Why do Dogs bark?
Barking is a natural form of communication. Just as we humans speak, dogs have barked alongside us for as long as we have known them. But what exactly does a dog’s bark mean? Is it used for more than just emotions? Animal Friends has the answers for you right here.
Complex Communications
Dogs bark for many reasons, but your dog may be barking to tell you something specific. If the dog appears quite territorial and protective of you and your family whilst out on walks, it may be barking in the home as a response to a sound from outside, perhaps that you cannot hear. This is quite difficult behaviour to discourage, as the dog will become confused as to whether you want it to protect you or not.
If the dog is not acting aggressively when strangers come to the door, then the barking is the dog warning you that someone is approaching; if the dog jumps around, bares his teeth and appears very aggressive, then it is preparing to defend your home – this is the kind of behaviour that should be stopped. Aggressive barks are usually lower in pitch and accompanied by growls, whereas the alert barking will be louder – after all, the dog is trying to warn you of intruders, and so needs to be heard.
Some dogs, and especially puppies, may bark to get attention. These kinds of barks may be accompanied by whining, and are very insistent and hard to ignore. This kind of behaviour is similar to a baby’s cry – to get your attention and to convey that something is needed, whether that is attention, food or something else depends entirely on the circumstance. In these situations, responding to this behaviour only teaches the puppy that this kind of behaviour is useful, which in turn means that the puppy will persistently use the bark to garner attention, and possibly treats if you use them to keep it quiet. Hard though it may be, the only real way to stop this behaviour is to not respond to it, and encourage a different form of communication to be used (such as coming up to you and/or pacing).
Barking whilst playing is an obvious sign of excitement, showing that the dog is happy and enjoying the game. Frequently however this is an early warning sign that the dog has become over excited, and may need to be calmed down, especially if playing with another dog as the barking can provoke the dogs into a frenzy – plus a barking dog rushing around can be quite intimidating for anyone walking nearby, so you should keep firm control of your dog during play.
Dogs that are left alone for long periods of time may suffer from separation anxiety and bark excessively for attention or out of boredom. The barking can become self-reinforcing as the dog becomes more stimulated and anxious. Anxious barks tend to get higher in pitch as the dog becomes more upset. This type of barking can be especially annoying to your neighbours and must be dealt with accordingly.
Have patience....learn
Dogs all have their own quirks and personalities and it is through growing with your dog that you can learn what the differences in barks means. When you can understand what your dog is trying to tell you, your communication is very important as it helps build the relationship between you as well as the dog’s character. You should always take the time to understand your pets, and coming to terms with a dog’s barking is a very important aspect of owning a dog – of course, it does help to be barking mad!
