Train Without Pain Resource Library

Why Do Dogs Bark?

Dogs bark for a variety of reasons including alerting the pack to an intruder, excitement over a hunt, loneliness, anxiety, fear and fun. Some breeds of dogs were developed to be guard dogs or alert barkers. These dogs are more sensitive to sounds or intruders and will often “bark first and ask questions later.” In addition, barking is a self-reinforcing behavior. At least we think it is but the dogs can’t tell us for sure. Some dogs simply enjoy “talking.” Hoping the behavior will go away on its own will likely fail. Yelling at your dog for barking simply teaches him that you can bark, too. You cannot and should not stop a dog from barking entirely. But there are ways to shorten the length of  their barking session.

How do you modify the behavior?

Evaluate the situation: The first thing to do is to evaluate the situation(s) that cause your dog to bark. Once you have determined the reason for the barking, you will know how best to address it. The main reasons are:

• Alert barking: Dog barks to let you know he has seen or heard something out of the ordinary.
• Defensive barking: Dog barks to make something he is afraid of or doesn’t like to go away.
• Attention barking: Dog wants attention.
• Frustration barking: Dog is confused, frustrated or stressed.
• Boredom barking: Dog bark due to loneliness.

Alert Barking:

Training the “Quiet” Cue: When your dog barks and you are home: Go out to him and find out what is causing him to bark – the trigger. Praise his alertness and call him to join you back in the house. Reward him for coming and label the behavior as “Quiet.” Cue him to do something else or go to an alternate space to prevent a recurrence. If he alerts again, do the same thing and cue “Quiet” after a few barks. Be prepared to do as many repetitions as required to reduce the length of the barking session.

Eliminating the Trigger: Of course, eliminating the trigger altogether may be an option to consider. If he barks at people or animals passing by the living room window, manage his behavior by closing the curtains or putting him in another room. If he barks at passersby when in the yard, bring him into the house. Never leave your dog outside unsupervised all day or night. Cover up sporadic noise with a white noise machine, radio or television.

Desensitization to the Trigger: Desensitize your dog by gradually getting him accustomed to whatever is causing him to bark. Start with the trigger at a distance or at a low sound level. It must be far enough away or at such a low sound level that he doesn’t bark when it is first detected. Feed him good treats and praise calm behavior. Move the stimulus a little closer or increase the sound level. You want your dog to learn that the presence of the stimulus leads to good things (treats!).

Boredom Barking:

Make sure your dog is getting sufficient physical and mental exercise every day. A tired dog is a good dog and one who is less likely to bark from boredom or frustration. Depending on his breed, age and health, your dog may require several long walks as well as a good game of chasing the ball and playing with some interactive toys every day.

When you leave your dog alone (after a good game of fetch), leave him with a stuffed Kong or hide treats around the house for him to discover. These will engage him and reduce the chance of boredom barking.

Barking in Class:

Most dogs will occasionally bark in a group class setting. Redirect your dog by cuing a “Find it” or “Touch” or give him an appropriate chew item. Providing a visual barrier between a barking dog and the rest of the class will often help reduce the barking caused by seeing other dogs. But if your dog can still not be quieted after a few sessions, then he may be under too much stress in that environment. Not all dogs do well in class settings and private one-on-one sessions are more appropriate.

Defensive Barking:

Move your dog away from the object of which he is afraid. He is barking to make “it” go away. Your action tells him that you have the situation handled and he doesn’t need to worry. Consider adding the steps for Desensitization to the Trigger method above to your training routine.

Attention Barking:

When your dog barks at you for attention, it is often an escalation of his previous efforts to connect with you. If you provide very brief bits of attention to your dog each time he seeks it, it’s unlikely the escalation to barking will occur.

Frustration Barking:

If your dog barks when he is on leash, it is most likely frustration barking. Cue an alternative behavior such as “Find it” or “Touch” and move away from the object of frustration. Removing your dog from the environment will eliminate the cause of the stress.