Today's Topic: When your dog REALLY wants something from you, whether that thing is your attention, your food, your affection, or an adventure outside, your dog may use the one thing that comes naturally to him/her to get it: BARKING.  But for some dogs, they may learn (over time, and due to some of our inadvertent reinforcing behaviors), that this is a pretty reliable method to get what they want, when they want, resulting in a pathological behavior known as demand barking.  And while some may be able to live with it, others absolutely cannot, especially if their dog has a loud and high-pitched bark that can be SUPER ANNOYING to those in the household, and potentially those that live nearby.

So, how do you train your dog to stop (or reduce) this behavior, without resorting to methods used to startle, intimidate, hurt or instill fear in our dogs? 

That's why we invited certified professional dog trainer and the founder of Positive Partners Dog Training, LLC, Brianne Harris (CPDT-KA®), to the pod, to discuss how to use positive reinforcement techniques to reduce this behavior, why ignoring the demand barking just doesn't work, why teaching the "quiet" or "speak" cues is not a practical solution for even the most committed of dog parents, what "extinction bursts" are, why we should be slot machines instead of a vending machine to our dogs, and so much more! 

Guest Bio: Brianne Harris (CPDT-KA®) is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed through the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers. She is also an evaluator for the AKC's Canine Good Citizen programs and for the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Brianne specializes in helping busy people fit dog training into their daily lives without it feeling like a burden! Her passion is working with dogs with BIG feelings - her favorites are reactive dogs, fearful dogs, and teenage dogs! Brianne and Positive Partners Dog Training, LLC are based in Banner Elk, NC. Her team serves the High Country of North Carolina with private and group lessons for dogs of all ages and types!

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