How often do you hear your toy poodle bark?
If you live in a neighborhood where other neighbors also have dogs, then chances are you've heard them bark, too.
Dogs bark because they want attention or to communicate their feelings. They don't mean to annoy anyone else.
Here's the reality: barking is normal behavior for any dog, including toy breeds, but the problem arises when they start barking excessively.
E collars, which are also known as training collars or "shock collars," are designed to stop dogs from unwanted barking. The best e collars for small dogs, such as the ones we carry here at Wiggle Kingdom, offer multiple settings to help you find the right stimulation level for your dog.
If you have a toy poodle (also called “miniature poodle”) that is barking excessively, this article will help you pinpoint potential causes and identify the best solution on how to stop your toy poodle from barking!
Why is My Toy Poodle Barking?
There are many potential causes of dog barking.
Some miniature poodles bark because they feel threatened by another animal or person; others may bark at the sound of a vacuum cleaner or lawnmower.
In most cases, a well-behaved dog will only bark if they are trying to communicate something like danger or an urgent need.
Before you can stop unwanted barking, you first have to understand what might be causing the barking in the first place.
Here are some of the most common reasons why your toy poodle might bark excessively:
- Barking at Night.
If your toy poodle barks at night, it could be because it is lonely, bored, or stressed out. If your pup sleeps in a crate, then barking at night may also be a sign that it has separation anxiety. - Territorial barking.
Dogs don't have the same understanding of property like humans. We have a clear understanding of boundaries and property lines, but your toy poodle might think they own the sidewalk, street, or even the neighbor's yard.
With that being said, a toy poodle will often bark if it sees a person, animal or vehicle enter an area that they think is its territory. Poodles of all sizes can be territorial, especially when it comes to their own toys, so don't be surprised if your poodle starts barking if a house-guest approaches their "nest" of toys. - Barking at the door.
Barking at a closed door isn't just annoying; it can also cause property damage if your dog is scratching at the door or pawing at the floor. If your pup is barking incessantly when nobody is on the other side of the door, it may be due to fear or territoriality issues. - Medical issues.
There are certain health conditions that may cause dogs to constantly bark. For example, veterinarians tell us that hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid) can give small dogs excessive energy. One of the ways that dogs release this energy is through excessive barking. Thyroid disease in dogs is relatively rare, but it is worth scheduling an appointment with your veterinarian if you fear something might be wrong.
While all of these are valid reasons why a toy poodle might bark excessively, it is also important to realize that dogs will be dogs.
Dogs bark when they want to communicate with people or other dogs. Barking is a natural behavior that helps them get attention and communicate with others.
In other words, it is completely normal for a dog to bark in certain scenarios.
For new dog owners who never grew up with a pet, barking can be startling at first. Many dogs, including small dogs, bark when they are playing with humans or each other. Similarly, if you are coming home after a long day at work, your dog might start barking out of excitement. Before wondering how to stop your toy poodle from barking, it's important to consider the why your dog is barking in the first place.
To be clear, it's important to take context into consideration.
Not all barking is "bad."
How to Stop a Miniature Poodle from Excessive Barking
To teach your dog to stop barking, first you need to teach him what the word "quiet" means.
Say "Quiet!" as soon as he starts barking.
Wait until he stops barking.
Then give him a treat.
Your dog should learn to associate the word "quiet" with getting a treat.
This is what veterinarians and professional trainers call "reward-based training" or "positive reinforcement." There is an increasing amount of research and data that suggests that reward-based training is the most effective for any small toy breed.
The reverse is also true.
Let's say you want to train your toy poodle to bark on command.
Utilize positive reinforcement to train your dog to "speak" when you say so. A trainer teaches a dog to bark by rewarding them whenever they bark on cue.
So how does a training collar for small dogs come into play?
You might have heard about electronic bark collars, but these are slightly different from a true training collar.
With an electronic bark collar, when the dog barks, the collar activates automatically. Sensors in the collar trigger a mild electronic stimulation that will cause the dog to stop barking.
If the first correction isn’t enough, then a stronger one will automatically be used next time. Your dog won't get confused because it will experience the correction right away.
But here is the issue with most electronic bark collars on the market: not all barks are bad.
You are not trying to stop your dog from barking at all. Rather, you are trying to prevent excessive barking.
This is why a training collar with a remote for small dogs is the best solution. Instead of automatically triggering the collar for each bark, you have a remote so that you can activate the collar when necessary using the remote.
For example, you can use a training collar to teach your toy poodle to stop barking at the TV, but you might not want to use the collar if your dog barks whenever the doorbell rings.
How to Use a Training Collar to Stop a Poodle from Barking
Now that we've established why toy poodles bark and the best solution to stop unwanted barking, it is time to learn how to use a training collar properly.
There are three primary steps:
1. The first step for using a shock collar to stop unwanted barking is to use only the lowest setting that your pup will respond to. Every toy poodle is different. At Wiggle Kingdom, our collars have three settings (sound, vibration, and shock) with 9 different levels for vibration and shock.
