Why do dogs bark and should we step in to stop it?
Which dogs seem more ‘scary’ when they bark? Small or large dogs?
The main reason dogs bark is to communicate. They can't talk in the same way humans can, so they have a variety of sounds from howling to barking, growling to rumbling, whining and even squeaking to try and tell their humans something. Dogs also show and communicate with other dogs and humans with their body language, which we have covered in other blogs, like the blogs about stress, decompression and toys. But sometimes feel they need to escalate from just body language to vocal communication to get the humans to understand something.
Why aren’t you listening to me?
Some dogs bark more than others…why? And what do dogs usually bark at?
Some dogs, depending on their breed, are a lot more prone to being vocal due to genetics than others- such as Chihuahuas, Beagles, Dachshunds, Huskies, or Yorkshire terriers. But all sorts of other hound, terrier, herding, gun, guardian and sled dog breeds can be more vocal than many people expect, as they were bred for hunting and herding purposes so their actual job is to alert their humans to:
prey- (which could be small dogs, cats, rodents or lizards (pets or wild), hedgehogs, squirrels, birds and even spiders, bees, wasps and flies though dogs usually go for insects because they irritate them or have some instinct that they can sting, or contaminate their food, so also see them as hazards). We’ve even known dogs to ‘alert’ to leaves, slugs and snails! Some dogs also chase or attack/(partially) eat farm animals who have a basic trust of humans and the dogs on the farm- like sheep, goats and even cows due to breed mix, but their instinct isn’t diverted or trained properly to another activity, so always have your dog on a lead near farm animals! And remove them immediately from the situation if they start barking at them, as they are showing stress reactions due to breed-led confusion on what to do. This is not exactly a ‘prey drive’, but rather a bred-in exaggerated drive that originates in the prey drive instinct to engage with farm/herd animals.
hazards- (like seeing buses, vans, cars, bikes (cycle and motor), horses or other ‘unusual’ things they might encounter on a walk- especially pavement walks- or on bridleways/cycle paths). And guardian breeds often see other dogs (who could attack the flocks they are guarding) as a hazard they need to ‘alert’ to
environment changes-(which can include a holiday home, weather/air pressure changes, seasonal changes, magnetic or electric fields (like the build up to the Northern Lights; or the ‘buzz’ from street junction boxes that most humans can’t hear) and ‘human’ celebrations such as firework displays)
and perceived threats- like (unusual) noises on their territory (deliveries, visitors, vehicle sounds, household appliances like the vacuum, washing machine and TV) or while in vehicles (that dogs tend to see as an extension of their territory as they are usually only in there with their humans).
Hunting, guardian and herding breeds are more likely to howl (or ‘give tongue’)- a noise they make to let the humans or other dogs know their location as many are bred to function and do their jobs at a great distance from the humans in charge of them; or almost sound like they are talking/responding directly to what humans are saying to them (in the case of huskies) than/as well as bark as their alert signal but that is not always the case.
Often small breed dogs are more likely to bark than bigger dogs as they often have a very large personality for their body size and humans treat them differently by nature compared to big breed dogs so they can often get frustrated from being mollycoddled, over-fussed, or inappropriately ignored (such as when a human doesn't respond to their toilet signal) far more than bigger breeds of dogs. People tend to forget that small breed dogs are still bred, and the alert responses to something they think is dangerous are often less obvious to humans, thus less well understood than bigger breed dogs. Smaller breed dogs are more likely to not be corrected appropriately/enough to stop behaviours escalating when they are noisy, due to a human perception of it being cute in a small dog but dangerous in a big dog. But these dogs, whether small or large breeds have had a tendency for protectiveness bred into them by humans. So to penalise the dog that is barking or being vocal ‘normally’ according to their breed is not the way to go!
So dogs could be (in their minds) barking to ‘alert’ their humans, to ‘defend’ their spaces, or the animals/people in their space; but also out of boredom, annoyance or fear of the situation and even what humans tend to think of as ‘just because’ (attention seeking and play cues) as their ‘alerts’ or needs haven’t been noticed and/or addressed properly by their humans.
