Why do dogs bark? Barking is a form of communication and there are many reasons that may compel a dog to bark.

Here a few:
1) Frustration / Excitement
2) Fear
3) Protection
4) A medical issue

When frustrated or excited a dog may bark in an attempt to activate someone or something in order to get what they want. If a dog barks and receives something they like, such as food, a toy, play, or attention… they are more likely to repeat the behavior the next time they become frustrated. This reinforces that barking is a good solution for their problem.

When training police dogs there are times when we want a dog to bark and alert us if someone is present. We may want to have them bark as a warning trying to gain compliance from person(s) prior to a situation escalating. Sometimes when teaching this exercise I intentionally frustrate the dog with something they want, then immediately reward them when they bark. This is a way to reinforce the behavior. From this point, I can teach them to bark continuously and teach a bark command to activate the behavior.

Fear can be a motivator for a dog to bark. This serves as a warning. Oftentimes you will see other indicators of fear such as raised hackles, maybe the dog is acting a little unsure, showing some avoidance like looking away or licking their lips. Typically fear barking sounds deeper and more serious than a frustration/excitement bark. It serves as a warning to what or whoever is making the dog feel uneasy as if they are saying you better get back, or else. Protection barking typically has a deeper tone as well. There may or may not be fear associated with protection barking. But it too serves as a defensive warning to intruders.

Protection barking is often heard when someone comes to the door, or maybe when the dog barks at another dog or stranger from the yard. The dog may come forward towards the perceived threat and they may posture themselves to look bigger and more self-confident.

If the perceived threat leaves when dogs display fear or protection barking, this can convince the dog that they caused the intruder to retreat. If left unaddressed, over time this can enable a dog to become more aggressive and can potentially lead to biting behavior. Medical issues can also be a cause of barking. If the dog is in pain or has a neurological disorder they may bark.

As pet trainers, our staff spends more time teaching dogs not to bark, than to bark. We see a significant number of dogs whose barking is a nuisance and has become a problem for the owners. Understanding why the dog is barking is an important factor in determining how to remedy the issue. A confident dog that is barking from frustration or excitement and trying to activate someone or something, would be addressed differently than a dog who is barking because they feel unsafe.

We utilize obedience training and confidence-building exercises to teach dogs appropriate behaviors, where we can redirect inappropriate activities when needed. Once the dog understands what is expected of them, with low-level distractions, we increase the distraction intensity in their training environment. This is a gradual desensitization to their triggers and teaches that the unwanted behaviors no longer offer a successful solution. But calmer, quiet behaviors in the presence of what triggers them, will always bring success.