Pomsky Barking a lot! (How to stop)

The Pomsky is a mixed dog that can bark and howl a lot depending on how he is brought up. Pomsky barking and howling are perfectly natural phenomenons and it mostly happens as a means of communication.

Most Pomskies usually don’t bark a lot, however, some Pomskies can be prone to barking more than others, especially if they are not well socialized and trained from an early age.

There is also no way to completely stop the barking or howling but there are ways to manage how much it happens.

The first thing you need to do is understand why it may be happening excessively before finding a solution to better manage it.

Before we look at some of the ways you can stop your Pomsky from barking a lot, let us look at some of the reasons why he may be barking or howling excessively.

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Why do Pomskies bark a lot?

The Pomsky is a small-sized dog with a big personality and he can be quite vocal and yappy.

This is a mixed dog that always looks for a way to put a smile on their owner’s face and this includes trying to talk to you.

However, this dog’s vocal nature can sometimes get out of hand if the correct measures are not taken.

But before you look for measures to control the excessive barking, you will need to understand the different barking and howling triggers.

So here are some reasons for Posmky barking;

1. Barking due to boredom and loneliness

Pomskies are small-sized dogs but are also energetic and need a lot of daily exercises to keep them both mentally and physically stimulated.

These dogs get bored when their exercise requirements are not met. The boredom can also make them destructive.

Leaving your Posmky alone for extended periods can also make him bored, lonely, and anxious.

This loneliness can morph into separation anxiety which is a serious problem that can lead to hard-to-control excessive barking.

Always ensure that your Pomeranian Husky mix gets enough daily exercise and is never left alone for more than 3 hours.

2. Barking for attention

Pomskies are attention seekers and love when your focus and affection is directed to them.

They will bark if they think they are not getting enough of it such as when you are watching your tv, when you have guests around, and generally when you are home.

The biggest mistake most people make in this situation is giving the dog a treat or giving him your attention right away.

What you do not realize is that you reward the behavior and the dog will be conditioned to bark more for attention or a treat and in the future, the barking will increase.

Instead, you should totally ignore the barking Pomsky and do not even look at him or smile.

After some time the mixed dog will get quiet and after some minutes of silence, you can then pay your attention to him, and give him a treat or a toy.

3. Excitement howling

Pomskies are prone to getting overexcited and overstimulated and this can happen for several reasons.

Some of the reasons for overexcitement include;

  • When he gets a new favorite toy.
  • Hearing other dogs howl or bark.
  • Going outdoors.
  • The sound of sirens from ambulances, firefighters, and so on.
  • Meeting other dogs.
  • The anticipation of something fun.

In some of these cases, the Pomsky may tend to howl more than he will bark. An example of this would be if he hears other dogs howl or the sound of a siren.

The best way to deal with this is by removing or counteracting the stimulation to reduce overstimulation.

This can be done by interrupting the dog, mixing up cues, or most importantly through obedience training.

You may be interested in- Why dog Beagles howl. 

4. Pomsky barking due to fear

Fear is another reason why your Pomsky may be barking a lot.

This can occur if the dog encounters something that he has not in the past such as a larger dog. It can also be fear of the veterinarian and so on.

The most important thing to do in a scenario like this is to not encourage the fear or distress, socializing your dog more, show more affection to the dog in those situations, and even exposing the dog to more of the fear stimulant to let him know that everything is okay.

5. Territorial barking

Pomskies are protective dogs despite having small bodies and they can be hugely territorial.

They may not like to share what they value or even see other dogs or strangers around their homes that they perceive as dangerous.

The best thing you can do for a territorial Husky Pom mix is to give him peace, especially when he is eating, and to properly socialize him.

Socialization goes a long way in having a well-behaved Pomsky and reducing barking.

6. Discomfort

Your mixed dog can be uncomfortable for several reasons such as illness, injury, hunger, or even domestic chaos.

Usually, if your Pomsky is barking due to discomfort it is usually a continuous and low-pitched bark as if he is asking for help.

Always check for any injuries and make sure that your dog is well-fed if you hear this kind of bark.

If it persists, you should give your vet a visit.

You should also get your Pom Husky out of any chaos, violence, and disturbance and comfort him as a sign that you will always protect him to reduce emotional distress.

7. Compulsive barking

Compulsive barking mainly happens if your Pomsky loves to hear the sound of his own bark or howl.

This can happen a lot if barking for attention or any other type of barking gets out of hand.

