Barking Dogs – Causes and Solutions
Dogs bark. Sometimes it has a clear purpose, while other times it can feel incessant and without direction. The latter is not ideal for the well-being of the dog, yourself, the neighborhood, or the overall perception of dogs. In this article, we will delve into the causes of excessive barking and discuss effective strategies to address this issue if it becomes problematic.
How dogs use barking to communicate
There is a distinction between polite conversation, barking as a means of communication or signaling to peers, marking the presence of intruders or found prey, or using it as a way to herd livestock. Dogs bark for various reasons and in different ways. Each bark has a unique sound and intonation that, together with the dog's body language, conveys its purpose.·Most dogs bark within a normal range. We can easily understand the motivation behind their vocalization and choose whether to respond to it or avoid reinforcing it by perhaps ignoring it or removing the dog from the situation.
Barking as a sign of stress and its causes
Sometimes dogs get fixated. They bark excessively, overreacting to the slightest thing, barking into thin air persistently, and remaining unresponsive to our displayed disapproval of the cacophony. As usual, we want to identify the cause before attempting to change the behavior. The driving forces behind this behavior can be diverse. It may stem from understimulation in a dog that has more energy than it can expend in a constructive manner. Another cause is overstimulation. In this case, the dog has too much going on or receives the wrong type of stimulation, usually overexciting activities such as fetching sticks or balls thrown repeatedly, intense play, or a stressful daily life in general. In both cases, the dog carries frustration, and barking becomes a symptom of an unhealthy living situation. To understand and manage your dog's behavior, you can read about stress in dogs: considerations and solutions.
Genetic factors behind barking and coping strategies
Verbal tendencies can be breed-specific, as certain breeds have been selectively bred for barking as a means of alarm, guarding, herding, or hunting. These dogs tend to be more vocal, and we need to understand and accommodate that. However, excessive barking that becomes unmanageable depends on circumstances, the dog's well-being, and the environment. A dog that is allowed to work and use her/his bark for its intended purpose often has an easier time being quiet in other situations. She/he is well-stimulated and has an outlet for her/his inherent drive to bark. This is often crucial for breeds that are prone to barking.
Loneliness and barking: causes and solutions
Severe cases of excessive barking occur when dogs are left alone at home or in a dog yard and bark as a stress outlet because they have been left alone without adequate training. These dogs suffer greatly as they are social pack animals. Dogs can be left alone, but they need to be trained to cope with an unnatural situation. If you want to learn more about this, have a look at Separation problems in dogs: causes and solutions.
Learned barking: how we unconsciously reinforce the behavior
Barking tendencies increase significantly when barking is reinforced or rewarded in any way. This can involve the dog receiving attention (both positive and negative), attempting to quiet her/him down with treats/play/toys, opening a gate/door while the dog is barking, or chasing the dog around in an attempt to make her/him quiet, and so on.Excessive barking is a very common "learned" problem behavior. Owners often find it challenging to ignore and extinguish the behavior. Alternatively, they themselfs may also bark at the barking dog, hoping to quiet her/him down. But in reality, the attention reinforces the barking or triggers an escalated state. The more frustration we cause the dog, the more likely she/he is to become even more bark-prone.
Strategies for barking with the cause in mind:
1. Balancing under-stimulated and over-stimulated dogs
An understimulated or overstimulated dog needs an adequate outlet first and foremost. Provide varied physical and mental activities such as varied terrain exercise, a few tracking sessions per week, or new training tasks that are appropriate for the breed and individual dog.
2. Stress reduction measures for barking dogs
Then, utilize stress-reducing measures such as appropriate dietary supplements (containing magnesium, B-vitamins, tryptophan) and daily tactile massage to help the dog calm down. When the dog barks, consider it as a stress outlet and bring your dog close to you. Stay calm yourself, gently massage the dog, and speak soothingly. Address the frustration in the moment, but also ensure that the dog receives proper stimulation every day, not just sporadically.
3. Managing and rewarding alertness in dogs
If the dog barks to alert, work with your dog instead of against her/him. Praise and reward the barking; 5-6 barks can be a good limit, then interrupt with a phrase like "thank you, I've got it now" and reward with a tasty treat you toss in a room away from the hallway. Then, go out yourself and investigate while leaving the dog behind. This way, you appreciate the alarm barking and establish a routine where you can interrupt the dog's barking and take over the guarding. For dogs that don't bark to alert but bark with the intention to scare away intruders, they may need more protection from you in these situations. Step in between, take charge of the encounter, and reward the dog for staying behind you instead of letting her/him stand in front, at the end of the leash barking at the encounter. Try counterconditioning and BAT (behavioral adjustment training), very effective methods.
4. Hunting dogs and the need for hunting as a stimulus
A dog with a strong drive for hunting needs to engage in these activities. During the offseason, they need equivalent outlets. There isn't much more to say about it; some breeds should not be subjected to unrealistic expectations. Asking a hunting dog to live in an urban environment and handle it silently is not a realistic goal.
5. Dealing with loneliness problems and barking
A dog with separation anxiety or isolation distress needs assistance from a qualified, preferably certified, dog psychologist, as practical individualized guidance is the only effective measure. Take your dog's loud opposition to being alone seriously; there is underlying distress behind the behavior.
6. avoid reinforcing barking behavior
If we have unwittingly reinforced the barking, it is important that we become aware of our own actions and reactions to the barking. Do we startle, look at the dog, bark back, yank on the leash, distract with treats, or try to silence the dog through various means? In that case, we need to stop these behaviors. We should not ignore the barking without understanding the underlying causes, but we can stop reinforcing it and observe how the propensity for barking is affected. If your response has become a habit, put up post-it notes to remind yourself not to reinforce your dog's barking.Also, be sure to reinforce the opposite behavior; praise and reward your dog when they are quiet. This way, you draw your dog's attention to your appreciation of their silence. It can work wonders.
Practicing a silent signal and when to seek help
Some chronic barkers benefit from training bark on cue, and then practicing the "quiet" cue that can be used in everyday situations. If this is attempted without satisfactory results, contact a reputable dog psychologist for a assessment. There may be an underlying cause behind the barking that is important to investigate for the well-being of the dog.
Written by: Caroline Alupo
Caroline Alupo is Petli's co-founder. She has a master's degree in ethology and is also a trained dog trainer and dog psychologist. She has 19 years of experience as a professional dog trainer. Read more about Caroline here.
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