How to stop your dog barking excessively
Dogs bark for a reason. Barking is one of the ways dogs communicate, and occasional barking is perfectly normal. However, if your dog is barking repeatedly or for long periods, it can become stressful for you, your neighbours and, in some cases, the dog itself.
The good news is that excessive barking can often be reduced by understanding why your dog is barking and addressing the underlying cause.
Why is my dog barking?
The first step is to work out what is causing the barking. Different dogs bark for different reasons, and the most effective solution depends on the cause.
Your dog may be barking because it is:
- Excited
- Frightened or anxious
- Bored
- Seeking attention
- Protecting its territory
- Responding to people, animals or other dogs
- Reacting to unfamiliar sounds
- Left alone for long periods
- Trying to communicate a need
- Experiencing pain or another health problem
Watching your dog carefully can help you identify what happens immediately before the barking starts.
Keep a barking diary
A simple barking diary can be surprisingly useful.
Record when your dog barks, how long it continues and what appears to trigger it. You may begin to notice a pattern.
For example, your dog might bark whenever somebody walks past the house, whenever another dog is nearby, or every time it is left alone.
Knowing the trigger makes it much easier to work on the behaviour.
Make sure your dog gets enough exercise
Boredom and excess energy can contribute to unwanted barking.
Make sure your dog receives an appropriate amount of physical exercise for its age, breed, health and individual needs.
Regular walks provide more than exercise. Allowing your dog to explore different environments and smells can provide valuable mental stimulation as well.
However, more exercise is not always the answer. Some dogs bark because they are overstimulated, anxious or frightened, so consider your dog's individual circumstances.
Provide mental stimulation
Dogs need mental stimulation as well as physical exercise.
Training exercises, scent games, puzzle feeders and suitable toys can give your dog something constructive to concentrate on.
Rotating toys and activities can also help prevent them from becoming boring.
Don't accidentally reward barking
Dogs quickly learn which behaviours get a reaction from their owners.
If your dog barks and you immediately give it attention, food or play, it may learn that barking is an effective way of getting what it wants.
Where appropriate, try to reward calm and quiet behaviour instead.
For example, if your dog stops barking and settles down, calmly rewarding that behaviour can help it learn that being quiet is also worthwhile.
Don't shout at your dog
It can be very tempting to shout "quiet!" when your dog starts barking.
Unfortunately, shouting can sometimes make the situation worse. Your dog may interpret your raised voice as you joining in with the noise, or it may become more anxious or excited.
Instead, try to remain calm and work on rewarding the behaviour you want to see.
Reduce visual triggers
If your dog regularly barks at people, cars, animals or other activity outside the house, consider whether you can reduce its access to the trigger.
Closing curtains or blinds, using suitable window coverings, or moving your dog's bed away from the window may help.
For some dogs, simply removing the opportunity to watch everything happening outside can make a considerable difference.
What if your dog barks when left alone?
Barking that occurs mainly when a dog is left alone can sometimes be associated with separation-related anxiety.
Other signs may include whining, pacing, destructive behaviour, toileting indoors or attempts to escape.
If you think your dog is distressed when left alone, avoid simply leaving it for increasingly long periods in the hope that it will eventually get used to being alone.
Instead, consider gradually building its ability to cope with being alone and seek advice from a qualified veterinary or behavioural professional if necessary.
Consider whether something is frightening your dog
Some dogs bark because they are frightened or uncertain.
Common triggers can include fireworks, thunderstorms, traffic, unfamiliar people, other animals and particular household noises.
If your dog is frightened, punishing it for barking may increase its anxiety.
Try to identify the trigger and, where possible, manage the environment so that your dog feels safer. Behavioural training can also help dogs learn more appropriate responses to things that worry them.
Teach your dog an alternative behaviour
Simply telling a dog not to bark does not necessarily teach it what you would like it to do instead.
Training an alternative behaviour can be more effective.
For example, you might teach your dog to go to its bed when somebody comes to the door. With consistent training and rewards, the dog can learn that going to its bed is the behaviour you want rather than repeatedly barking at the visitor.
