“Hey, why do my doggie bark so much?” Pet parents sometimes might get worried when their canine friends bark excessively. Here are some reasons why dogs bark so much and how to stop dogs from barking too much.
Table of contents
- Why Do My Dogs Bark So Much? How To Stop Dogs From Barking Too Much?
- Reason 1: To Protect Their Territory
- Reason 2: To Express Distress Or Anxiety When Being Left Alone
- Reason 3: To Express Pain Or Health Problems
- Reason 4: To Get Attention And Communicate
- Reason 5: To Express Fear
- Does Your Dog Like to Bark?
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Why Do My Dogs Bark So Much? How To Stop Dogs From Barking Too Much?
No one could expect a pup to not bark – it’s the nature of our canine friends after all! Barking is a vocal communication for dogs. Often, a dog’s bark can have different meanings and depend on the situation.
Reason 1: To Protect Their Territory
The reason for dogs to bark could be a form of communication with other canines around. They feel possessive of their area and wanted to show their presence in that area. A dog’s territory could range from their home, their yard, or even their bed.
A dog will also bark at strangers or passing people to protect their territory, and even louder if other people come closer. If a dog only barks at this situation, this is likely the cause.
How To Stop Territorial Barking?
It’s a dog’s nature to be protective of its territory. A veterinary behaviorist shares how to get your dog to stop territorial barking.
A simpler kind of training would be:
- Let your dog sit with you at the window to watch for passing people and dogs.
- Wait until it barks.
- When it barks, say “Quiet” in a friendly voice.
- When it stops barking, praise your dog immediately and give it a food reward.
If it still barking non-stop, you should take it away from the window. When it turns quiet, praise and reward it. You might repeat this simple training a few times.
Reason 2: To Express Distress Or Anxiety When Being Left Alone
How many times have you heard a dog bark so much when its owners aren’t home? A dog barks to express their anxiety or distress when being left alone or separated from its owner. It seems to bark just to hear its own sound – this is known as a compulsive barker.
In addition to repetitive barking, a dog in distress will exhibit other symptoms such as scratching the furniture or walls, running in a circle or along the fence, and could also making mournful howlings.
How To Stop Separation Anxiety Barking?
A dog’s mental health is as important as a dog’s physical health. The longer a dog does something, the more ingrained it becomes. You can leave some “activities” to keep your dog occupied before you leave the house.
For instance, give it a safe chew toy to accompany it. Aside from this, a Kong Toy could be a good choice to get your dog busy when it is alone. If your dog still barks so much, you should seek advice from an accredited behaviorist, like a Kennel Club Accredited Instructor to help your dog get through the separation anxiety problem.
Reason 3: To Express Pain Or Health Problems
If there’s a sudden change in your dog’s behavior, you might need to be alert. Some medical problems might cause excessive barking in dogs, your dog barking to express its pain, or some injuries.
A bee sting could be normal to cause a dog to bark so much, and regularly the wound of a bee sting is too small to be noticed by a dog’s owner. Other than that, an aging dog with muscle and joint aches could bark excessively too.
How To Stop Health Problem Related Barking?
Dogs naturally want to hide their pain when they are ill. Showing lethargy and growling too much might be symptoms for dogs in unwell conditions. You could observe your dog’s daily behavior to identify any abnormalities.
Contact your vet to ensure that your pup is healthy before attempting to correct the excessive barking behavior in any other way.
Reason 4: To Get Attention And Communicate
When a dog barks too much, it may want your attention, just like it does when it howls. Sometimes a dog knows what is best to get the owner’s attention when howling or crying doesn’t work. Dogs often bark when they want something, such as playing or getting a treat.
How To Stop Attention Seeking Barking?
A tired dog is a quiet dog. Your canine friend barks excessively in a mode of excitement or attention-seeking is quite normal. You could just tire it out by taking it on long walks, running on the beach, playing with toys, or even running in a dog’s park.
Reason 5: To Express Fear
Sometimes, a dog barks in response to high-pitched sounds—such as thunder and fireworks. This is because our canine friend has an acute sense of hearing which can even pick up on frequencies inaudible to humans.
A dog will get scared and respond to these sounds by making growls. This can happen anywhere, not just in their own territory. A dog might also bark when someone or noises frighten it. You will notice your dog’s ears will be back and tail tucked when it barks to reflect fear.
How To Stop Fear Related Barking?
Fear will develop a phobia in dogs, and if this problem continues, your dog will be in distress. Don’t allow problems to go on and on. Remove the source of fear in your dog, for example, get it away from the objects that frighten it or teach your dog to not be afraid of it.
Dealing with a fearful pup that barks excessively needs patience and time. Make sure you’re not encouraging the fear by yelling or punishing the pup which barks in fear. Comfort your dog by hugging it or swaddling your dog with products like Thunder Shirts can work well.
Does Your Dog Like to Bark?
Excessive barks should be getting immediate attention from pet parents. This can give our canine friends an adrenaline rush, which makes barking pleasant. And if you don’t stop it, a dog might eventually get more aggressive in those situations. Be patient and consistent in training your dogs.
Never use any means of constraint to keep a dog quiet for long periods because it might be harmful to your dog. Instead, you can try some ideas“How to Turn Off Your Dog’s ‘Barking Switch’ Without Gimmicks, Gadgets, or Punishment in 7 Days or Less.
Read More
Want to improve your dog’s Intelligence And Behavior? Try High Quality Dog Training Course by Brain Training 4 Dogs. Features 21 games plus Easy Instructions for training obedience commands!
Read More:
