Maybe your dog is trying to give you a command! And if you are responding in any way to your dog's vocalizations by speaking, looking or scolding, you might be "obeying"! When you respond to your dog's inappropriate barking, you are reinforcing his behavior, whether you like it or not. Barking back at owners can be a challenging behavior or a playful one. Typically, more dominant "back talk" is aggressive-sounding, with a loud, sharp tone accompanied by direct, challenging eye contact. More playful vocalization has a softer tone (such as the "woo, woo, woo" my dog uses when she is trying to engage one of us or one of the other dogs in play) and may be accompanied by submissive body signals, such as a lowered head, an extremely waggy tail/body or play-bow posturing.

I suggest you examine your overall relationship with the dog to try spotting areas in which you might be allowing him to do more controlling of you than the other way around. Establish and consistently reinforce general rules for good behavior; some ideas include requiring your dog to sit before being allowed to go outside or before being released to his dog food bowl and only petting him when he is sitting or lying down. Taking him outside when you suggest, rather than when he demands, will help reinforce your role as "leader" further. This will help him not only be more respectful but more secure as well! Dogs that have structured lives are less likely to demonstrate problem behaviors.

Finally, consider taking control of his barking-back behavior by turning the tables and turning it into a trick. Each time he barks at you for the next several days, look directly at him and say "Right?" Only say it once, and then immediately look away. Once he finally barks himself out, name his silence "Quiet" and positively reinforce with praise, petting or whatever you think he would most appreciate at that moment. Be sure not to try to prompt him to bark for several days; you are following his behavior with your cue, so the word becomes consistently synonymous with the now-desired barking behavior. He also is learning silence is very positive, and you will notice he barks only once or twice, then stops to see if he is going to get a positive response from you for his silence.

Be sure when reinforcing the bark to look at him only a second, as you say "Right?" and then do not acknowledge him again until he is quiet, no matter how persistently he barks. After several days of reinforcing both his barking and his silence, try the prompt; ask him "Right?" and see if he "replies." If he barks, quickly say "Good!" and then immediately break eye contact and wait for the silence, which you of course name "Quiet" and positively reinforce, regardless of how long you had to wait for it.

From this point forward only respond to barks you prompt; if he starts up spontaneously, totally ignore him. You should notice less of the impulsive "naughty" barking as he has been redirected into earning positive attention from you with his favorite trick. Now when you make a statement you can turn to your dog and ask his opinion, questioning "Right?" He'll let you know he agrees with positive feedback rather than back talk!

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• Aggression

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