Reward calm behaviour
One of the most useful principles in dog training is to reinforce the behaviour you want.
Look for opportunities to reward your dog when it is calm and relaxed.
If your dog is quietly lying down, calmly looking at something without barking, or responding appropriately to a trigger, reward the behaviour where appropriate.
Over time, your dog can learn that calm behaviour produces positive consequences.
Be consistent
Dogs learn through repetition and consistency.
If barking is discouraged one day but rewarded with attention the next, your dog may find it difficult to understand what is expected.
Everyone in the household should try to respond to barking in a consistent way.
Check your dog's health
A sudden change in barking behaviour can sometimes have an underlying medical cause.
If your dog has suddenly started barking much more than usual, appears distressed, seems confused, is showing signs of pain, or has developed other unusual behaviours, speak to your vet.
Older dogs can also experience changes in behaviour as they age, so persistent changes should not automatically be assumed to be a training problem.
Don't use punishment to stop barking
Punishing a dog for barking can sometimes suppress the noise temporarily, but it does not necessarily address the reason for the behaviour.
Physical punishment or frightening methods can increase fear and anxiety and may damage the relationship between you and your dog.
A reward-based approach that identifies and addresses the underlying cause is generally a better way to teach desirable behaviour.
Consider professional help
If you have tried to reduce your dog's barking but the problem continues, professional advice can be extremely valuable.
Your vet can help rule out medical problems and may be able to recommend an appropriately qualified behaviour professional.
A qualified dog behaviourist can help identify what is causing the barking and develop a behaviour modification programme suited to your particular dog.
What if your neighbours have complained?
If a neighbour tells you that your dog is barking excessively, try not to dismiss the complaint simply because you do not hear the barking yourself.
Dogs may bark when their owners are out of the house, meaning that you may have no idea how much noise they are making.
Ask your neighbour when the barking normally occurs and how long it lasts. If necessary, consider using a camera or other appropriate method to establish what your dog does when you are away.
Taking the complaint seriously can help you identify the cause and resolve the problem before it develops into a formal dispute.
Think about your neighbours
Living with a dog means accepting a certain amount of normal dog behaviour. However, persistent barking can have a significant impact on people living nearby.
Consider how the barking might sound from the neighbouring property, particularly at night or during periods when people are likely to be working, studying or sleeping.
Taking reasonable steps to reduce unnecessary barking is not only considerate to your neighbours; it can also improve your dog's quality of life.
How quickly can you stop a dog barking?
There is no guaranteed timescale for changing barking behaviour.
Some problems can improve relatively quickly once the trigger has been identified. Others, particularly those involving anxiety or fear, may require a longer period of training and behaviour modification.
Be patient and concentrate on gradual improvement rather than expecting your dog to stop barking completely.
Remember: some barking is normal
The aim should not necessarily be to make your dog completely silent.
Barking is normal canine communication. A dog may bark when it is excited, wants something, sees something unusual or is responding to another dog.
The goal is to reduce unnecessary, excessive or problematic barking while allowing your dog to behave normally.
In summary
If your dog is barking excessively:
- Work out what is causing the barking.
- Keep a record of when and why it happens.
- Make sure your dog has appropriate exercise and mental stimulation.
- Reduce exposure to known triggers where possible.
- Reward calm and quiet behaviour.
- Teach your dog an alternative behaviour.
- Avoid shouting or using frightening or painful punishment.
- Speak to your vet if the behaviour changes suddenly or you have health concerns.
- Consider professional behavioural help if the problem persists.
- Take complaints from neighbours seriously and work towards a solution.
A quieter dog is not necessarily a happier dog
Stopping excessive barking is not about preventing a dog from communicating. It is about understanding why the dog is barking and helping it learn appropriate ways of responding to the world around it.
By identifying the cause, providing appropriate exercise and stimulation, rewarding desirable behaviour and getting professional help when necessary, many barking problems can be significantly improved.
And ultimately, a solution that makes your dog feel calmer and happier is likely to be better for both your household and your neighbours.