Hey Woofas,

 

I bring this topic up today because many people complain about their dogs ‘barking at nothing or everything!’

And I’d like to say, ‘just because we can’t see it doesn’t meant that nothing is there.’

Our dogs have an outrageously amazing strong sense of smell.

Just because we don’t see what they’re barking at doesn’t mean they don’t smell something in the air that isn’t right to them.

Generally, dogs do not bark for no reason.

Humans can be rather ignorant in thinking that their dog is stupid because it barks at nothing.

To figure out how to stop your dog from barking you’ve got to first find the reason why they are barking.

PS – yelling at them to stop barking doesn’t work, it’s telling them that you’re joining in on the barking!!!!

 

WHAT IS MY DOG BARKING AT?

There could be quite a few things your dog is barking at but you might be missing the cues:-

 

1. Time of Day/Night

Is your dog barking at the same time every day or night?

If so, what is going on in the house, yard or neighbourhood at this time?

Are other dogs barking as well, are there sirens, what noises can you hear?

Is the neighbour getting home or going out, is someone getting home or leaving in your household, is another dog walking by etc.

It’s going to become a process of elimination if it’s not obvious to you what your dog is barking at.

Pay closer attention.

 

2.  The Environment

When your dog is barking, where are they?

Are they out in the backyard, barking at the side fence, back fence, or front gates?  Are they barking at the front door or a window etc?

Are they barking at everything while you’re out on a walk?

Is your dog barking at something specific, is their attention totally devoted to where they are barking at?

What are they barking at specifically?

Or are they outside with their head in the air sniffing and barking at something they can smell?

Watch their nose, if their nose appears to be smelling something, then to them they’re not barking at nothing.

 

3. Your Dog’s Body

What is your dog’s body doing when they’re barking!  Why?

Because it will tell you whether it’s a warning bark, an alert bark or possibly a play bark etc.

If your dog’s hackles are up (the hair along their back) then it’s definitely a warning bark.

Are they growling and barking aggressively?

Is it a continuous obsessive bark?

What type of bark are they doing?

To you it may be annoying but to them, they’re alerting you to something.

Or they’re telling whatever it is they can smell to back off and don’t come any closer?

 

4.  Protection

Is your dog barking to protect you?

I ask this because dogs come to my Dog Grooming Salon and the owners join them.

We sit on the lounges and the dog/s walk around the salon sniffing etc.

If Dean happens to walk outside by the door, some dogs will start barking.

Straight away the owners are telling their dogs to shut up.

I advise them that their dog is just protecting them.

The dog is somewhere other than home and something different is happening outside.

They’re alerting their owner to it, that’s all.

So ask yourself, is something similar happening when your dog is barking, whether it be when you’re out or at home?

 

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

We remove dogs from their mother and pack mates at around 6-9 weeks of age.

So in a way, we become their human pack.

And the pack protects each other, you have my back I have yours so to speak.

So to think that your dog is barking at nothing, think again.

 

It’s okay if it’s  not obvious what your dog is barking at straight away!

Once you start taking more specific notice of your dog, when they’re barking, it will become clear.

 

WHAT TYPE OF BARKING IS MY DOG DOING?

It’s also important to notice what type of barking your dog is doing.  It will help you to work out what they are barking at.

There are many different types of barking –

• Protective/territorial barking – your dog is protecting you from something or someone it sees as a threat;
•  Alarm/fear barking – your dog is scared;
•  Attention-seeking barking – your dog wants your attention for some reason;
•  Greeting/play barking – generally when greeting humans or dogs they want to play with;
•  Frustration-induced barking – something they need isn’t being given to them;
•  Separation anxiety barking – being left alone;
•  Compulsive barking – generally caused by being fixated on the thing they’re barking at.

 

Recognizing the type of barking your dog is doing will help you to work out what they’re barking at and why they’re barking!

 

HOW TO STOP MY DOG FROM BARKING?

 

Once you get an idea of why your dog is barking in the first place, how to stop them will become clear.

Dogs need a safe environment just as much as we do.

If your dog is barking, here are a few things you can try to get them to stop: –

 

EXAMPLE 1

Billy barks at our bedroom windows during the night (not all the time) because we have found cats wandering through our gardens.

We have captured them on our cameras, plus we’ve seen them!

Billy doesn’t like cats because one antagonized him when he was younger!

When Billy is barking at the window, at his first few barks I say – ‘Good Job – Thank You.’

Why do I say this?

Because he’s altering us to something that is going on outside, it’s in his DNA to do this.

If he keeps up with the barking I then say – ‘That’s enough now.’

Then if he still insists on barking, I get up and look out the window with him and say it again – ‘Good Job – That’s enough now .’

If Billy becomes obsessive with the barking!  Sometimes his hackles do rise as well.

I then get a dog lead (that is not his  walking lead), I slip it around his neck gently and walk him away from the situation and say – ‘Leave It.’

Once he’s calmed down I take it off and he gets on the bed again.

When training first starts this can happened repeatedly, persistence and patience is the key.

 

EXAMPLE 2

As mentioned above if dogs that are in the salon start barking at the door I pretty much do the same thing as above.

I say – ‘Good Job – Thank You.’

Then if they keep going I walk up to the door and make a point of looking out with them and say – ‘Good Job, that’s enough now.’

If they become obsessive I lead them away into the grooming area telling them to – ‘Leave it.’

Some owners are quite astounded when their dogs stop barking after I say Good Job Thank You………………it’s as if they understand that they’ve done a good job.

If they stop barking when you ask them to at any of the stages, you could also give them a treat.

 

EXAMPLE 3

If your dog barks while you’re out on a walk, try to work out what they’re barking at!

Is it other dogs, cars, other people………whatever it is, it’s imperative that you work out what they’re barking at.

Then work out, are they barking at said ‘thing’ because they are scared of it and it’s a warning bark to keep away from your dog.

Or is it, I want to run up to them and play bark?

If it’s a fear based bark, you’re going to have to do de-senitisation training – where you slowly introduce your dog to the thing they are scared of.

Very small steps at a time.

If it’s a happy playful bark then some training towards having some manners will be needed.

It’s always best in either case to notice your dog’s body language BEFORE they start barking.

That way you can lead them away from the trigger and say, ‘Leave it.’

 

REMEMBER TO – Identify what your dog is barking at, acknowledge them, and then let them know you have their back……………………….

 

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

 

There are many many different reasons as to why your dog could be barking.

The key here is to try to understand that whatever it is, it is bothering your dog enough to alert you to it.

They could be protecting you, sending out a warning to whatever it is to not come near them or the yard or house etc.

Your job is to try to identify what they’re barking at, acknowledge it and let your dog know that you have their back!

 

IN THE COMMENTS BELOW – BILLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW –  HOW YOU STOP YOUR DOG FROM BARKING?