Man and dog have coexisted side by side for a very long time, having learned to communicate without words. Dogs understand the words of the owner, or rather the intonation with which they are pronounced. Or, in the process of living together, a reflex to a particular word is developed. But dogs also “talk.” One of the manifestations of their talkativeness is barking, which is usually very annoying to both the owner and others. From the article you will learn: why dogs bark, are there any differences in the sounds made, and what purpose do they serve?
Where did the habit of barking come from?
During the research, a theory was put forward - various shades of bark are used only by domestic dogs. Wild tribesmen resort to this method of communication with each other only in rare cases.
If we talk about wolves - the closest relatives of domestic dogs, an interesting observation is that adult individuals do not use bark to communicate. But wolf babies communicate in this way willingly and use many shades of bark. Researchers conclude that domestic dogs are like teenage wolves, arrested in development and dependent on humans.
Extreme measures
There are methods that definitely cannot be classified as humane. Rather, they are barbaric, especially if you consider the dog as a devoted friend and family member. These methods include:
- Using anti-bark collars.
- Trimming the vocal cords.
In the first case, at the moment the dog makes a sound, the collar produces a traumatic effect for it. The second involves surgery to cut the vocal cords and the dog becomes mute. Both options are quite cruel and should not be used even as a last resort.
Barking for no reason is one of the problems that dog owners may face. There are ways to correct this behavior, which involve various educational methods. You should start using them only after identifying the cause of the unwanted behavior. It is quite easy to teach a puppy the required reaction, but in the case of an adult dog, the help of a dog handler may be required.
Various sounds when barking
As a rule, we do not pay attention to the “intonation” with which a dog barks. We can identify an alarming sound when the dog is simply tearing up and indicating his desire in other ways. Although, with due care, it is very easy to determine the emotional state of the animal at this moment. The main conclusion about a dog’s barking is a strong desire to convey information to the owner.
For example, a long, loud bark, sometimes turning into a squeal, indicates severe fright. Rough low sounds are an indicator of an aggressive mood. Well, the way a joyful pet barks when its owner comes home is familiar to everyone.
The main causes of barking
We have already found out that dogs bark because they want to attract the owner’s attention and convey information to him. There may be several main reasons for attracting attention in this way:
- fear . Often the cause of fear can be a new habitat, improper socialization of an animal that simply does not know how to calmly respond to environmental changes;
- anxiety . The animal is concerned about any sounds that force it to turn on “guard mode” and signal in such a way that the territory is protected. For example, dogs often bark at strangers simply because they do not know what to expect from such a visitor;
- joy . A stormy meeting between the owner and household members, the distribution of goodies overwhelms the animal with joy so much that it cannot restrain itself and expresses emotions with loud sounds;
- call to play . This vocal stimulus signals that you need to spend more time with your pet. He misses;
- warning . The dog himself has not yet figured out what is happening and makes it clear to the person that he should be careful. Such sounds will most often be hesitant and cautious.
All these reasons may conceal additional reasons to bark.
Before you scold the dog and give the command to stop, you must give a signal that you have figured everything out.
Below we will talk about specific reasons for barking in order to understand what exactly can drive a dog crazy at a time when there are no visible reasons for this.
What breeds are few?
- Basenji is the only breed of dog that does not bark at all and cannot do this. Instead of barking, they howl or purr.
- Bullmastiff - he will snort and sniff rather than bark.
- Deerhound - They bark very quietly.
- Afghan Hound.
- Chinese Shar Pei - Bark only when playing or when danger seems imminent.
- Rhodesian Ridgeback.
- Akita Inu is usually silent unless there are special reasons for alarm.
- Clumber Spaniel - does not bark unless it senses extreme danger.
- Greyhound practically does not bark.
- Russian greyhound.
- Mastiff.
- English bulldog.
- Irish Wolfhound.
- German dog.
- Saluki (gazelle dog).
Why does the dog bark at night for no reason?
