Stop A Barking Dog

Learning Why They Bark In The Firstplace
Will Go A Long Way To Solving The Problem

What do you have to do to stop a barking dog that won't keep quiet? Well, first off you need to know what they're barking about.

Contrary to popular belief, dogs don't bark their heads off for no reason at all. No matter what the situation, that dog has a reason for barking. And it's not because they figure it'd be a neat trick to annoy the master... or his neighbors.

There are several reasons why a dog decides to bark. There are three main ones, but be aware that there may be other reasons for dog barking. Finding which reason is the cause of the barking is the first step to stop a barking dog.

They're Bored…

The primary reason dogs bark (especially when you're not at home) is simply boredom. They may be cooped up in the house or they may have a big, fenced in backyard to play in. Dogs still get bored, and, like humans do, they need diversions from boredom.

This is especially true for dogs that are chained up. It doesn't take long before the grassy patch around their doghouse has been beaten to dirt. They've got a ten foot circle to pace and their toys have fallen out of reach. At that point, they look for anything that might entertain them a bit.

They'll bark at squirrels bounding through the trees above them. They'll shout out to the mailman to come play with them. They'll even yip it up over a simple bug wandering by.

Bored dogs bark.

Like Us, They Need To Communicate…

Another major reason dogs bark is, of course, that they need something. If your dog is standing at the back door, doing the tinkle two-step and barking, it's pretty easy to figure out he needs something.

Your dog might bark to announce physical needs like bathroom breaks, food and water, or even the need for exercise. But he might bark for some more emotional needs.

Puppies will often bark when they feel lonely. This doesn't only happen when you leave the house. Sometimes pups will bark just because you left the room.

If you have a small dog and she's barking at a knock at the door, she might be frightened. She may just be telling you, “There's something on the other side of that door and, judging by the sound, it's big!”

If your dog isn't barking because he's bored or because he needs something, he's likely barking because he considers it his duty to protect his master's domain. He'll yell at the mail carrier, give a warning to other dogs wandering by with their owners, and, of course, he'll really bark it up for those nasty neighbor kids who poke sticks through the fence and laugh at him.

You get the idea. There are a lot of reasons your dog might be barking. When it comes to stopping dog barking, getting angry at him isn't going to help. You need to find out what's making him bark. That's the first step, and critical one.

Creating a quiet existence will be much easier for you when you can tailor the training to the exact problem. That's the way to be effective, and that's the way to stop a barking dog.

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