And of course, in a multiple dog household, a bark will be taken up by the other dogs like a yawn (which can also often be a stress reaction in dogs) going round a room.
If it is a mixed breed dog, or a rescue not from a litter, or adopted with knowing or seeing both parents, they could be showing barking behaviours that don't seem to match the breed they look like. So getting a dog DNA panel may help to work out why your supposed-to-be-quiet dogs (like sighthounds (whippets, salukis, borzois); working breeds (like Newfoundlands or Bernese mountain dogs) or even ‘yodellers’ (like Basenjis or Huskies) judged on what they look like may not be the same as their actual breed mix.
Not all dog DNA panels are created equal however, but the ones that tend to get the highest ratings are the panels created/tested by Wisdom.
Am I the problem?
Unfortunately barking dogs is something most humans get very irate about, to the point of calling the landlord, environmental control run by the local Council, or even the RSPCA and the police. And in UK law under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 persistent, loud barking is defined as a ‘statutory nuisance’, which can lead to a Council investigation and the issuing of an NAN (Noise Abatement Notice) or CPN (Community Protection Notice) ordering the humans to prevent the barking. If nothing is done, for whatever reason (often because by that point the barking has become so habitual that the humans are now overwhelmed and don’t know how to fix it) the humans can be taken to court and fined, prosecuted, or awarded a CBO (Criminal Behaviour Order). Yes, it can become a criminal matter! So legally, managing the noises your dog makes is very important.
This has become law (as social attitudes and needs lead to new laws and vice versa), because, on an emotional level, it’s not the bark, or when the dog is barking, but what the humans think it means, or how they react to it that is the issue. It’s also quite common for humans to act more forcefully or negatively if they’re already stressed, having trouble sleeping (insomnia), have been woken up by barking and need to sleep before work, or are unwell. This is not helped by people who leave their dogs alone way too long in the house, garden or yard, making the likelihood of dogs ‘problem barking’- crying and howling in boredom, frustration and loneliness inevitable. But some people can’t even cope with ‘normal’ dog barking, and are likely to report even ordinary happy or play barks to the authorities (which goes nowhere legally but can lead to frosty relationships with neighbours). However, while you can’t control your neighbours, it can help adopters for their peace of mind to deal with barking dogs by mentally separating the types of bark into actual positive and negative behaviours, and some of these may surprise you! (And they would definitely surprise an over-sensitive neighbour who thinks all barks mean the dog is dangerous!)
Sometimes the humans need a bit of a reset in how they feel and how they react when a dog barks at all. If some of the barking listed above as ‘normal’ feels problematic for you, then could be a you problem not a dog problem.
However, all barking is relative and, if not responded to appropriately and in a timely way by the human, ‘normal’ barking can escalate into problematic barking – it's all about balance.
You as the human need to notice if it helps when a normal barking behaviour becomes problematic for the dog. Once the human starts to understand and process all the reasons for dogs barking, it is much easier to identify the cause and address the underlying issue that could be causing it.
So one of the most important things to remember is that normal barking only escalates into a problem when previous behaviours haven't been corrected appropriately; so they become habitual or even compulsive behaviours, which can develop into neurological issues that cause everyone in the house, including the dog, to be constantly stressed to the point of becoming seriously ill. Therefore whilst we as humans do need to let dogs be dogs sometimes, there is always a line or boundary that should not be crossed with how humans and dogs interact with each other. On one of our stress blogs we talk about these unhealthy bonds/cycles of reaction, and also about what we call monobonding when a dog behaves differently with different humans. This is why we shouldn't yell, grab, or point at dogs (typical expressions of human anger) in response to any barking… as dogs are rarely angry when they do the equivalent of raising their voices, and can get scared and confused and start to act out or become super/inappropriately submissive when they see anger coming from their humans and they don't know why.
