Owners make a classic mistake when trying to get their dogs to stop barking, an expert warns. Dogs can start getting vocal for various reasons, including expressing excitement, boredom, frustration, or even fear.

Sometimes owners get frustrated themselves and find themselves shouting "quiet!" in a bid to simmer their pet down. But Renee, founder of Paws Academy Dog Training, urges dog lovers to try a different approach for a key reason.

In a video on TikTok, the dog lover says: "You're not going to like this, but shouting 'quiet' while your dog is barking is probably making it so much worse, and not better.

"It feels like you're helping, but what you're actually reinforcing is the problem".

She explains that "when you bark back" with "quiet" or "stop", "all your dog hears is more noise, more energy, more tension".

The dog thinks you're joining in rather than seeking to calm them down.

Renee says saying "quiet" while they're barking teaches them that "quiet means keep barking".

"You're creating an association between the word and the wrong behaviour," confusing the poor pup.

When she's helping clients, she first figures out what's causing the dog to bark, so you're aware of what they're responding to.

In this case you can try redirecting the dog to another part of the house if needed, or creating distance from a trigger.

You can also take them for a walk or "help them settle structure and predicatability if they're potentially overstimulated".

And while it may feel instinctive to lay down the law by raising your voice, the key is actually to be "smarter about the cause" rather than louder.