Why do Dogs Bark?
Have you ever thought about way dogs actually bark? The answer is very simple – dogs bark because they want to tell you something, communicate with other dogs or express a specific emotion. Dogs bark at each other when they are interacting or just playing. Unfortunately humans are not able to understand what the barking means. However, one way to decipher your dog’s bark is to compare it to a baby’s crying.
Babies usually cry when they are sad, hungry, lonely, bored, sick or need to be changed – when they need something from you. Dogs bark when they want you to give them dinner, when they want to go out for a walk, if they are anxious, overexcited or can’t quite reach something. However, it can take you some time to learn what the different barks mean.
Why does your dog bark non stop? If your dog is the type that seems to be barking too much, try to watch your dog carefully to figure out what their barking means. Often your dog will point their nose at the direction of the thing they want. Barking non stop usually means there is a need not being fulfilled. In some cases training will be required to control the behaviour because that need may not be fulfilled all day every day.
Why do dogs bark when you are telling them to stop? You can actually compare this to a teenager that is rebellious towards his parents. If you’ve ever been telling your dog to be quiet, sit, stay or to stop chewing on something only to have them begin barking at you or making another noise, they are talking back to you. It’s their way of being rebellious toward you. You will need to use training to teach your dog that you are the boss which should curb this rebellious behaviour.
Knowing why your dog barks is key to controlling the behaviour. Some barking behaviour is simple to control by fulfilling easy needs like providing food, water, or a walk in the park. However, barking behaviour that is a result of separation anxiety, fear, or dominance needs to be controlled with training before it escalates into more aggressive or destructive behaviour.
You can also read more about interpreting what your dog means in our Dog Talk article.
Do you have any tips for getting your dog to stop barking, or interpreting what they want?
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2 Responses to “Why do Dogs Bark?”
M.W says:
My dog keeps barking at my newborn baby everytime she cries. We did the initial introduction, brought items back from hospital so they can be used to the baby’s scent. But the alpha dog seems to bark each time or even before my daughter cries. Why is that so? He seems really curious and keep sniffing at her or he even tries to stand up and leans on her crib to smell her. His tail is wagging and the bark is not a vicious bark.
Why is that so and how can I stop him from barking all the time when the baby cries?
Maike says:
My Beagle barks at other passing dogs when we go on our walk. But only if he is on the leash, its very embarrassing as he is very loud! Some people get worried he will bite, but when he is off the leash he is very friendly, except if another dog is on a leash, he barks at them! Its like he’s trying to tell them or me something but I don’t understand. He won’t listen to me when I tell him “enough”.
I think he is barking because there is another dog or because he wants to say hello but I but I won’t let him, I just don’t know?
Does anyone have any ideas on how I can handle this?
I tend to go walking with him very early in the morning now when there are no other people walking their dogs, so I don’t have to deal with it.