Dogs know that barking at humans gets their attention. Humans are only apex (top) predators due to being able to use tools (such as building tools or lethal weapons) but behind the ‘tech’ we are scared monkeys reacting to the threat of a nearby wolf; (or other species like foxes, coyotes, seals and even other monkeys on the war path that also bark!) So it's up to the humans to bring themselves back to present day rather than reacting on our instincts- remember we domesticated and bred dogs thousands of years ago to work in co-operation with us- and instead, anticipate a dog’s needs by establishing consistent positive routines through the day and night; and show a dog that while it is okay to bark, it isn't needed for every situation or need.
As their humans we must never
Yell back (in other words, match their volume, as they may think you agree with their reason for barking and do it more; or get scared and start fear barking) or point at the dog to show disapproval, (hand signals; such as a flat palm waved upwards in a ’no thank you’ gesture or fingers on lips like we do with young human children; or any calm but obvious movement that distracts them or gets their attention, are fine of course) this is negatively mirroring the dog’s behaviour instead of distracting and helping them process what’s bothering them. Dogs don’t express anger the way we do, and our anger voice and body language just escalates the situation.
Use their name or nickname in a negative tone to get them to be quiet, instead of calm and consistent cue words and praise words and tones (including their name) when they do well
Use their safe space as a punishment area, especially a pen or crate
Deprive them of praise, treats/food and engagement as a punishment for barking
Remove their comforts (bed, toys, blankets) if they are not their source of stress, as a punishment for barking
Put them outside unsupervised with no comforts or distraction/activity items for long periods as a punishment for barking
As their humans we must always
Think before we react, stay calm, and not try to shock or pull dogs away from what is stressing them- gentle removal of the dog or the stressor with a calm that dog is ‘busy’ (for example), and move away from the stressor with a ‘walk on’, ‘I got you’ or ‘let’s go’ type of cue, with praise when they do it, gets much better results
Keep our responses calm and consistent
Have consistent word cues, actions and routines to soothe them and remind them there are better ways to tell us things, rather than going straight to excessive barking
Keep an eye on our dog’s body language as their bodies will usually tell us they’re about to bark before they actually bark, even for ’normal’ barking
Divert the dog’s attention to an equally big/high value reward activity
Give them time to calm down in their safe space before you reward them with fuss them or give them treats
Reward for quiet positive behaviours and quiet times they do ‘naturally’ in the day or night, in the home and outdoors, and only do training when they are calm and quiet
‘HARs’ or Human-Animal Relationships need daily work, reinforcement and understanding to develop and maintain positive and healthy bonds with our dogs.
What causes ‘normal’ dog barking types of communication?
Alongside breed tendencies to bark, almost all dogs can and will bark because it’s how they communicate to humans and other animal they meet.
Attention seeking
This type of barking is one of the most likely to escalate into barking that their humans find a problem. The sound is usually high pitched and repetitive, increasing in volume if it doesn't get a result. This is because they are communicating some kind of need to the humans that the humans are either misunderstanding, ignoring, or not training to divert to something less noisy. Grabbing a dog and evicting them from the space (never crate as a punishment) or shouting at the dog will produce the same result – the dog getting the attention they ask for without actually addressing what they are really asking for. Another term for this is ‘demand barking’. But when a dog is barking for attention, they are asking for something ‘natural’: a food/treats or to play, have fuss, or to go on a walk. It could even simply be boredom (see below).
However, it's quite common for humans to use the term ‘attention seeking’ in a negative context, linking it to over-needy/clingy and above all, unnecessary behaviour. But dogs are not humans, and they don't think or act like us very much. They just want our attention: they're not trying to wind us up- though if they become frustrated (see below) they can absolutely use noise to test boundaries. So this is where we need to ‘think more dog!’
Whilst ignoring is a little better than shouting, prevention is the best of all, and rewarding a dog the minute they are quiet (reinforced by consistent praise word cues) as opposed to punishing the dog when it is noisy is the way to go. But never forget, it is perfectly normal for a dog to bark when they want something. It usually means you have missed more subtle body language cues such as circling if they need the toilet, bowing to you or bringing over a toy if they want to play, padding at you if they want fuss, or even going to their bowl and nosing it around if they feel they are hungry. When a dog no longer trusts you to see their body language, they are likely to move straight to barking, howling and whining to let you know they need something.
