Barking is normal, but when is it too much?
First of all: barking in dogs is normal. It is part of communication just like growling, wagging their tail, and licking your hands. However, there are dogs that are very relaxed by nature and bark very little→are very relaxed and naturally bark very little. And then there are those you can hear from afar and are real barkers. The reasons for this can vary. Some dogs are basically born with it, that they bark more quickly and are more sensitive to stimuli. Dog breeds with a strong guarding instinct for example, will bark at noises because it's in their genes.
However, it's important to distinguish: do the dogs bark and can then be easily stopped or calmed by their owners, or do they get themselves worked up uncontrollably? Does your dog bark at other dogs, people, bikes, children, etc., or does he just "give a quick alert" when he sees or hears something odd? So it's always important to look at why your dog is barking and whether you can "control" the barking. If your dog cannot be calmed by you or doesn't understand that he should stop, then it's too much. The same applies if your dog keeps getting more worked up and ends up overexcited or even →becomes aggressive.
Dogs that bark don't bite? That all depends on the reason for the barking!
The cause: Why do dogs bark?
To teach your dog to stop barking, the first and most important step is to find out why he barks so much. The reasons for barking can be very different, but the training approach should always be adapted to the cause.
Possible causes for frequent barking in dogs are:
→Stress, insecurity and/or →fear e.g. barking at dog encounters, other people, bikes, noises, visitors
Frustration e.g. barking when seeing other dogs, waiting somewhere for a long time, throwing toys
Boredom e.g. barking while lying in the bed, being ignored, when you're on the phone
Excitement e.g. barking while playing, being petted, greeting visitors, coming home
"Alerting" e.g. barking at the mail carrier, neighbors, noises, doorbell, knocking
Illness e.g. barking in stressful situations, when meeting other dogs, being touched
As already mentioned, barking is also simply in some dogs' blood. Some bark because they want to alert you to strangers in your territory. Others use barking to draw attention to wildlife, which is often the case with hunting breeds. For these causes or dogs, it's important not to try to just suppress the barking, as that would go against the natural disposition of these breeds. In such cases, it's important to learn to guide the dogs better and to "control" the barking.
Above all, the boundaries of smaller dogs are often not respected. Growling and barking are usually dismissed as cute behavior, but can also end with a painful bite.
The right training approach
What you see is often not the cause of your dog's barking. That means: What you might see is that your dog always barks at other dogs when out walking. The cause for the increased barking, however, is not the other dog itself, but perhaps that your dog is insecure around other four-legged friends and barks to keep them at a distance. Maybe he had bad experiences with other dogs in the past and learned that he can keep others away by barking and drive them off by barking. So you should work on helping your dog become more confident around other dogs and gain more self-confidence builds. He can do this, for example, if you ensure positive experiences with other dogs and lead him confidently and →safely past other dogs.
You can see that this topic is quite complex and requires some dog knowledge to accurately determine why your dog barks so much and what a suitable approach would be. The best thing to do is to contact a dog trainer and have the situation assessed. By being "there live," professionals can tell you exactly why your dog barks so much andhow you can train him to stop.
How can I teach my dog to stop barking?
Once you've found out what causes your dog to bark so much, you can start training. Below, we give you possible approaches to help your dog unlearn barking. However, we recommend that you seek advice from dog trainers, as the causes are very individual and training approaches can vary greatly.
Mistakes can happen during dog training, but they can alsomake behaviors worse and are best avoided by knowing exactly how to work best with your dog.
If your dog is insecure and/or afraid
If your four-legged friend barks out of fear and/or insecurity, you should work on his self-confidence and learn how to guide your dog safely through difficult situations for him. Gradually reducing the "fear triggers" step by step—for example, associating large men with positive emotions, like "man gives me treats"—can also help.
The association with something positive can be very effective in dog training. Many dogs are quite food-motivated and are happy to receive a tasty reward—even if it comes from a scary person they would otherwise want to bark at.
Delicious Rewards for Brave Dogs
If your dog barks out of frustration
Dogs that bark a lot out of frustration, for example because you've put away their favorite toy or are chatting too long with your friend on the street corner and your dog just wants to move on, need to learn to tolerate frustration. You can practice this by putting your dog in, at a level tailored to him, repeatedly in frustrating situations. Calm, relaxed behavior can be rewarded if it doesn't get your dog too excited.
If your dog barks out of boredom
Dogs that bark because they're supposed to stay in their spot and no one is paying attention to them may not have learned to simply tolerate boredom. For this reason, calmness training is one of the first things you should practice when your →four-legged friend moves in with you. Send your dog to his spot several times a day and just ignore him for a while. Even looking at, touching, or talking to him is forbidden then!
Fixed resting places are very important for your dog. Many dogs also need to learn not to always be involved, otherwise they bark to get attention.
If your dog barks out of excitement
If your dog barks out of excitement, that's not a bad thing at first. However, it's important to distinguish whether your dog is at an acceptable level of arousal or if he's getting himself overly worked up and the excitement turns into overexcitement. In that case, you should calmly take your dog aside and wait until he calms down. Only then does he get your attention and/or his object of desire, such as his toy. This way, he learns that calm behavior gets him what he wants.
When your dog is "alerting"
If your dog loudly barks at the mail carrier or the doorbell, that's obviously not pleasant. However, "alerting" is important for many dogs and should not be completely suppressed. Instead, you can teach your dog that when the doorbell rings, he should go to his spot and wait there until you come get him and he can greet the visitor. If your dog comments on everything he hears, he may feel responsible for the "security" of your family and feel responsible. In this case, you should work on taking this task away from him and making it clear to him, that he can relax at home and you have everything under control.
If your dog barks due to illness
Barking due to illness or injury usually occurs quite suddenly and is accompanied by other behavioral changes. For example, if your dog no longer lets you or others touch him or seems nervous, anxious, or restless, you should have this checked by a veterinarian.
Punishing your dog for barking? Anti-bark collar, water bottle & co.
When your dog barks like crazy again, a stern "No, stop that" or other scoldings are usually our first impulse. But it's important to not simply punish your dog for barking. Anti-bark collars, water spray bottles, throwing keys, yelling at or pinching your dog are methods you should avoid and that are definitely not appropriate for the species. In most cases, you're only fighting the symptoms and not the cause of the barking—and in the worst case, you destroy the trust between you and your dog. Spraying with water may stop the barking, and maybe your dog will even learn that if he barks, he gets sprayed and will stop out of fear of the bottle in the future. Keep in mind that measures based on fear are not appropriate for the species and should always be avoided.
If your dog barked out of insecurity, for example, he won't learn this way that everything is okay and he can relax. So the cause is not being addressed here. When training through punishment, it can also happen that you have a big sense of achievement at first but it doesn't last. Sometimes behaviors even get worse or new problems arise, like in our example, your dog becomes afraid of water.
If you're stuck, you should always get a trainer to help you, with whose training approaches you feel comfortable and where both you and your dog feel well taken care of. Some trainers also offer →online support.
