If your dog’s barking and its not clear why, you can quickly identify the type of bark she’s making.
- Aggressive or warning bark? If it is, is it directed at you or something else? This type is often the one that needs controlling and where you must avoid being manipulated.
- Baying? This is often some form of signal, more common in specific breeds, like Beagles.
- Whining? Some signify she’s in pain, others are again intended to manipulate.
- Yapping? This one’s usually intending to be a nuisance until you meet the dog’s wishes.
The reasons for the barking include:
- She wants your attention; it could be she’s desperate for the toilet, more likely she’s seeking something from you
- A reaction to someone or something outside; a reaction that you may appreciate sometimes
- Boredom or loneliness
Unless the reasons are simple and the answers are obvious, then to train the dog appropriately needs measured and deliberate responses from you. You are the owner that she depends on. If you don’t try and understand the reason, then you could confuse the dog and create bigger problems later.
If your dog thinks it can get what it wants because it barks at you, it will repeat the process over and over again.
So be aware that if you’ve “given in” before, there is a pattern forming that you probably want to stop.
Dogs need a lot of exercise and that is most often the simple but effective solution to boredom. Loneliness can be more complicated and I’ll return to this and other complexities in future.
For now, a good solution to the dog barking for less obvious reasons is to simply ignore it. Say nothing. Make no eye contact. If necessary, turn away. The dog will usually bark again. Again, do nothing. After a few minutes the dog will often stop because the barking is not having the desired effect.
If it still persists, reach out and hold her muzzle. Hold her collar if necessary; this is sending signals to her. When she’s still and quiet, hold for a few seconds more, then praise her. This is a very effective solution in the majority of cases.
This blog is devoted to dog behavior training; there will soon be a lot more content! If there is some aspect of dog training that interests you, please add your comments.