The longer you leave a dog barking for attention, the longer it takes to de-escalate and correct the problem- as by now it will actually be a problem.
So as soon as it starts happening
work out what they want and address it/fulfil the need if it's appropriate and not ‘excessive’ (eg they keep barking even after the need is met due to overexcitement- see below). It is usually better to wait until they have calmed down or help them calm down if they are already barking before you can work out what they want as there will be no obvious body language or cues if they have worked themselves up into a state. This is why prevention is better than cure! Address the body language and more subtle noises like growling, grumbling or whimpering before they feel they need to bark. Sometimes as simple a cue as ‘what do you want?’, ‘what’s up?’ Or ‘hi/hey?’ plus the dog’s name, in a kind questioning but calm tone could give them the tools to show you either by going to the back door if they need the toilet or padding at you if they want a cuddle, or going to the front door or window if they have heard a visitor.
keep on rewarding them whenever they are ‘good’ (quiet, not destructive, but NOT silent due to anxiety as that is fear behaviour, not ‘good’ behaviour)
Divert their attention by staring somewhere like the ceiling all the corner of the room, turn away from your dog and that in dogs is a sign of not wanting to engage or even walk out of the room
And as soon as they start responding to your cues (preferably beforehand, as soon as they come home, to set the rules from the get go)
Have regular and consistent ‘quiet times’ when they should sleep or at least rest in their beds, or quietly engage with a comfort toy; and reward them at the end of that time with attention (fuss/play) or treats (meals are never rewards, dogs should always be fed every day, medical considerations and vet advice due to illness or conditions aside). This is especially useful for people who work from home, or to let the dog know you’re ‘busy’ (if you’re cooking human food or other human activity that the dog needs to step back from, like when visitors (first) come in) but will definitely fulfil the need soon (and follow through on the promise! Dogs live in the present but will feel hurt or frustrated if ‘soon’ never happens.). Combining ‘direction cues’ like ‘away’ or ’to your bed’ or instructions only for this (lack of) activity like ‘quiet time’ or ‘shushy time’ (which is not the same as ‘bed time’ as that’s usually for their overnight sleep- see our sleep blog for more on this)
work out with your dog a list of positive keywords and tones they prefer, like ‘good job/clever for quiet’ or ‘well done for sshh’ where you use a praise word combined with a cue word only relating to being quiet (even a finger on your lips can work as the dogs will follow the movement of your fingers)) that the dog recognises as the humans approving of and praising the quieter behaviour, as well cues that mean ‘soon’ or ‘later’ (such as ‘give me five’, ‘in a sec’ or ‘away’ - ‘wait’ can also work but can cause confusion as that’s often also used on a walk when coming to a road or pedestrian crossing though as you ‘soon’ move on from waiting at the kerb, it could also have in-house uses by association); and combine those cues with the ‘quiet time’ routine. This will reinforce the ‘good’ behaviour and keep the positive bonds of trust between the dog and their humans.
Don’t try to do all these at the same time; start with one or two simple cues and rewards, and once they have ‘got’ those, combine with the more complex tasks and cues. It is likely you will need to do this every day for the lifetime of the dog, as we should always keep an eye out for our dog’s body language and manage their stress levels.
if you can’t even go to the toilet without your dog following and barking and crying to come in, rather than curiosity, they are showing signs of fear bonding, which needs to be addressed to reduce the dog’s stress levels.
Excitement in play
This kind of bark usually sounds quite similar to ‘attention seeking’ barking; but different to ‘alerting’ barking which tends to be lower, to discourage the threat they are perceiving. It can also be high pitched, with a sharp edge, and is usually a succession of short, stuttering, energetic sounds that can become repetitive the more excited they get. But the tone can vary and isn’t always high, and enthusiasm can usually be detected in a play bark, accompanied by happy body language such as a soft but quite high wagging tail, perked ears, play bows, or spinning. (Note however that if a dog suddenly starts to spin with no obvious reason and it isn't their usual behaviour this can be signs of high stress levels, or even a medical problem.)
