Aside from communication, dogs also use barking as their way to attract attention and a relief from boredom or stress.
Depending on their breed, your dog may be a barker more than the other dog breeds.
Terriers, Beagles and other herding breeds bark more than others.
However, too much barking may cause irritating disturbances to the owners and neighbors as well.
The best way to control barking is to first know the reason for it.
Dogs would usually bark excessively when they are anxious.
Calm your dog down, and help them relax.
Commands that will make them sit or lie down will help in keeping them from barking.
If you think shouting will help eliminate excessive barking of your dog, think again.
This may even increase barking as your dog might think that you are barking too.
Use simple command words like "stop" and make sure to use say it in the same calm way every time.
This will take time to illicit to your dog, so it is important to keep your cool as you train your canine friend for this.
Like any other training, reward your dog with small treats and a pat on the back.
Have a consistent training everyday for ten or fifteen minutes.
If you still find it difficult to control your dog's excessive barking behavior, there are animal trainers that can help you out.
You may also visit the veterinarian for advice and tips.
Excessive barking may also be an indication of a health problem.
There are also bark control devices available in the market.
Attaching one of these on your dog's collar makes it give off either an irritating high-pitched sound only audible to dogs, or one that may give off a slight shock when your dog barks.
However, prior to using any of these, exhaust all training options to avoid discomfort to your dog.