Since consequences drive behavior, is it worthwhile to take a few moments over the course of a week or so and observe your dog and what circumstances cause him to bark. Recording what causes the barking to start and how long it takes for him to stop is useful if you want to curb a problem barker. Knowing that it normally takes your dog 10 minutes to stop barking after the doorbell rings gives a baseline for barking.

While we are implementing a training program to stop the barking, we want to know if the dog is barking for less time as we progress with the training. If the amount of time it takes the dog to stop barking is not getting shorter, it's time to change the plan. Having a baseline helps the trainer break the solution down into small increments and set reasonable goals. A dog that has been barking all its life isn't likely to cease barking forever no matter how much training we do. A more reasonable goal with a dog like this is to have the dog quit barking in a shorter amount of time.

After careful observation, you may find that your dog's barking is caused by just one or two things that happen during the day, like the doorbell ringing and the garbage truck going by. With this information, you can better formulate a training plan to desensitize him to the sound or sight of a barking trigger or train him to do a behavior he couldn't possibly do while barking, such as retrieving a toy or performing a trick. Train him to perform the incompatible behavior when the stimulus (the doorbell or garbage truck) happens.

Barking is usually an emotional thing for dogs. Many dogs bark out of loneliness or frustration, some bark because they want attention or are frightened, and some bark because they like to hear their own voices. Knowing the motivation for barking will help you come up with a creative solution that will make your house a much more quiet and peaceful escape from the world.