Your dog may do this kind of bark when they are anticipating something fun, like going on a walk or playing with you and toys. They may be asking you to join in with their game, or asking another dog to play. Or they could just simply be happy and doing the dog version of ‘if you're happy and you know it clap your hands’…
This all sounds very positive doesn't it? But dogs do need to learn that there are appropriate times to ask for play without them getting frustrated and bored. As it says earlier in the blog this is where ‘soon’/‘later’ cues can also come into playtimes as sometimes the human will be busy and that's okay. Indulging a dog every time they ask for something, no matter if it's convenient for you or not creates a spoiled or over-dependent dog. However it's just as common for humans to go the other way and not engage with our dogs enough as we can easily get engrossed in work or hobbies, sometimes past the point in time when we intended to originally stop.
So in order to avoid frustration for the dog and yourself due to play signals not addressed:
set aside a regular slot every day that is playtime, along the same lines as ‘sleep’ time’ above. Don't play with them in their beds, or on the sofa (the lounge is for lounging!) or other human furniture. Don't bounce between playtime and sleep time either, as that accelerates their excitement and stress levels from 0 to 60 in a very short space of time. Sometimes going down to a dog’s level and playing with them on the floor once we get to know them is a good piece of human body language to show that you are available to play with. As humans don't often sit on the floor usually, natural curiosity often makes the dog come over to see what you are doing.
Together with your dog, work out what kind of play cue words they respond to the best and use them consistently and regularly, to reinforce play time and play zones- for example ‘dog’s name’ + ‘want play play? (Repeating the word can help, in the same way we teach little children words) ‘Play time?/!’ (as a question or an announcement, but in a higher happy tone) or ‘you want toy?’ (or the name of a toy if they like lots of different types of toy.)
Then, at playtime, engage in the kind of play your dog likes best, after trying out different styles of play with your dog to work out which they prefer. This could be tugging toys, with an activity or comfort toy with you, or toys containing treats like tongs or snuffle mats. We have two blogs on toys that will prove useful in these cases.
Consistency in routines, positive cue words and human behaviour helps the dog to work out what they should or shouldn't be doing at any given time – giving them context for when it is okay to play or not. It's actually quite common for dogs themselves to get confused as to whether they want attention or play, so it could be a good idea, if it's an appropriate time, to see if the dog actually wants fuss or a need fulfilled like being let out to go to the toilet rather than play engagement.
sometimes a dog’s play request is this obvious, but not always!
Alerting
Alerting happens when a dog wants to tell you about prey nearby, hazards, changes in environment or perceived threats, as we talked about earlier in the blog. An alert bark can also be repetitive, especially if you don't investigate, with the aim of drawing the humans attention the dog is seeing as a problem or issue. Some dogs will either start with or escalate into low, drawn out growls or a loud continuous ‘alarm’ bark rather like the effect of a siren in human terms. But the aim of an alert bark is to signal to the pack or their adopter that something suspicious is going on which needs investigation. They will often look towards the source of their discomfort as well. Ordinarily such barks are curious, but as we have seen from some breeds of dogs they can sound quite insistent and even threatening, especially if they are in a lower pitch or from a bigger dog. It’s also very common for dogs to feel they need to ‘alert’ to a ‘suspicious’ sound coming from the TV show you’re watching (dogs, other animals, doorbells, phones ringing, a human shouting etc), or a ‘suspicious’ sound, person or other dog that walks past the car they are in. They may also be trying to tell you a member of their pack is up to no good- like a resident pet toileting in the house or chewing a shoe, or the humans kids are fighting or sneaking a midnight snack.
So what to do if you think the dog is alerting
The best way to respond if a dog is alerting is to get up and investigate! Even if you know there isn't actually somebody at the door (for example) you can go to the door or window, and once the dog is secure but can see outside, tell them in calm tones that nothing or nobody is there and everything is okay.
