Barking

Barking is a natural dog behavior, albeit an annoying one, if it is allowed to get out of control. Certain breeds bark more than others, but it is a behavior that dogs can learn to curb. Terriers bark with a high-pitched sound, hounds bay and join in on group barking. Malamutes and huskies bark and howl.

Dogs who bark are not abnormal. They usually bark at stimuli, alerting owners to trespassers or other things going on. Barking is inherently rewarding as people, cars, and especially postal and delivery workers are seemingly "driven away" by the behavior. In other words, from the dogs’ perspective, barking works to get them what they want and so they continue to bark.

Here’s what NOT to do when your dog barks. Don’t go outside to tell your dog to be quiet. Don’t yell from a window when he barks and don’t bring him in the house when he starts barking. A dog learns to get attention or to go back inside when he barks. If you only respond to him some of the time, or wait until the barking continues for awhile then respond to the barking, you are actually strengthening the behavior because you are rewarding the behavior intermittently with your attention. Behaviors that are rewarded on occasion will continue occurring. Think of yourself playing a slot machine. Every once in a while you win, and when you win, you continue to play (because you want to win some more!). Barking is no different – it works some of the time for dogs, and so they continue to do it.

If your dog spends time alone in the backyard, he won’t exercise because there isn’t anyone to play with. He may bark out of boredom and perhaps insecurity as dogs are social animals who generally don’t like to be left alone. He may feel the need to tell you when each leaf falls or if the garbage man is down the street because he has nothing else to do and/or he wants reassurance that you’re still around. Instead of leaving him outside alone, let him go potty, play with him a bit, then bring him inside where he will settle much better and sleep safely.

Assuming you already have a barker, you need to confine your dog indoors while you are away, preferably in a single room farthest away from the street, with the blinds closed. Play a radio fairly loudly to drown out any other sounds and make sure the room is on the other side of the house from any complaining neighbors. Feed him only in treat-releasing devices such as multiple frozen food-stuffed Kong toys, stuffed long bones, Roll-A-Treat balls, or Stuff-a-Balls to keep him occupied for a while when you are gone. If the dog has separation anxiety, it is more serious than just a barking problem and the underlying cause must be attended to first. Please see our Separation Anxiety Fact Sheet.

Your dog also needs to be exercised DAILY if he is a dog that is 3-years-old or under. This means at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity. Dog parks and dog play are wonderful for this, as well as games of fetch or running with your dog. If you have a small dog, consider having your dog chase a feathered cat toy on a string.

If your dog barks in your presence or when you are walking him, DO NOT: Pick the dog up, say its OK, comfort or cuddle the dog, grab the muzzle, hit the dog, or jerk the leash or collar. These will make the barking worse. You have most likely tried everything at different times and so your dog is very confused at your inconsistency and has no clue what you want. Sometimes you yell, sometimes you reward him by petting him or picking him up. It is not the barking that is the problem. It is the amount of barking and barking at inappropriate times that is the problem.

The best thing to do to stop barking is to allow the dog to bark about three times (after all, we don’t want to totally stop barking altogether, just limit it), then immediately work on getting his attention on you. Do this by saying your dog’s name in a loud and neutral (not angry) tone of voice. If he does not respond, distract the dog by clapping your hands or whistling or making other noises so he turns toward you. When he looks away from the thing he was barking at, praise him and immediately call him to come, in a happy, up-beat voice. If he does not come to you, go up to him, place a stinky treat to his nose, then lure him several feet away from what he was barking at. Don’t give him the treat until he does a few simple behaviors such as sit and lay down. Eventually, he will understand the pattern of “I can bark a couple times, then I should run to my human, sit, and lay down, and then they’ll tell me what else to do!” Keep your dog engaged by asking him for simple tricks or other easy behaviors, so he doesn’t just go back to barking again. When he’s quiet, praise him and sometimes give him a food treat. Keep him busy with an appropriate “job” to do, and he won’t have the chance to bark. If your dog cannot be lured away with a treat, either get more interesting treats your dog wants or get your dog further away from the stimulus, so that he can actually focus on the task of training. You will need to practice this many, many times before it becomes second-nature for your dog, so don’t expect him to be an overnight success! Training takes time, patience, and consistency on your part.

Please don’t go out and buy a shock collar for your dog. Barking can be more rewarding than the shock is dissuading. Tests have shown that the frequency (number of bark attempts) does not decrease when a shock collar is worn. Barking may temporarily decrease, but shock collars can cause aggression, anxiety and fear, which are much harder to deal with than barking is.

Debarking is also cruel and unusual punishment. It only makes the barking slightly quieter and sounds like your dog has laryngitis. After a while, scar tissue in the throat can build up and the barking returns – so you may need to repeat the surgery several times.

People want quick solutions, but there is no substitution for working with, and training your dog properly.