Most often, residents of private houses encounter this problem when a dog living on the street on a chain barks every night for no apparent reason. But such a situation can also arise in an apartment. In both cases, the owner needs to quickly find out the reason and take measures to avoid causing problems with neighbors.
Few people will like the fact that behind the wall of an apartment or the fence of a neighbor’s house a dog howls and barks all night. Reasons for such barking:
- reluctance to be outside, in another room. Such situations arise when habituation to something begins and such barking is a protest against loneliness and a change of situation;
- incorrect socialization, in which the animal reacts with loud sounds to any rustling sounds, cats, the moon, and even to neighbor’s dogs that it has “known” for a long time;
- small age. In the process of getting used to a new home, the puppy may “cry” for several days;
- disease. Many diseases often worsen at night; barking can signal the presence of symptoms.
In addition, at night the dog may bark in its sleep. The reason for this behavior is insufficient activity during walks.
What to do
The best way to prevent barking is to try to eliminate any potential sources of the behavior. You should also avoid accidentally rewarding barking.
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To be a good canine friend, your dog must know when to bark and when to be quiet. Part of your job as a dog owner means teaching this to your dogs. Start working on problem barking as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the harder it is to control the behavior.
It's a good idea to teach your dog the Voice/Quiet commands, although it may be easier said than done. The purpose of these commands is to teach the dog to bark on command and be quiet on command. Some dogs may take weeks to train, so continue training or work with an expert for additional help. If your dog has been trained and continues to bark consistently at certain times, you will need to understand the reason for this behavior.
When the dog is left alone
When left alone in an apartment or house, a pet can bark continuously, thus waiting for a person to arrive and unnerving the neighbors. Causes:
- territory protection;
- an attempt to “call” the owner and speed up his arrival home.
This behavior can become a serious problem, so the puppy is taught from a young age to the absence of people in the house. After the baby gets used to the new home, along with basic commands, training begins. One option is to lock the puppy in a separate room and control his barking.
Why does a dog bark at passing cars?
It’s interesting that not all dogs think of barking and throwing themselves at a car. The exact reason why this happens is unknown, but the most common versions sound like this:
- a car, bicycle or other moving and rattling object appears to the dog as a living creature. It frightens and causes reactions in the form of loud noises and aggressive behavior;
- dogs don’t like spinning, rubber-smelling wheels;
- The main reason for barking sounds is the creaking of wheels, the growl of an engine, the rumble of a motorcycle.
Many believe that barking and chasing vehicles is a favorite pastime of mongrels. This is wrong. Absolutely all breeds and yard dogs burst into barking and throw themselves under the wheels. And the reasons for this behavior most likely lie in fear, improper socialization, and possible nervous breakdown.
Why does a dog bark at its tail?
What if the dog doesn’t chase cats, doesn’t bark at himself in the mirror or into space, but gives signals while looking at his tail? What does this behavior mean? There may be several reasons:
- developed hunter instinct. He tries to catch and stop the “victim”;
- getting attention. Hearing barking and noticing the tail being chased, the owner pays attention to the pet, laughs, and strokes it. And gets a repeat of the “concert”;
- boredom and using the tail as a playmate;
- discomfort, illness. This includes itching in the anus, the need to cleanse the paraanal glands, tangles and thorns, etc.
This behavior must be taken seriously and be sure to find out the reason for the tail barking.
Perhaps it's all a matter of boredom, or maybe the dog has worms or a serious illness.
Special devices
Methods for correcting dog behavior include not only commands and the psychological influence of the owner on the animal’s psyche, but also some special devices that help cope with constant barking, if nothing else works.
