Is it OK to Teach a Dog Not to Bark

Is it OK to stop a dog from barking. My friend wants to know. the dog will bark at everything Kids playing or on bicycle...other dogs barking....cats...and shes gotten him to bark lightly instead of loud when he wants back in.She said He'll bark All the time if I let him...inside or outside...especially at noises. She tells him sharply don't bark then pets him and does light little yips, and says whisper. He is yipping about half of his barking time. But also, he is whining. Is that like he's crying because he can't bark. The dog is about 5 years old.

 

Yes it is perfectly ok to teach a dog not to bark at inappropriate times. The main concern I have here is that you do want him to bark when it is a threatening situation.

Dogs who bark often, are needing attention, and this is one way they get that attention. If the dog is alone for a large part of the day, this can easily be remedied by more time spent in activities with the dog, rather than just being *around* him.

You really don't give enough information about what sort of situation daily the dog is in. Is he crated, left alone for long periods, or out in the yard for most of the day?

With more info, it would be easier to pin down suggestions for training methods that would be suitable to the situation.