An incessantly barking dog can be a real nuisance, leading to owner frustration, squabbles among neighbors, and legal headaches if the police get involved. Armed with accurate knowledge about why dogs bark can help owners stop nuisance barking for good.
Some dog breeds bark more than others, and a few, like the Basenji, don’t bark at all. Dogs often bark for behavioral reasons as well, and understanding those reasons is often key to moderating and controlling the bothersome barking.
Dogs bark as a warning. When a dog senses a threat, they will bark an alert to their owners. Someone may be passing by or knocking on the door, or there may be a very real threat to the family home. This type of bark will usually be a distinctive alert bark.
Labrador training to bark only at legitimate threats and not just the mailman will take a certain amount of training on the part of the owner. The dog should be rewarded for barking at obvious threats, such as lurkers or threatening behavior from strangers, and corrected for inappropriate barking to help it learn appropriate boundaries for warning barks. It can also be helpful for the owner to teach the dog when to “speak” and when to “quiet” or “be still.”
Dogs bark out of excitement. Dogs and especially puppies bark when they are playing with people or with other dogs. They will usually sound happy and excited. This bark may also come before an exciting event, like a walk or when they see a favorite treat or toy.
A natural reaction on the part of the owner may be shouting at the dog to quiet down, but the dog may perceive this as encouragement. The owner, as far as the dog can tell, is also barking, and quite loudly, too. The owner should instead stay calm and redirect the dog’s attention, ordering the dog to sit or lie down.
