Your Dog Barks To Get Your Attention
This one is slightly different from the other barking problems because the dog isn’t warning you – they want you instead.
When your dog barks to get your attention, how do you respond?
It could be that you are subconsciously encouraging this behaviour. I know that might be hard to hear but think about it. If your dog wants attention from you and then you respond by shouting at them to be quiet, you’re giving them attention.
At this point, they don’t care if it’s negative attention they are getting from you, all they care about is that you are showing them attention.
The other distraction techniques we went through earlier won’t work in these cases.
So, if you respond to your dog barking at you in any of these ways below, stop now.
If we try to distract our dogs with toys, treats, or love we are just reinforcing the barking.
We think: He’s barking at me again, I’ll give him a biscuit, now he’s quiet.
Dogs think: I barked and Mum gave me a biscuit so I must be doing the right thing! More barking to get treats from Mum! Yum!!
Sometimes we can accidentally reinforce the ‘bad’ behaviours that we don’t want. This then forms a habit and the dog thinks this is the way to behave, then get confused when we then get angry or frustrated at them for acting in that way.
Instead of responding with toys, treats or attention, try ignoring them instead.
What To Try
If they bark at you to get your attention, just simply ignore them.
Watch tv, read a book, do the housework – do anything to completely ignore the dog. Don’t even look at them.
I know this can be hard to do, and the barking will probably get worse for a while but that’s normal. Your dog is getting desperate and thinking they aren’t barking enough so they need to try more.
Eventually they will realise that barking at you won’t get them anything but ignored.
If ignoring them and being quiet doesn’t work, try to stay calm and ask them to sit, stay or go to bed. Don’t shout as this will amplify their heightened mood and wind them up more, usually ending up with more barking.
If they obey and go to bed or sit quietly, then you can praise them – if they are quiet!
Try to only give them attention when they have stopped barking, this includes talking to them, treats, fuss and even eye contact.
I know this one can be tough to crack, especially because all of the usual distraction techniques are useless in these cases!
Anyone can struggle with retraining a dog, and as long as there is some improvement, I think you need to count that as a win!
If you really can’t manage with your dog barking at you for attention, try speaking to your vet and maybe a behavioural specialist because attention-seeking problems can be very difficult to manage on your own.