Dog barks, like humans, and use their voices to express a wide range of emotions and needs; dogs express barking as their primary means of communication. Similarly, when we express joy, cry, or shout to convey our feelings, dogs use different types of barking tones to communicate with us and their doggy friends.
Sometimes, it can be that they find their new territory, intending to guard their precinct; they may bark at you if you enter their area. Dogs are more cheerful and energetic than other animals. Some may bark at you to interact or want to engage with you.
However, barking seems to be their instinct but some breeds can naturally be more loud than other dogs. If you are intrigued to have puppies or adult dogs this blog will help you out.
Reasons Behind Excessive Barking
It might frighten you that your dog barks at everything that comes into their sight. However, this is another way to communicate. But that is not the only reason they bark, and dogs can bark for several reasons. Learning these reasons will give you a hand in reducing their excessive barking issues
Let’s hop into the details of what are the possible reasons for dogs excessive barking:
1. Protectiveness and Territorial Instinct
Sometimes, dogs’ behavior comes from the protectiveness of the area they live in. They may feel the need to guard the area where he lives.
A dog might bark when they sense any threat to their territory. If they are unfamiliar with new situations, people, or other animals, they might excessively bark at them if they get closer to dogs. They get infuriated by them if they appear in their precinct. And, this behavior continues if they don’t get comfortable with these situations.
2. Social Engagement
As I have said before, barking is their natural way to communicate or engage with others. Some dogs get confused with new situations or their new owner; they may bark a lot to get their attention. Also, their barking habits exceed when they see, smell, or hear something new that they are unaware of.
3. Boredom and Lack of Stimulation
Boredom and lack of stimulation can make a dog bark excessively. Dogs are way more social animals than other animals on this planet. They love to engage in a lot of activities. Naturally, they get curious when they see new things, and they want to get to know them. However, having nothing to do in a house or in a place makes them bored which can also result in barking at everything.
Not receiving enough stimulation for the day can also be the reason your dog barks at everything. A lack of physical and mental exercises can make them bored which may lead to barking quite often.
There might be some effective physical exercises that can help your dog to reduce their barking issues for good. Dogs need your attention especially when they are pups they try to get a lot more attention from you. They are a lot more energetic than us. They love a lot of activities such as playtime, walks, and other stuff. They love to spend time with their human parents.
4. Anxiety and Fear
Relatively, anxiety and fear can make your dog go through their barking issues excessively. That explains the variance between anxiety and fear. Fear peaks in response to an immediate danger, such as coming across a snake. On the other hand, anxiety involves worrying about potential future events, even if they pose no real threat.
When dogs experience anxiety, their bodies respond similarly to when they feel fear. You may notice their heart racing, sweating, or feeling tense. Sometimes, fear and anxiety can make dogs bark, whimper, or whine.
However, separation anxiety is a common anxiety in dogs that can cause terrible heartache in dogs. That could lead them to barking excessively. Especially if they are left alone, they might fear losing you.
5. Past Trauma or Poor Socialization
Just like humans, dogs can endure traumas, they can go through past traumas while living in the present that may make them bark sometimes. Similar to humans, even past experiences can affect animals deeply.
A dog can be traumatized by abusive situations, neglect, or even a fearful incident that may lead to a life of hyperalert and anxiety. It may extend into too much barking, especially when there is a trigger or perceived threat.
Socialization plays a great role in early dog development. Puppies that are not socialized appropriately with different people, animals, and environments could be afraid or insecure concerning the world they find themselves in. A dog having an issue with settling up to new things might bark excessively at a new situation.
6. Genetics and Breed Tendencies
Some dog breeds are known for being more vocal and may bark excessively if not properly trained or socialized. Here are a few:
Beagle: This breed may be loud often, and is kind of popular for their bark. Especially when they see or smell some new things, they may bark loudly.
Chihuahua: They might seem tiny, but don’t judge by their looks. They can be quite louder than other breeds if they sense any threat and also foreign situations make them bark excessively.
Yorkshire Terrier: This breed may bark more than normal. Sometimes, they get on their pet owners’ nerves to manage them single-handedly. When they sense some threat or unusual in the atmosphere sometimes their bark gets intense. Even the slightest sound makes them bark excessively.
Jack Russell Terrier: This is the kind of breed who is normally energetic and enthusiastic but can sometimes bark excessively. Especially in that moment when their pet parents are in sight or want to play with them, they get stimulated. It is their normal instinct to bark whenever they get excited or have some nice moment in their life.
Dachshund: If your dog is a dachshund breed, they might bark at you impulsively. They are quite famous for chasing, digging, and barking. Even they are quite keen on hunting their prey. Apart from hunting and other staff to be mentioned here, they are quite famous for barking. They may bark at random things.
