Teaching your dog to bark on command is a fun trick. In addition to impressing your house guests, the speak command can also be useful. You can train your pooch to speak when he wants to go outdoors, when a stranger is at the door, or in a variety of other instances. Speaking also helps the shy pet to become a little more vocal, while teaching the incessant barker to bark less frequently. If you think your pet can benefit from bark training, then read on to find out how.

Teaching a dog to speak is super simple. The first thing you should do, and perhaps the most difficult part of the training, is to figure out what makes your dog bark. Some dogs bark if you take away their favorite toy; others bark when they are hungry. Sometimes, if you make a barking sound you may cause your pet to bark, also. Or, you may just have to cut your eyes at him a certain way to get him vocal. Whatever makes your dog bark, figure it out. Then if you need additional items to get him to bark (i.e. his favorite toy), gather the items along with a handful of treats.

Find a place in your home that is free of distractions. As mentioned before, speak training is not that difficult, but it is easier when you have a focused pet. Put your dog in the sit position, and then use whatever you need to use to make him bark. As you are doing the action, repeat the word “speak” until he makes a sound. When he does bark, give him a treat immediately. Continue to do this until he understands that he gets a treat when he barks. Make sure you continue to use the speak command throughout the training, but try to use the word less each time. By the end of the session, you should only have to say “speak” once for your pet to understand.

Since training sessions should only be 10 to 15 minutes long, you may have to resume the speak training an hour or two later. This time, try to say the command without using the gesture or object that makes your pet bark. If he barks, then reward him. If he doesn’t, then return to using the gesture or object. Before long, your pet will understand that “speak” means bark. If you slow down on the treats, then he may continue to bark until he gets one. This is when a “silence” command can come in handy. Teach the command just like you did the speak command, except replace “speak” with “shhh” (or whatever you choose). Start by having him bark and let him bark until you give him a treat. As you give him the treat, say “shhh.”

There are many benefits to teaching a dog how to speak. Many owners claim that teaching a dog to bark on command can replace the dog’s non-stop barking. This can be true since the dog will learn that barking when asked gets him a tasty snack, while barking when not asked doesn’t get him a reward. You can also use the speak training to teach your pet to bark at certain situations. For instance, if your pet merely stands by the door when he needs to go outside, you may not know that he’s standing there. You can use the training when your pet stands by the door. Commanding him to speak, giving him a treat, and then opening the door shows him how to ask to go outside. If you repeat this every time he stands by the door, then he’ll soon learn to bark when it’s that time.

The same is true if you want your pet to alert you when there is someone at the door. In this case, you would need a friend or family member to come knock on your door. At the sound of the knock, you would take your pet to the door, give the speak command, give him a treat, and then show him that there is someone on the other side. Repeated frequently enough, your pet will pick up on the training in no time.

Teaching a pet to speak is not a tough trick to accomplish. All you need is something that makes your pet bark and a few treats. Once your pet associates barking with a tasty snack, you will be able to use the speak command in a variety of situations. This article was provided by discount pet mall which is an online pet supplies store featuring dog beds and dog car seat covers.