Why is my dog a barking dog?

Babies cry and dogs bark. Babies cry when they are hungry, sad, bored, lonely, need to be changed, sick and so on. A dog and its bark are no different. Dogs bark when they are ready to eat, need to go outside, want a treat, are not feeling well, and when they are lonely. Learning to decipher what the barking means can take some time, but once you interact with your dog for a while, you will begin to develop an understanding of what your dogs bark is trying to tell you.

Barking for No Reason- is not a reason for barking. Dogs do not bark for “no reason”. The barking behavior may seem directed at nothing but this is not the case. When your dog barks, run through the many messages it may be trying to tell you. Is the dog hurt, hungry, ready to go for a walk, announcing a visitor, or intruder? If your dog is barking at seemingly nothing, there may be a psychological or medical health reason for the barking, and you will want make an appointment have your dog seen by your vet.

Non-Stop Barking – remember your dog barks for a reason. Study the dog’s behaviors and try to uncover the meaning of the message in the bark. Often, if the dog notices you are watching it will try to point with their nose and continue to bark at what they are concerned with. Barking non-stop means that there is a need not being met.

Barking When Disciplined – it seems like some dogs bark after being disciplined, like a teen talking back to a parent. Not all dogs do this, but if yours does, you have a “sass pot”. If after being corrected i.e. to be quiet, sit, stay or to stop chewing on something your dog barks or makes another noise, it is their way of being defiant toward you. This is a sign your dog is in need of a refresher on who is the boss or alpha in order to stop the defiant behavior.

Understanding the reason for your dog’s bark is necessary in order to correct the behavior. Some barking requires meeting easy needs like providing food, water, or simply a visit outside. However, other reasons for barking behavior may be the result of separation anxiety, fear, or dominance issues, which require more attention and specific training to prevent the barking to progress to aggression or destructive behavior. Remember every bark has purpose and meaning.