Oh, that infamous Corgi barking can really get out of control.
These little munchkins are a pocket rocket, and they tend to bark and howl at every new sign and sound. That might sound cute at first glance; just imagine a stumpy little furball that throws a tantrum each time it experiences something new that excites and frightens them.
In reality, excessive barking is a real problem that you must learn how to handle, or else you will have a lot of headaches over it. Not only you, but the whole neighborhood will also have a hard time keeping their sanity in check.
If you have never owned a Corgi before, you are in for a tricky quest, my friend. Corgis are very smart yet very stubborn, and teaching them not to do something can be challenging. However, with the right attitude and a little bit of effort, you will get there.
Let’s explore why they bark like mad to understand better how to train a Corgi to stop barking.
Why Are Corgis Heavy On The Barking?
All dogs bark on some level; some might seem dead-silent, while on the other hand, some are exaggerating like Huskies and Corgis.
I’m sure you all have seen that cute video of a Husky pup that howls alongside the ambulance car every time it runs down the neighborhood. I admit it’s cute but just imagine how it would be to experience that day after day? Not so amusing anymore, right?
Why are some dogs like Huskies and Corgis tend to bark so much at everything that moves?
The answer is in their breed history.
Remember I told you that Corgis are herding dogs? Well, all herding dogs are prone to unnecessary alarm barking; that’s the nature of their “work”.
If you want to successfully suppress the excessive barking, the first step and the primary key are realizing why your Corgi is barking.
Barking To Herd
Corgis are originally bred to herd livestock, more specifically cattle. Yes, they are small in size, which is not intimidating (for a cow that is at least 50 times larger than them), to be honest, and that is the reason why they are gifted with a feisty personality. The loud and powerful barking is one of the ways to attract the attention of such large animals as cows are. Barking helps Corgis pressure the animals into moving in the direction they want them to.
Another common thing that helps Corgis to control the herd is nipping. When the livestock doesn’t want to move on their own, the Corgi gently nips their heels to make them move.
Anyhow not only that barking helped them move animals, but it also helped them to alert the farmer to any potential threat and protect the livestock since they usually spent all their time at the large fields and pastures.
By barking from time to time, they make sure any potential predators are aware that these animals are not unprotected.
Communicating
The second reason why the Corgis bark so much is communicating.
Since they are such an intelligent breed, it is only logical that they are excellent communicators. While there are various ways of vocal communication for dogs, such as whine, growl, howl, lowkey bark, the Corgi will always choose loud and fierce bark.
There’s not much you can do about their choice of vocalization, considering their herding instinct. For example, if your Corgi wants a treat, he or she will bark at you and lead you to the cabinets where the treats live and throw a little singing show for you until you get out the goodies and reward them.
They will also do this if they want to go do pooty and walk, take you to their leash or front door, and bark until you notice them. But this is not where the barkathon (yes, I know this word does not exist) ends.
They won’t bark only to get what they want; they will bark if they notice something new in the house or someone new around the house since in their little head, this is an alarming situation. The intruder is present, and they must protect by any chance!
Of course, not all Corgis are the same, so if you are lucky enough, your Corgi will use body language or another form of vocalization to reach you and get your attention, but the chances are small.
How To Recognize When Your Corgi Is Barking To Get Your Attention?
Barking is in Corgi’s blood; that’s something you must accept and deal with but however, it’s crucial to learn to differentiate when your dog barks for a reason and when he or she barks just to get your attention. Corgis are prone to manipulation, and if you show them, you will jump every time they bark; they will use that greatly.
The Corgis are barking for a multitude of other reasons; one of them is boredom. They are a high-energy breed, and they need much more physical and mental exercise that you may think, which can lead to demand barking.
They get bored easily since they are packed with energy, and they need constant stimulation and attention. If they decided it is time for you to engage in the playtime, they would bark until you do, and there is nothing you can do about it!
Well, there is one way to prevent this behavior, and that’s keeping your pooch content, fully exercised, with all the love and affection that they need from you.
Sometimes a lack of training or accidental reinforcement of barking can contribute to this excessive behavior. Also, do not forget that dogs bark when they feel fear and anxiety as well.
How To Tell The Difference Between Fear Barking And Other Types Of Barking
Here it is very important to be able to read the body language of your dog. A bored dog that only wants attention will bark directly at you while staring at you. If this does not do the job, he will possibly start jumping on you and bringing the toy. When you give up and give them what they want, they will stop.
On the other hand, a dog that feels anxiety or fear will bark at something else, something you do not see. Their body will become stiff rather than the loose and wiggly body that tells you your dog is comfortable.
Other signs of stress that will alert you something is not right are:
Knowing to read your dog’s body language is among the first things you should learn so you can understand their barking patterns so you can start working on them and fix the problem.
How To Keep My Corgi From Excessive Barking? Tips And Tricks
I must warn you, training your Corgi to stay quiet will require a lot of patience. Also, do not expect the result to be fast. The best time to start training is when your dog is still a puppy, but adult dogs can change their behavior as well; they will only need more time and work.
For mischievous adult barkers, you will need persistence and patience in order to re-educate your Corgi, followed by some of these useful things like:
- Their favorite treats, always at hand
- A mat or a blankie so your furry friend can lie on
- Something to restrict the view from a window like etched glass effect plastic
No matter what, always show your Corgi that you are the one in control and not the opposite. The barking is usually the symptom of the behavior problem and not the problem itself.
Stop for a bit and identify the reason why your dog is barking before you start solving the problem.
- If their barking is caused by fear, remove your puppy from the stressful situation.
- If their barking is the result of anxiety, make your dog feel less anxious.
- If their barking is a result of boredom, it is time to introduce more exercise and play.
- If their barking is caused by frustration, help your Corgi understand what you want from them.
Learn More: Are Corgis Trainable? How Long To Train A Corgi?
Main Rules For Controlling Barking
There are several rules that you need to follow when training your Corgi to stop barking.
- First is, as already mentioned, determining the reason for barking.
- The second rule does the reason need immediate action – If your dog barks because he is frightened, or he needs to do pooty, you should address their concerns immediately. In both cases, you can change their behavior.
- Should I ignore the barking? – If you are aware that your dog is barking on demand, to get your attention cause he is bored, you should ignore him at first. Do not look at them, do not talk to them, simply don’t acknowledge them. When your Corgi settles down and stays quiet for at least 5 seconds, reward him for the silence.
- Exercise your Corgi – This does not train your Corgi directly to stop barking; instead, it will wear off all the excess energy so he will be calm and less frustrated.
Train Your Corgi To Stay Quiet
After you realized what triggers your doggo to bark, it is time to start working on the problem. So how to keep a Corgi from barking? What is the proper way of training?
It’s best to start with training your pup how to relax since not all dogs know how to stay quiet and calm. There is no chance to control a dog that is in a frenzied state, so teach him how to settle down on your command.
There are two methods for controlling the barking – the bark on command method and the stay quiet method.
The Bark On Command Method
This method consists of five simple steps that you must follow if you want to teach your dog to bark only on your command.
- Step 1 – Understand the idea – The main idea is that you understand that it gives you the power and control when any action is put on command. Logically, having the dog bark when told will reduce his natural instinct to bark when he’s not commanded to do so. This method is not very effective with a hardened barker who is addicted to barking.
- Step 2 – Find a way to make your dog bark at the command – It is crucial to find a way to make your dog bark when you ask him to. The trick that most owners use is knocking on the door while they are standing with their back to a door. Of course, this action must be unseen by your Corgi.
- Step 3 – Praise the dog when he barks – When your Corgi barks on your fake knocking, encourage him by praising him, saying “Good boy”, and reward him with his favorite treat. Repeat the action to make sure your dog will readily bark when you knock on the door.
- Step 4 – Label this action with “BARK” – The point is to teach him to bark when you say “BARK”, not when you knock on the door. First, knock on the door and say “bark” when he obeys, praises him, and reward with a treat. Be patient and practice this; after a few successful attempts, it is time to level up. Now try saying “bark” but do not knock on the door! If the dog responds with bark, praise and treats him; if not, continue with the previous step.
- Step 5 – Practice is the key to success – Practice having the dog bark under different circumstances until you are sure you cover it all.
The ‘Quiet’ Method
This method is great for pups as well as heavy adult barkers who tend to have problems with overcoming the bark on command method. Like with the previous method, all you have to do is strictly follow these next few steps.
- Step 1 – Understand the idea – It is only natural that if you can teach the dog to bark on command, you can as well teach him to stay quiet on command. You will teach the dog that silence (like when he barks and he gets a treat) is called “QUIET”, and it will also earn him a reward if he obeys it.
- Step 2 – Make the dog bark – Make your dog bark using the Bark on Command method. Reward him for barking, and while he is enjoying the treat, say “QUIET”.
- Step 3 – Practice “QUIET” – The next step is to alternate the barking on cue, with periods of quiet when he eats his reward. Gently hold his muzzle shut after he is done eating the treat and repeating “QUIET” again, as a great way to strengthen the idea that “QUIET” is an absence of barking. Do this in a firm voice and then reward them with another treat to encourage his good behavior.
- Step 4 – Alternate between “BARK” and “QUIET” command – Practice barking and staying silent on cue. Also, start slowly to prolong the time between holding his muzzle and giving him the treat; he is expected to make no noise so see how long he will obey this. When he is quiet for a longer period of time, celebrate by praising him hard and give him a lot of affection and a treat, of course.
