for barking. It comes naturally to them, and the way people punish their dog for barking only confuses them. Most people make the mistake of yelling "No!" at the dog, and then they smack the dog on the nose. This confuses them extremely since they have already stopped barking from the yelling, they don't need to be smacked. The associate the smack on the nose with the fact that they stopped barking.

Another way to get your dog to stop barking or howling is a no-bark collar. They sense when your dog is barking and emit a sound or a spray of citronella. If the dog continues to bark it sends out a brief and mild shock. If this disturbs you, they also have no-bark collars that lack the shock and just continue to emit a sound or spray the dog. These collars are just as effective when it comes to stopping your dogs excessive barking, if not more effective than the shock collars.

Dogs are remarkably quick learners. After just a few barking incidents, your dog will know that when they hear the beep or smells the citronella, that it is time to stop barking. After a short duration, the no-bark collar can usually be removed, as the dog will be broken of the undesirable behavior.

It is natural for your dog to want to communicate with you, and if you want to help the process along you should start noticing what their body language is trying to tell you. The more you know what your dog wants, and needs the quicker you can get it to them before they feel the need to vocalize it to you.