{"id":15950,"date":"2016-09-16T13:58:59","date_gmt":"2016-09-16T12:58:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelabradorsite.com\/?p=15950"},"modified":"2023-10-12T15:16:56","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T14:16:56","slug":"why-do-dogs-bark-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelabradorsite.com\/why-do-dogs-bark-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Does My Dog Bark So Much – And What Do Barks Mean?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Why Does My Dog Bark So Much we dig down into the origins of barking and find out what dogs are telling us. <\/em><\/p>\n

We know that dogs are descended from wolves and that wolves don’t bark. So why do dogs bark?<\/p>\n

Is it a way of communicating with the people that they live with? Or is there some other reason<\/p>\n

Let’s find out.<\/p>\n

A number of different types of bark have been identified, and dogs reliably use specific types of bark in specific situations.<\/p>\n

The ancestors of our dogs didn’t bark. Barking developed during the long period of association with humans after the first dogs became domesticated.<\/p>\n

Why Do Dogs Bark?<\/h2>\n

So it seems reasonable to assume that barking in dogs, has developed as a means of communicating with their human friends.<\/p>\n

But dogs also use barking to communicate with one another.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at the contexts in which your dog is barking, and what dogs might be trying to tell us in these different situations.<\/p>\n

Dogs have other ways to make their feelings known, such as body language and eye contact.<\/p>\n

However, many people are better at interpreting their dog’s noises, than his more subtle body language signals<\/p>\n

So for many dogs, barking is often the only way that they can make their presence felt.<\/p>\n

Why do dogs bark too much?<\/h2>\n

Some dogs bark more than others. And in some dogs, barking can become a real nuisance.<\/p>\n

This can be because the barking has been accidentally rewarded in the past.<\/p>\n

\"WhyOr it can simply be because the dog has a genetic predisposition to being particularly vocal.<\/p>\n

Dog Bark Translator<\/h2>\n

Understanding why dogs bark is half the battle to stopping them. Let’s take a closer look at that.<\/p>\n

It isn’t always easy to work out why your dog is barking. So you can consider the next section of this article your Dog Bark Translator!<\/p>\n

We will be looking into the situations in which your dog barks and helping you to discover the reasons why. \u00a0Further down you’ll also find a video of different types of barks and what they mean.<\/p>\n

Dog Barking At Night<\/h2>\n

When you bring home a new puppy or dog, you can expect that he might bark at night for the first few nights.<\/p>\n

Your new puppy will be lonely, confused and won\u2019t know what to expect. However, this kind of noise normally rapidly reduces when the new pup settles in.<\/p>\n

But what do you do if your previously quiet dog starts barking at night?<\/p>\n

Try to narrow down the possible reasons.<\/p>\n

Early Waking<\/strong><\/p>\n

If your dog is barking early in the morning, rather than in the middle of the night, then it can be simply as a result of early waking.<\/p>\n

Because he\u2019s bored or ready for breakfast, so he will bark for attention.<\/p>\n

There is some great advice on dealing with this issue here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Barking At Night<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dogs barking at night, truly in the middle of the night or shortly after they have been settled to bed, usually have one of two motivations.<\/p>\n

They may be barking to alert you to something that is causing them concern.<\/p>\n

Wild animals sniffing around in the back yard, or neighbors returning late from work are common causes of this.<\/p>\n

Setting up a webcam will help you to work out whether there is a definable cause of the barking, so that you can work past it.<\/p>\n

It could also be as a result of a temporary urinary infection causing them to need the toilet, or having become older the dog is unable to hold their bladder.<\/p>\n

\"old\"<\/p>\n

Do rule out veterinary issues with a quick check-up.<\/p>\n

Neighbor’s Dog Barking<\/h2>\n

It can be incredibly frustrating to have a neighbor with a very barky dog. As it happens, my next door neighbor has a particularly vocal dog.<\/p>\n

I simply need to say \u201cIt\u2019s only me\u201d to him for him to stop if I\u2019m in the garden. But not everyone is this lucky.<\/p>\n

If you are on good terms with your neighbour, then go over in person and ask whether there is something you can do to help resolve the issue.<\/p>\n

For example, getting to know the dog so that he doesn\u2019t feel threatened when you are in your back yard.<\/p>\n

Or asking them to try the Click for Quiet technique<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Try to remain very calm and friendly throughout the discussion, rather than complaining about the past irritation see if you can work with them to a resolution that keeps you both happy and their dog from disturbing the peace.<\/p>\n

In many cases your neighbor will be just as fed-up the noise as you are. And may be glad of some help in resolving it.<\/p>\n

Why Does My Dog Bark At Me?<\/h2>\n

If your dog is barking at you<\/em>, then they want to communicate something to you.<\/p>\n

Many owners unwittingly encourage barking from the day their puppy<\/a> comes home. The puppy barked, you responded in the way they wanted, and therefore accidentally reinforced the behavior.<\/p>\n

If barking works, then the puppy will bark more.<\/p>\n

Barking For Attention<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some dogs bark at you when they want your attention. Here are some common things that your dog might want from you:<\/p>\n