Dogs bark for a number of reasons. You see, barking is a natural dog instinct. They may be trying to get your attention, they may be warning you of danger, they may be barking to protect their territory, or they may just be bored. But while some of the barks can be informative, too much of random barks can be excessive, and it can certainly cause problems in the house or even within the neighborhood.
Let us investigate the problems of excessive barking and what are the underlying reasons that cause the dogs to bark so much.
How to deal with excessive dog barking
Some dogs may bark excessively due to anxiety, boredom or loneliness. If you notice that your dog is barking more than usual, it is important to take note of the situation and see if you can identify the cause.
Many people believe that domesticated dogs bark more than wild dogs. This is because domesticated dogs have been bred to live with humans and so are able to communicate with us in a way that wild animals cannot. Domesticated dogs also have a lot more visual cues available to them – their human owners, other humans and even the things around the house – which can lead them into barking unnecessarily.
The best way, hence, to deal with the dog’s excessive barks is to first identify the reasons and nipping the problem in the bud
Barking to get attention
As mentioned earlier, one of the main reasons why dogs are barking excessively is because they want your attention. If you notice that your dog is barking so that it can eat a snack that you are holding on, or if they are screaming because you ignore them, then that is due to them wanting your attention. A proper term for this will be “demand barking”.
As the name suggests, demand barking involves your dog barking as a form of demand, and this is a problem that besets most dog owners. In order for you to curb this, you will need to identify the cues that is causing the dog to bark so as to demand something from you.
The best way to go about doing this is to stop in your tracks whenever demand barking comes into play. Take for example a snack that you are holding. If the dog starts to bark and demand for it, you should backtrack your movements i.e. to put the snack back into the bag and allow the dog to stop barking for 10 to 15 seconds. Once the dog stops barking, you can then resume the action. Continue to repeat this process and your dog will eventually learn that their incessant barks are causing them not to have that snack! Note that for this to work, it is imperative not to give the dog any attention, even if it’s using the command ‘no’ to stop the dog from barking.
Separation anxiety
Separation anxiety is a well documented problem that most dogs will face. It occurs when the owner left them alone for long periods of time, resulting the dog getting anxious! If you notice that your dog whines a lot the moment you left the house, or if you return home to torn pieces of paper or shoe, then your dog is very likely to be suffering from separation anxiety.
If this is the problem, then you will need to help alleviate the effects of separation anxiety so that it doesn’t affect your dog. To help your dog, you should allow it to acclimatize to you not being in the house. To do so, you can purchase items such as a dog crate with a cover so that the dog can seek solace in the crate when you are not at home. You can also purchase calming blankets or shirts for the dog. Thundershirt does have an excellent product that is able to help calm the dog down especially when it comes to separation anxiety!
Another good way to help your dog with anxiety issues is to stimulate them mentally or physically so that they can be kept engaged. You can choose to bring them out for long walks or hikes to help them manage it, or you can use interactive dog toys for them so that your dog can be kept engaged when you are not at home!
Barking at friends
This can be a problem if your dog is territorial by nature. When this happens, it is very likely that your dog will start to bark at your friends when they decide to pop by. This is indeed a common problem that most dog owners will face, but this excessive barking can be solved easily!
To solve this, you will need to enlist the help of your friend. Get your friend to stay outside the door and allow the dog to bark. Give the dog a firm no, and once the dog stops barking, you can then allow your friend to enter. Repeat this for a few times and your dog will learn not to bark incessantly.
Barking at random triggers
It is also completely possible that your dog starts to bark loudly at any random things that they hear or see. It can be a doorbell, your mobile phone ringing, or even the whistling of the wind. It this resonates with you, then wanting to stop this behavior should be paramount, unless you are content with your dog barking loudly while you are on the phone.
The best way to counter this is by identifying the triggers. When you are able to identify the trigger, you can counter the barking by replicating the trigger when the dog is doing something that it loves, like for example when they are eating. This will allow the dog to disassociate the trigger and hence will eventually stop barking. But note that this will require a lot of trial and error as it involves reconditioning a dog, which can be tough to manage especially for dogs that have long associated a bark to a trigger!