Whether they’re excited, scared, or startled, all dogs are bound to bark from time to time. However, dealing with a pup who’s prone to making a commotion all the time can be one of the more frustrating dilemmas when attempting to train them. In these situations, it can also be easy to forget that the common reaction to the problem might not be the best solution. And according to renowned dog behavior expert Cesar Millan, there’s a surprising trick you can use to actually stop your dog from barking.
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In a series of recent videos posted to TikTok, Millan explains how people typically react the wrong way when attempting to calm down their pets. He specifically calls out speaking to your dog as a major reinforcer of bad behavior.
“If you’re the kind of human that goes ‘it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay’ when you start giving affection, you will nurture that [barking],” he says.
@imcesarmillan How To Stop Dog Barking – @Pet Fest Indonesia Ask yourself are you giving affection to the RIGHT behaviors with YOUR DOG. It is easy to let our HEART block our LOGIC.
In a follow-up video, Millan explains that this behavior can also create negative energy in the animal. In many cases, resorting to using your words is the result of the human need to cope with the situation.
“If you’re trying to create an intellectual moment, and you think they’re going to understand every word you’re saying, it’s not going to happen,” he says. “You’re lying to yourself! You’re just having a conversation with [yourself].”
Millan says the best time to talk to your dog is actually when they’re feeling calm and happy. But in those moments where they’re “nervous, unsure, tense, fearful, confused, unhappy, or chaotic,” it’s best to use body language instead.
“Don’t humanize them at that time. Because whatever you’re saying will be recorded as the way they’re feeling,” he explains.
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But it’s not just words that can have an impact when your canine is causing a commotion. In a separate clip, Millan shows scenes from an episode of his TV show in which he visits a woman whose Labrador Retriever won’t stop barking when he arrives. But while he tells her to stop using the dog’s name to keep him quiet, he adds another important piece of advice that some owners might not realize can be helpful.
“When you pull the leash back like that, you keep them in that state,” he says, gently pressing on the dog’s back and ribs while taking the leash from her. “That’s why I’m touching on the side or different areas.”
Millan even acknowledges that this type of training can be particularly hard to carry out. But there is one relatively easy solution that can help you get around the learning curve.
“It’s always best to learn with somebody else’s dog because you have no emotional attachment,” he says in his video. “You know, the most difficult thing is the attachment and detachment. When a dog is not attached to you, that’s when you logically see it.”
To do this, you can try offering to dogsit for friends for a weekend, or even simply offering to take them out on a walk or have them over for an afternoon. Eventually, you can help train yourself on how to help keep your pet on its best behavior.