Use the ‘quiet’ cues you have worked out with the dog to show the barking is no longer needed. Then as soon as they have quietened down, reward them then divert with play or fuss (if calm) time, or sleep time if they still seem agitated.
Some trainers recommend a ‘three barks allowed’ rule or ‘Thank You Protocol’ with alert barking. Let them voice their concern a couple of times, then address it, thanking them calmly for doing their ‘job’, then rewarding as above as soon as they go quiet.
Like with any training method, soothing an ‘alert barking’ situation needs to be regularly repeated and reinforced positively and consistently. And never match the dog’s increased volume with shouting of your own.
‘alert’ barking is often backed up by body language like this
Marking territory
We mentioned earlier about the natural and bred-in tendency of some dogs to be protective of their homes, or a vehicle, or an area where their humans are regularly even when outdoors or in other homes, on holiday, or buildings (such as a tent or caravan, vet clinic or pet food shop where dogs are allowed, where you have the added temptation of there being dog food and treats nearby.) This is quite normal for a dog to do, but needs careful management to ensure it doesn’t become a problem due to the dog being too stressed, which of course will stress out their human families too! Here the important steps are to manage their environment, provide adequate exercise and mental stimulation to avoid stress build up to reduce the reactivity, then consistent diverting and training using ‘quiet times’ so they can process.
How can we help when our dog is trying to ‘defend’ or ‘protect’ the place where they and their humans live or are (like in a vehicle)?
Managing the situation- firstly, you can block triggers by having curtains closed or black out blinds in the car so they’re not triggered by movement. Fencing outside can be blocked in with wood panels or anything a dog can’t see through. Bear in mind, a dog’s hearing is excellent, but they are less good at pinpointing the origin of a noise, so they are ironically less likely to get worked up if they can’t see what’s making the noise, especially if you keep your tone and body language calm. If curtains or blinds aren’t appropriate (if you’re out and about or in another building) a safe space could be the way to go. This can be a bed, mat, blanket, a covered stair gate in the doorway, pen, another room, or even a crate (but only if they find comfort in crates.) The safe space should not be you or the chair you are sitting on as they can get more defensive. Then once they are calm give them the opportunity to investigate, (on lead if that’s better or if there are other animals or children about), but do not rush it. Give them time to decide if they even want to leave their safe space. And if noise blockers are needed, use white/coloured noise, nature videos (not animal noises) or classical music, or music you have found calms the dog
Adequate mental and physical exercise. They may become overprotective if they have excess energy to burn. If a dog is tired out, or satiated from activity, they can be less likely to be watchful, but activity brings its own excitement stress, so there needs to be time between activities- don’t walk a dog for three hours then walk back into a house party or then expect them to settle ok at a busy dog friendly cafe, or at the vet’s, without giving them a way to ‘escape’ or knowing you must remove them from the situation if they start showing stress, like getting stiff in the body, turning away, hiding or starting to low level growl.
Reinforcing ‘quiet cues’. The same quiet cues, with different context words, as in other types of barking, will work just as well here. Calm narration such as ’sshh, it’s next door’s dog’; ‘quiet, it’s okay, just a nice man/lady’; ‘enough now’, it’s someone going past’; ‘what’s up? Oh it’s a cat’; or ‘I got you/you safe’ to show we have their backs; with direction cues like ‘go to your mat/bed/blanket’ so they know it’s safe space/quiet time now. If gentle fuss calms them rather than excites them, then touch can reassure and quiet them. If they calm down, thank them and then it’s reward time if they stay calm and quiet with relaxed body language. If they don’t, maybe it’s time for those visitors, or us, to go back to the car (temporary safe space, with black out blinds but leave the engine off for a bit, or put on a calming sounds CD or similar first) or go home!
You never want a dog to end up feeling this stressed and protective! Prevention as ever is better than cure.
