There is a slight misconception when it comes to Cavapoos. Known for their cute and cuddly nature, owners are often surprised to find that they are actually quite vocal. We live on a busy street and our Cavapoo Rosie loves to sit by the gate, barking hello to everyone who wanders by. Adorable maybe, annoying definitely!
Cavapoos bark in order to get our attention, and tend to vocalize when they are stressed, lonely, or anxious. Like most dogs, Cavapoos bark to alert their owners to certain situations, but with some simple training, you can help your dog to bark less.
Relatively small in stature, Cavapoos are big in personality so it should come as no surprise to hear that they enjoy demonstrating their emotions, such as being happy, sad, and excited, by barking. Although Cavapoos are not considered to be excessive yappers, their barking may need to be bought under control with some effective training techniques. Below we explain more.
Why do Cavapoos bark?
A constantly barking dog can leave you feeling embarrassed, frustrated, lost, helpless and even confused. Whether it is inside the home, on walks or in the car; because the postman is walking up the drive, another dog is wandering by or your dog is feeling frustrated; living with a vocal Cavapoo can be stressful.
But, if you can understand why your dog is barking then you should be able to figure out how to help them cope. The main reasons Cavapoos bark are due to:
- Attention seeking. Cavapoos are people pleasers and want to know that they have constantly captured your interest. This could be for a cuddle or to let you know that they need a walk or the toilet, so try not to completely dismiss a bark – instead, try and figure out the cause behind it.
- Separation Anxiety. Like most dogs, Cavapoos crave company. Dog walkers or sitters can help provide some company for your dog for when you are not around and but you should train your Cavapoo so that they get used to being left alone.
- Defensive or territorial behavior. This could be someone walking to your door or an invasion of pigeons in your garden, but if your Cavapoo thinks you are in danger then they will call out.
- Frustration. Dogs get frustrated for all types of reasons, from not being able to get something that they want or if a toy has fallen out of reach. Understanding why your Cavapoo is frustrated can ultimately help with the remedy.
- Social barking. If you have ever watched Lady and The Tramp, then you will know that barking is a form of communication for dogs. And once one dog starts, it can have a ripple effect, setting street after street of dogs off barking.
- A slight change in routine, emotions or lifestyle can put your dog on edge. With the current COVID situation, there is a lot of uncertainty and change which may have resulted in your dog socializing less, having you home more or being unable to visit their favorite places.
Over time you will come to learn and know what triggers your dog to bark. Observation and monitoring can be a highly effective way of learning when and why your Cavapoo barks.
How to stop your Cavapoo from barking
You may be a Cavapoo owner with a dog that seldom barks and are reading this post wondering what on earth we are going on about. Alternatively, you may have had a quiet Cavapoo puppy that has suddenly grown up to become a barker or had a very vocal dog from the start.
Every dog is different, even if they are the same breed. Therefore it is important that you understand when and why the barking starts.
The odd bark to alert you of something is absolutely normal, but if your Cavapoo barks incessantly then you will need to implement some training techniques. Especially if you have neighbours close by.
The sooner you can solve the barking issue the better, as like most methods, the earlier you implement them, the more effective they will be. Cavapoos especially catch on quickly, as they are highly intelligent dogs that love to learn.
How to train your Cavapoo to stop barking
The minute dog’s bark, we tend to shout out for them to stop. But fighting noise with noise will not work, in fact, it may just cause even more frustration.
Whereas with most forms of Cavapoo training, we provide plenty of positive praise and reward for our dogs, when it comes to barking, we almost want to do the opposite by ignoring this behavior altogether.
If the barking persists then you should distract them using toys or games or try moving them to another area of the house. This should help them forget why they were barking in the first place.
Another method is to purchase a bark deterrent. There are a number of excellent options such as the MODUS Ultrasonic which fastens to your wrist and can be used to intervene and grab your dog’s attention. If you use this frequently enough then they will learn to stop barking whenever the event occurs.
Like all good training methods, persistency will eventually pay off as long as you remain consistent.
Teaching your dog to bark on command
The perfect solution for any dog owner is the ability to teach their Cavapoo to bark on command. This way, you know that the sound of your dog’s bark is alerting you to something (or someone) that requires your attention.
In order to do this, you need to teach your dog a codeword for when they are allowed to bark. For example ‘Speak’ always works well. By using positive reinforcement in the form of treats you can, over time, get them to ‘speak’ when the doorbell rings or if they need to toilet.
But remember, if you are teaching your Cavapoo how to ‘speak’ you will also need to teach them when to be ‘quiet’ so that you are in complete control of their barking.
Conclusion
My parents have a Cockapoo that is incredibly yappy. One of the many reasons we chose a Cavapoo was for their calmer temperament. And whilst Rosie is incredibly sweet, playful, energetic and smart, like the rest of our household, she can be loud! Barking for us is only a problem when she sits by the gate and, with a house move imminent to a much quieter street, we are hoping her barking will be a thing of the past (especially if we want to get on with our new neighbours!!).