Such devices include:
- collar with soothing herbs. This collar contains aromatic herbs inside that have a calming effect. They help calm restless and naturally excited pets, but are not suitable in all cases, since barking is sometimes provoked not by the excitability of the nervous system and excessive emotionality, but by external factors;
- shock collar - a much tougher way to stop a dog from barking. The mechanism of its action is simple: when the dog starts to bark, its larynx trembles, and the collar picks up this vibration and in response shocks the animal. The charge there is actually small and is felt by a person as tingling and itching. But animals are more sensitive to it;
- collar with ultrasound - very similar to a shock collar, although more humane. It works on the same principle, but instead of current it produces ultrasound, to which dogs are very sensitive. The ultrasound works until the dog is silent. True, there is one caveat - if the dog begins to go hysterical from the ultrasound itself, then this method is definitely not suitable for you, since it only aggravates the situation with barking;
- liquid collar or spray collar - it is very similar to the mechanism of action of the first two and also reacts to the trembling of the animal’s larynx. Only instead of current and ultrasound, it sprays into the air a liquid that is unpleasant for the dog - lemon juice, for example, or the juice of any other citrus. Such spraying is extremely unpleasant for the dog and it becomes unable to bark;
- vibration collar - similar to all the others, only during barking it begins to vibrate strongly on the animal’s neck. This greatly distracts him from barking and forces him to look for the cause of the buzzing and mechanical impact. The only pitfall of this method is that over time the dog may figure out what’s what and that the collar does not cause harm, and will simply begin to ignore its effects.
Important! It is recommended to resort to correcting the dog’s behavior using special devices only if all other educational measures have not had a positive result. Do not start immediately with harsh measures, as this is also stressful for the animal.
How to calm a dog
- You shouldn’t scold and punish, persuade and feel sorry without understanding the reason for the barking;
- Take a long walk with a young and active animal before going to bed. At the beginning there are energetic classes, then a calm promenade. The dog should be tired and sleep “without its hind legs”;
- from the first days, the dog is given a comfortable place, toys are chosen that can calm him down alone;
- You need to talk to the dog in a firm voice, without shouting. It’s worth petting and patting the ears;
- if possible, eliminate irritants or reduce their impact: reduce the volume of the doorbell, move the bed away from the front door, etc.;
- Visit a veterinarian to rule out the presence of disease or stress. Your veterinarian may prescribe a sedative to help you cope with a stressful situation.
Socialization of a pet should begin from a very young age; the complex of such educational measures also includes weaning the dog from barking for no reason.
Mistakes and prohibited techniques
The foundations of successful parenting are consistency and confidence in your actions. Having understood the rules, pay attention to the reverse side. Not all owners know what not to do if the dog barks, and because of this they make mistakes at the very beginning. Prohibited activities include:
- Physical punishment
. Physical force can only be used in one case - during a direct attack for the purpose of self-defense. For educational purposes, such treatment will lead to mistrust, cowardice or increased aggression.
- Screams and curses
. Even commands should not be shouted, but spoken in a calm but firm voice. Don't try to threaten violence. This will only lead to overstimulation and have the opposite effect.
- Lack of regularity in education
. Without daily repetition of the material, your dog will never remember what you are trying to teach him.
- Ignoring until the cause is found out
. This is a good training method, but only if you understand what causes the barking. Otherwise, you may not notice a fire, an intruder, or the illness of your beloved animal.
- Fulfilling whims
. If the reason for the barking is a fragrant cutlet on your plate, then under no circumstances do not give it to your four-legged manipulator. Carrying out the desired actions after a certain sound will quickly become ingrained in the cunning dog’s memory.
All of these mistakes will only delay the desired results, so try to avoid them. Owners with fragile nerves will benefit from training from a dog handler. This service is not free, but it is guaranteed to eliminate unwanted behavior.
Briefly about the main thing
- Barking is a way of communication between a person and a dog.
- There can be many reasons for a dog to bark: from fear to intense joy and illness.
- The love for barking has nothing to do with size, but directly depends on his emotionality and spoilage.
- It is always necessary to find out the reason for such loud behavior of your pet.
- Weaning off unreasonable barking is the owner’s task.
Are your pets empty-headed? For what reasons do your pets bark most often? Tell us about your experience in the comments, please. We are very interested in your opinion.
