Just like us, dogs have a wide range of body language and vocalizations. Barking is a dog’s voice. In some situations, you might want your dog to bark (intruder alert). In others, it might create problems (at a neighbor).
Dogs bark for a variety of reasons, including alerting to an intruder, excitement, loneliness, anxiety, fear and fun. Some breeds were developed to be guard dogs or alert barkers. They’re more sensitive to sounds or intruders and will often bark first and ask questions later. In addition, barking is a self-reinforcing behavior. Some dogs simply enjoy “talking.” Hoping the behavior will go away on its own will likely fail. Yelling at your dog for barking simply teaches them that you can bark, too. So, how do you modify the behavior?
First, figure out what kind of barking your dog is doing.
• Alert barking: letting you know they’ve seen or heard something out of the ordinary.
• Defensive barking: trying to make something they’re afraid of or don’t like go away.
• Frustration barking: your dog is confused, frustrated or stressed.
• Boredom barking: barking to amuse themselves.
If your dog is alert barking, find out what’s causing the trigger. Praise your dog’s alertness and call them to join you back in the house, then reward your dog for coming and label the behavior as “Quiet.” Next, cue your dog to do something else or go to an alternate space to prevent a recurrence.
If your dog alerts again, do the same thing and cue “Quiet” after a few barks. Be prepared to do as many repetitions as required to reduce the length of the barking session.
Of course, eliminating the trigger altogether is a great option. If they bark at people or animals passing by the window, close the curtains or put the dog in another room.
If your dog barks at passersby when in the yard, bring them into the house. Never leave your dog outside unsupervised all day or night. Cover up sporadic noise with a white noise machine, radio or television.
Next, desensitize the trigger by gradually getting your dog accustomed to whatever is causing them to bark. Start with the trigger at a distance or low sound level while feeding treats and praising calm behavior. Then, move the stimulus a little closer or increase the sound level. You want your dog to learn that the presence of the stimulus leads to good things (treats!).
For defensive barking, move your dog away from the object they’re afraid of. Your action tells your dog that you have the situation handled and they don’t need to worry. Consider adding the steps for desensitization to the trigger method above to your training routine.
If your dog barks when on leash, it’s most likely frustration barking. Cue an alternative behavior, such as “Find it” or “Touch,” and move away from the object of frustration.
Boredom barking can happen when you’re dog isn’t getting enough physical and mental exercise every day. A tired dog is a happy dog and less likely to bark from boredom or frustration. Give your dog lots of exercise and playtime every day. When you’re gone, after a good game of fetch, leave them with a stuffed Kong or hide treats around the house.
For more tips or to schedule a private consultation with a skilled dog trainer to address canine conundrums, go to marinhumane.org/oh-behave.
Dawn Kovell is the director of behavior and training for Marin Humane, which contributes Tails of Marin articles and welcomes animal-related questions and stories about the people and animals in our community. Go to marinhumane.org, find us on social media @marinhumane, or email lbloch@marinhumane.org.
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