Remember, the goal is not to punish or hurt your dog. Instead, the goal is to simply get their attention so they obey you. In most cases, only the minimal stimulation is needed, but some dogs are more stubborn than others, so you might need to move to a higher setting or level. It is important to keep in mind that every dog has its limit!
How do you know when you've found the right setting and level?
Think of it this way: you want your miniature poodle to respond to the collar, but not jump or yell out of surprise. The idea is to get its attention, not to scare it.
2. The most important step is to maintain awareness. Have the remote control on you at all times. Once your small poodle starts barking inappropriately, then you'll want to activate the training collar.
If possible, it is important to trigger the collar every time your dog engages in this unwanted behavior. Dogs learn through association, so there needs to be enough consistency and immediacy so your dog doesn't become confused.
This is another reason why a training collar with a remote is great for small dogs. The remote allows you to be up to 1,000 feet away from your dog while still being able to trigger the collar.
The moment your dog stops barking, you should stop the collar as well.
Timing is crucial. Your pup will likely learn very quickly that to stop the annoying sensation, it needs to stop barking for no reason. If it doesn't respond, you may need to increase the stimulation to the next setting or level.
3. Finally, it is important to be consistent. Let's say your dog barks unnecessarily every time the mailman approachesIf you use the training collar today but not tomorrow when the mailman comes, your dog might not understand the message.
You want to be consistent in terms of when you use the collar and what will trigger the stimulation. Not only do we have a language barrier with our dogs; we also have an intellectual barrier. Yes, dogs are smart, but their logic doesn't work the way that ours does.
Consistency and timing are the two biggest factors necessary to teach your toy poodle to stop unwanted barking.
What Are Other Techniques to Stop a Toy Poodle from Barking?
A training collar is not meant to be your small poodle's primary collar.
At the most, a training collar should only be used 8 to 12 hours a day.
So that raises the question: how can you stop unwanted barking without a training collar?
One scenario is whenever you and your family return to the house after being gone at work or school. Because you've been gone, your toy poodle will not be wearing a training collar and you won't have the remote control with you.
So how do you stop excessive barking every time you come home?
Keep meetings and greetings short and sweet. Ignore your dog when he greets you at the door. Instead, try teaching your toy poodle to sit and wait. Professional trainers say that this can teach your dog control and anticipation instead of barking. Your pup will understand that they need to behave to get your attention, not bark continuously.
Another strategy is to keep a basket of your dog's favorite toys right by the door.
Train your dog to pick out a toy from the basket whenever you (or a guest) comes home. Dogs are much less likely to bark with a toy in their mouth. In some cases, they might even get distracted!
This is also a good time to practice other commands you might have been working on, such as sit, stay, or wait.
Don't accidentally encourage your dog to bark.
In the section above, we discussed "ignoring" your toy poodle if it barks excessively when you come home.
Because of social norms, we might equate "ignoring" with the "silent treatment," which is wrong and cruel.
However, it's important to emphasize that dogs don't process social cues the same way that we do.
You might be accidentally training your dog to bark excessively without realizing it.
Professional dog trainers say that all dogs are capable of "attention seeking" or "request barking." In some cases, this is a good thing. For example, your toy poodle might bark at you every time it needs to go outside to use the bathroom. It learns through positive reinforcement that you will let it outside whenever it barks at you.
But this positive reinforcement can also backfire.
Let's say you got your toy poodle when it was a puppy. In this scenario, you might have thought it was cute when your puppy was barking whenever you cooked in the kitchen. Since you thought it was cute, you started giving your poodle table scraps (bits of chicken or beef) when you were cooking.
Well, your dog might have interpreted this to mean that it should bark every time you cook in order to get food. In other words, your dog has unintentionally learned that barking equals food.
So how do you prevent this from happening?
Similar to when you are coming home from work, simply ignore your poodle if it barks at inappropriate times. By ignoring your dog, you are removing any "positive reinforcement" from the situation.
Then once your dog stops barking, call him to you and praise him for the silence. Your small dog will eventually learn what good behavior is and that it is rewarded with treats, back scratches, and kisses!
Why Wiggle Kingdom?
At Wiggle Kingdom, we specialize in the best training collars for small dogs.
We know that these little dogs are smart, but sometimes they just need a nudge to help them remember what's expected of them.
That is where our training collars come in.
They are specially designed to make sure that your dog understands what you are trying to communicate. This minimizes the opportunity for any mis-communication and prevents behavioral issues from turning into habit.
Each collar comes with a remote, so you can activate the collar from up to 1,000 feet away.
With our one-year unconditional warranty, you will have peace of mind knowing that you have made a solid long-term commitment for you and your toy poodle!
Other benefits include:
- Free shipping
- Same day shipping (order by 3 pm PST)
- Ships from Los Angeles, CA
- 1% of all sales donated to animal shelters
So what are you waiting for?!
Order your training collar from Wiggle Kingdom today! If you have any questions or need any assistance, please call: (213) 747-7767.