Why Dogs Bark and How to Stop Your Dog From Barking

You can have a very good and obedient dog, which, however, has moments when it barks uncontrollably and you don't know what else to do to stop it.

Many veterinarians are asked by their owners what to do to calm their quadruped, but there is no simple answer or universal solution, but it all has to do with the causes behind the barking.

Find out further why dogs bark and how to stop your dog barking so that you and your neighbors can rest in peace!

Why is the dog barking?

As with any behavioral problem in animals, the solution is to understand why they manifest in a certain way.

In general, this means having an understanding of the dog's personality and following the possible triggers of barking. Without finding the cause, you will not be able to solve the problem in the long run.

Barking is a natural canine behavior, but domestic dogs bark more than their relatives, wolves. This detail suggests that barking has been seen as a desirable trait for centuries, for which dogs have been sought after.

And if you think about it, it makes perfect sense, because dogs have been and are used to guarding properties and "sounding the alarm."

Sometimes the owners may encourage the territorial barking without realizing it. Here is an example: the dog barks at the arrival of the guests (who, in his vision, are intruders), and the owner raises his voice on all fours and runs to the door to open it.

The dog perceives this answer as an approval, because in his eyes the master does not scold him, but joins in similar behavior (loud voice is associated with barking).

Even strangers can encourage the barking of the dog without this intention. For example, when the postman comes and your four-legged friend starts barking, he leaves the envelope in the mailbox and leaves.

The dog, however, understands that, due to his barking, the enemy has left, which means that he has done his job well to guard the territory.

Dogs often bark for attention, so to wake them up, the right reaction would be to ignore them. Easy to say hard to do! Quads can be very insistent and it is almost impossible not to react at all after tens of minutes of barking.

And when you give in and scold him or give him any attention, he will perceive your reaction as a victory, understanding that this technique works.

Just like babies, dogs can suffer from separation anxiety, which means they will experience deep stress when the owner is absent and therefore barking excessively.

Fear, phobias, and pain are other triggers for barking in dogs, which means you have a whole list of possible causes for your quadruped's restless behavior.

What is even worse, however, is that these causes are not mutually exclusive. So, you will need several combined strategies to stop your dog from barking.

How to stop your dog from barking

There are quick fixes to stop the dog barking, such as devices that punish him with small electric shocks when barking, but seeing how many causes there are for this canine behavior, they are not only ineffective but are also evidence of cruelty.

When your dog is stressed, punishment will only increase his anxiety, and he will be even more tormented.

The punishment applied by the owner, who hits the animal with a newspaper, for example, cannot be effective unless it is applied constantly, in absolutely all situations in which the dog barks. As you can imagine, this is an impossible task.

If your dog barks when you are away from home, of course, you will not be able to stop him. Thus, he will receive mixed messages: sometimes it's wrong when he barks, other times nothing happens.

Therefore, the solution to the problem is more complex: you need to understand the cause and resolve the situation in that context. For a dog with a "normal" bark, strategies should be considered to reduce the triggers and redirect the dog's attention when they appear.

For example, if your four-legged friend is barking at a fixed time, when the children pass by the school in front of your house, or when the neighbors come home from work, the solution is to attract his attention with a new toy to keep him busy. In time, he will learn to bark every day at the same time.

In case the dog barks at the neighbors in the yard, you can talk to them to help you and throw a reward every time you go out in the yard.

After a week, the dog's behavior will change, because he will no longer want to scare or threaten those who give him goodies. Don't be ashamed to ask your neighbors for help, because they will benefit just as much from this little deal.

In conclusion, when it comes to the dog barking, the only lasting solution is to understand why your pet is agitated and try to solve the problem at the root.

If you can't handle it, you can always turn to the services of a trainer, who will help you understand canine psychology and decode his reactions more easily.