Speak And Hush

Dogs often respond to the sound of barking by issuing their own woofs. The same is true of howling. When they hear howling or sirens or other high-pitched sounds, many dogs try to sing along. Encouraging your dog to bark or howl, following your example, probably won’t be difficult. Some breeds such as the Siberian Husky, Beagle, or Samoyed are known for being “talkers” and will be relatively easy to teach. However, other breeds such as the Basenji which are known for “not barking” will be impossible to teach. It will be important before beginning to teach this behavior that you know your dog.
Have some treats ready that both you and your dog can eat. Cheese, meat, or cereal should work. Look at your dog and say, “Speak,” then make a barking sound and pop a treat into your mouth. Swallow, repeat your verbal cue, and bark. After some repetitions, your dog will make some sound – a whine, huff, or woof. Any sound counts. Click or say, “Yes!” and give her a treat. When she catches on, she’ll bark when you say “Speak” and not wait for you to bark.

Once you get her barking or howling, then say, “Hush” or “Cut!” and toss a small handful of treats in her direction so they hit the floor and scatter. She’ll stop what she’s doing and eat the treats. When you notice she’s stopping as soon as she hears you cue, quit throwing treats on the floor and just hand them to her Once she’s learned this trick, you can also use it to quiet her when she’s barking or howling on her own. _September Mom