Barking, along with whining, howling and growling, is a dog’s natural means of communication.

A dog may bark for a number of reasons: to induce play, discipline young, warn of danger, threaten intruders, or it may bark because it’s curious. None of these reasons tend to result in excessive or annoying barking – barking is short-lived and specific to an occasion.

Barking for companionship or for reward (food, freedom, etc.) is the most likely to develop into problem barking.

A barking problem is much easier to prevent than to cure!

Causes of Problem Barking

In order to retrain a problem barker it is necessary to determine what factors may be triggering the behavior.

Genetics

Some breeds are more prone to barking (e.g. terriers) although almost any breed can exhibit excessive barking.

Physical Need

The dog is hot, cold, hungry or thirsty. This is the dog’s way of requesting that you accommodate one of its needs. A dog may become a problem barker due to insufficient exercise – the dog’s pent-up energy is released through barking.

Emotional Need

The dog is bored, excited or anxious. This can be the dog’s way of requesting attention, or may be a compulsive behavior resulting from a frustrated need for social and/or mental stimulation.

Environment

Improper confinement (restrictive tethering, being locked in a pen alone for long periods, lack of shelter) can all lead to a dog that barks excessively. Additionally, excessive barking may be triggered by environmental cues (other dogs barking, passing cars, sirens, storms, etc.).