Cairn Terrier: If you are looking forward to having a quiet dog, it might not be the best decision to have one. Cairn terriers are considered a loud breed that barks a lot.
They are quite an energetic and cheerful breed. Always want to play or are constantly on the move which sometimes makes them bark excessively. Some cairns can be fierce with other dogs, small pets, and rats.
Shetland Sheepdog: Barking is a way to communicate with dogs. However, excessive barking might make the owner mad at their dog. Some shelties can be louder than normal. Sometimes, they use the barking method to herd livestock.
Miniature Schnauzer: Barking and screaming are quite normal for dogs. Every dog does that while chasing or hunting. Some dogs get overjoyed to see their owner which also makes dogs bark. However, Miniature Schnauzer can be a little louder than other dogs.
If you are thinking of adopting dogs from those breeds, you might consider early training to manage their barking behavior.
How to Manage and Reduce Barking
Sometimes, it can be overwhelming having your dog bark at all times or whatever they see or hear. However, barking seems a lot more normal to them, but to us, it might be painful to always bark or have no control over their bark.
Since you are a little concerned about having your pup bark excessively, we have come up with some mighty tricks that will help you to find solutions for your dogs not to bark randomly.
Desensitization Training
Some dogs may bark at some sounds or fear and anxiety. If they are in a new environment, they might encounter new things that might startle them which also can lead them to bark at them quite often or excessively. Such as doorbells that are quite popular dogs often bark quite aggressively. The reason they often bark at bells is that the sound of bells frightens or startles them.
In order to remove this barking trait from their system at random sounds, you should desensitize them to the sounds. You can take your dog to a more crowded place where there are lots of sounds then you can train them to calm them in such situations. It will be helpful to put a leash on your dog to give commands. It takes lots of time and patience, only if you are bothered by your dogs barking excessively.
Providing Enrichment
You might have a little headache if your dog barks a lot or more than normal. However, barking is quite normal for dogs, this is just a dog thing to bark. However, you can maintain their barking behavior by providing enrichment.
There are many types of enrichment, such as chewing, digging, hunting, and sniffing. Provide your dog with some safe enrichment that will help to prevent your dog’s barking issue. When you can’t take your dogs outside, consider some indoor play that will most likely tire them out and that will less likely encourage your dog to bark quite often.
Positive Reinforcement Training
Positive reinforcement training implies rewarding the good stuff. Instead of punishing unwanted actions, positive reinforcement looks at rewarding behaviors you want to see more often, be those through treats, praise, or extra playtime.
One of the biggest perks of reinforcement training is that it really helps to build a strong connection with your dog. They start to link training sessions with good vibes, which is awesome. Moreover, when the atmosphere is positive, dogs are way more eager to join in and learn.
This method also helps reduce fear and anxiety because there’s no punishment involved, leading to a more relaxed and self-assured pup. On top of that, positive reinforcement can be used for everything from basic commands to more complicated tricks, making it super flexible.
Create a Safe Space
If your dog seems to bark a lot, you might consider providing a safe place for them. Sometimes, they might fear or get separation anxiety, which can make them bark a lot. Living in a new place and its people can scare them off, they might have some insecurities issues while living there. That could be the reason for barking excessively.
You can try to create some comfortable places for them to prevent their fear or anxiety. Having a space just for themselves helps them to relax a bit. A dog is more relaxed in their home where they are safe and secure, which helps them to manage their emotions thoroughly.
Are There Certain Dog Breeds That Bark More Than Others?
Dog barking is normal; it’s their natural instinct to bark when they see, experience, or listen to anything new. However, some breeds are louder or bark than normal dogs. With proper training, you might prevent their barking issue.
If you are having the thought of adopting a canine or more you should be aware of which breeds are barks a lot. It will save you time to train to prevent bark.
Research says there are some breeds, according to veterinary behaviorists in Orange County, California, that also depend on how their ancestors were bred.
However, not all breeds are loud and noisy. Terrier breeds are most vocal and bark excessively. Also, Huskies and Nordic breeds are more loud than other breeds. They are quite popular for their howling skills. Moreover, Basenjis breeds are one of a kind to bark, though all Basenjis don’t bark excessively.
Conclusion
Having a dog might be a good decision for you. However, sometimes, it can make you a little bit overwhelmed when your dog barks a lot. Dogs may bark in different situations but if your dog’s barking is making a habit or bothering your neighbor, then your dog might need a little training.
Observe your dog’s behavior closely to understand their excessive barking. Sometimes, when they get a new owner, they might be frightened by the new environment, people, and other dogs. So, when you try to approach them they might be aggressive and might bite you.
However, if their barking doesn’t seem normal, you can take them to the vet. There might be a reason why they are barking excessively. Also, some breeds naturally bark a lot. Provide them with proper training to prevent their barking issue.
Hope this blog will help you and your canine friend to overcome the situation pretty well.