At this point, it becomes less of a reason to bark and more of a behavioral issue and is often accompanied by frantic movements, the dog running in circles, or even running along the fence.

This can be best controlled through training and desensitization. In some cases, it is also great to seek the help of a professional.

How to stop a Pomsky from barking or howling

1. Do not encourage the barking

One way to prevent yourself from unknowingly encouraging the barking is by ignoring it in entirety unless it is due to any form of discomfort.

Ignoring the barking may seem like the wrong thing to do but Pomskies live human attention and if they fail to get it due to barking, they will be compelled to bark less.

Do not yell, smile, talk, or look at the dog.

Once he stops barking, wait for about 3 minutes of silence before turning your attention to him and rewarding him.

2. Meet your dog exercise requirements

Providing your Pomsky with enough mental and physical stimulation will tire him and reduce his urge to bark or howl.

This will also prevent him from getting bored and destructive.

Pomskies need between 30 and 45 minutes of daily stimulation and this can be met through daily walks, play sessions, and even mind games such as dog puzzles.

3. Desensitize the Pomsky from the barking stimuli

It is important to find the common barking triggers for your Pomeranian Husky mix and get him used to them. This is what desensitization is all about.

An example of this would be a Pomsky that barks every time he sees a bigger dog.

In this case, you want him to get accustomed to being close and seeing other bigger dogs without feeling threatened.

However, it is crucial to have the most distance between the two dogs in the starting stages.

Here are the steps to follow in such a situation; 

  1. Get a friend or other member of the family to stand with the strange dog out of sight or further away.
  2. He or she should move closer to you while reassuring the Pomsky by petting him or using a high-value treat.
  3. Even time the dog get closer or in the line of sight, reward your Pom Husky. Do not reward him when the strange dog is out of sight.
  4. Repeat this several times using different dogs and your mixed dog will learn to associate the stranger and bigger dogs with a reward making him more accepting.

4. Remove the barking motivation

You can remove the barking motivation by distracting your Pomsky when he about to bark or by removing the barking trigger.

If he barks at other people or vehicles outdoors, take him indoors. Similarly, if he barks while looking out of the windows, close the curtain with the aim of removing the trigger.

You can distract this dog from barking or howling using a strange noise or smell such as a dog distraction spray.

5. Train your Pomsky to stop barking

You will need high-value treats, patience, time, and consistency when training your Pomeranian Husky mix to stop barking.

The training sessions should take between 5 and 10 minutes and should be fun for the dog. You also want to find a nice quiet training spot that is free of distractions to start with.

Be firm but do not shout or punish your dog in the training process.

Training will also involve proper socialization by introducing him to different environments, people, and animals.

This will involve first training the dog to bark on command and then training him to be quiet on command.

Training your Pomsky to bark on command

  1. Find the trigger that prompts your Pomsky to bark or howl whether it is the doorbell ringing, a knock at the door, or anything else.
  2. Let him bark before saying the “bark” command.
  3. Wait for him to stop barking and reward him. Repeat this several times.
  4. Say the “bark” command but do not introduce the barking trigger this time. Reward him every time he barks after the command. Repeat several times.
  5. To this in different environments and using different triggers until he is able to bark on command with ease.

Train the dog to be “quiet” on command

  1. Get your Pom Husky mix to bark on command and reward him once he stops barking.
  2. As he eats the treat, introduce the “quiet” command using a firm voice.
  3. Hold the dog’s chin and get him to look at you until he is done enjoying the treat that you gave to him before repeating the “quiet” command once more.
  4. Wait for a minute or two and if he stays silent throughout reward him again letting him know that his silence is a big deal by making a fuss out of it.
  5. Repeat this several times.
  6. Use the bark command again to get your Pomsky to bark but this time do not reward him but interrupt him as he barks using the “quiet” command. Reward him several seconds after he stops barking.
  7. Repeat this process and interrupt him every time he barks and reward him every time he stops.

By the end of this, the dog should be able to bark and stop barking on command.

However, you should keep in mind that this will take time usually several days, and will not be a one-day process.

My final take

In most instances, your Pomsky will always have a reason for barking and there are different ways you can deal with each of the reasons.

However, you should keep in mind that barking is a natural process and a means of communication and there is not much you can do to stop your Pomsky from barking or howling completely.

-So did you find this barking guide helpful? You can share our feedback and thoughts with us in the comment section below.

There you go, WOOF!