- Step 5 – Introduce the “QUIET” cue to interrupt unexpected barking – Once you teach your pooch the difference between “BARK” and “QUIET”, it is time to interrupt his frenzy bark scenarios. For example, if he barks at a mailman or someone who is at your door, it will be helpful to acknowledge the dog that you got this situation covered by saying, “Thank you, (insert name of your dog), good catch. I will handle this now.” Now command him “QUIET” with a firm voice and reward him when he obeys.
The Do’s And Don’ts
Every training strategy has its do’s and don’ts, which must be obeyed in order to make your training process successful. Let’s take a quick glance at them and make sure you memorize them well.
The Do’s:
- Exercise – Corgis are active dogs that need plenty of exercises and mental stimulation, so make sure to give your dog plenty of chances to work off excess energy that might otherwise be transferred into the frustration that will lead to excessive barking.
- Triggers – Look for the triggers. Corgis are territorial dogs, so if they see a stranger approaching your home from the street, he will get into a frenzy barking to protect the house from intruders. Use the etched-glass effect plastic on your windows and narrow your dog’s view.
- Introduce alternative strategies – If none of the two methods works on your dog, try a different approach. Identify when is the time that your dog barks the most, and make sure you get him busy in that period. When someone rings a doorbell, teach him to go to a mat or a rug instead of barking and jumping on the door.
- Invest in dog puzzles – What more Corgi needs than a good toy that requires snacks to be complete and effective. Dog puzzles reduce boredom and destructive behavior since it will keep them mentally challenged at all times.
- Make your Corgi comfortable with common sounds – Play some YouTube videos where your Corgi can get accustomed to regular outside noises like cars, ambulance, construction workers, fire trucks, and more.
The Don’ts:
- Never shout at the dog when he barks; he is only alerting you to a specific situation. Shouting at him is counterproductive since he will think you are also trying to bark, but he will even try to be louder than you. This will only escalate the situation.
- Don’t leave the dog unattended in your yard since they are highly territorial. They will start patrolling the yard and bar boundaries at any opportunity that comes in their way.
- Never punish and beat your dog when he barks! This way, you will only scare and hurt your dog, and in some cases, he may even snap at you.
- The barking collar is a poor choice as a teaching method.
Why Is My Corgi Barking At Night?
When your Corgi is barking only overnight, that’s a different problem, and that is why I am addressing it here in a special paragraph.
Once again, it’s still important to determine the reason, which can be separation anxiety, a dog who isn’t tired enough so it won’t sleep, or a puppy who hasn’t been properly trained.
Young puppies do not have full bladder control, so they won’t be able to sleep all through the night until 6-7 months of age in some cases. In case you have addressed your pup’s needs, and they’re still barking, then it’s important to not react and ignore the barking until it stops.
After they stayed quiet for a few seconds, reward him and praise him for how good doggy he is.
In case of separation anxiety, you will need a good trainer; honestly, it is very hard to deal with this kind of problem on your own, especially when you are inexperienced. Find a trainer that specialized in this field in order to make sure your Corgis behavior will be changed for the root.
Learn More: How To Train A Corgi To Come?
Bark Collar Yes Or No?
NO, I will never support this device as a teaching method simply because, in my opinion, it is wrong. Anything that shocks, spray, and scares your dog to make him stop any type of behavior is not acceptable for me. This collar will only prevent your dog from communicating, and it won’t fix the behavior problem.
The barking collar can’t teach your Corgi what to do instead of barking; it only punishes him for barking! That is cruel! Using the bark collar can also lead to another concerning behavior, such as destructive chewing due to the stress you will put him through when placing the collar on him.
I understand the frustration that excessive barking causes, but using this device as a quick fix will only cause more troubles and some unexpected additional behavior problems. If you can’t fix the barking problem on your own, don’t hesitate and look out for professional help instead.
In Summary
It’s all about educating your dog. They are only creatures of habit, and they are driven by their primal instincts, and you have to respect that. Of course, this does not mean you should let them rule the home and act as a pack leader, some boundaries must be out in the place, but also you must tolerate some as well.
Corgis are adorable, but they are not a dog breed that matches everyone. If you do not have time for them and you have a busy work schedule and lifestyle, then this breed is not your match. If you neglect your Corgi, both of you will suffer a lot, and that is no good.
Play with them, and while you do this, teach them when to bark and when to stay quiet. Challenge them, and they will respond great to this! Remember, violence is never an answer, and it won’t do any good.
Get a Corgi, and you will never have a boring day in your life.
Read Also: How To Train A Corgi To Heel?