Frustration
Frustration happens when your dog really wants something but is prevented from getting it. This could be anything from being stopped from running over to greet another dog while on (or off) lead, or wanting (play with) a favourite toy or ball and not being able to access it. Or not being allowed to play with or ‘have a go’ at next door’s dog on the other side of the fence. They could also get frustrated if they are stopped from reaching a person they love for for pats and attention, or from leaving a situation they find uncomfortable. Of course, frustration is natural. And whenever possible, we as their humans need to fulfil their needs whenever it’s appropriate, to reduce frustration build up. But sometimes, we need to stop them doing what they want when they want for safety reasons (the dog they want to greet is not dog friendly, or they’re on crate rest after surgery and can’t be bouncing all over their human getting cuddles) or by necessity (their toys are being washed, or they’re having to stay at the vet’s for a serious procedure). Like all other types of barking, balance is key to keep these behaviours and stresses as low as possible, while taking daily life stresses into account. But if a dog is getting frustrated because we’re not paying them enough attention for their positive mental health, and we ignore them or don’t notice when they ‘ask nicely’ for attention, then that’s on us and we need to fix it!
And how to deal with frustration barking, unsurprisingly, is similar to other types of barking- as we have said repetition and reinforcement of consistent ‘quiet training’ is vital to prevent normal little frustration ‘woofs’ escalate into full on reactivity and problematic behaviour. But the dogs aren’t trying to act ‘spoiled’: they are they are struggling to function in a chaotic world that constantly puts barriers in their way. They aren’t trying to take over your pack or home, or set rules, they are failing to communicate their needs or their humans aren’t picking up on their needs (see the ‘attention seeking’ section above.)
Early stage frustration may show in other behaviours before they start barking or becoming reactive. Actions like mouthing hands or other active body parts of their humans, refusing to move, development of mood swings, pacing and spinning repeatedly, tail chasing for no obvious reason, or general unpredictability can be a warning that their frustrations are getting too high for them to cope with. The dog could even start to get snappy, steal your food/scavenge from counter tops and bins, grab at their lead on a walk, have a general ‘tantrum’; or become destructive.
The biggest issue with frustration barking is that it may not happen immediately after the event. The dog may take a few minutes, hours or longer to realise they didn’t get what they want so it’s not always easy to work out what was bothering them. So the more you have a consistent routine the quicker you can work out what may have changed or upset them enough to start barking because of frustration. This doesn’t mean do everything at the same time every day; the same order of daily events is much more important than the time at which they are done.
Frustrated barking often sounds very different from other barking sounds. While it is often loud, it tends to be deeper, longer sounds, that tend to keep the same tone but increase in volume, as well as repeating. It can often turn into a howl as well in a dog not prone to howling.
How we can manage frustration build up in our dogs:
Teach patience and self-control through training games and cue words in the home and out on walks. This is where diversions with ‘wait/soon/later’ cues could come in very useful as well as ‘quiet time’/safe space; or ‘play time’, as has been previously discussed, then once they are calm and have had some processing time, training and reinforcement. Our tone needs to be calm and reassuring but firm, and the cues consistent, showing them the rule they need to follow for now. And later they get that toy, treat, or time out under their favourite blanket or in their beds, or a cuddle. Dogs’ motivations to be patient comes from wanting to please their humans; it’s not something they are born with, so we humans have to step up to ensure frustrations stay at low or normal levels.
Provide alternative outlets or activities such as sniffing, chewing or calm disengagement. The diversion needs to be of ‘equal value’ to the dog as the thing they think they’re missing out on. So allow them to choose another thing they like or activity instead. The toy itself may be frustrating them (for example if it’s taking them too long to find the food reward in a snuffle mat) so ensure you have other less stimulating but equally seen as high value toys to swap out. Treats as a diversion or reward for becoming quieter and seeming less stressed can help as long as they aren’t too agitated (unless you pop some calming meds (after vet or rescue advice) into the treat.)
Avoid putting your dog repeatedly in frustrating situations where they feel stuck as much as possible. Get them used to (for example) going to the vet’s just to nose around, get some attention if that calms them, then go home for a ‘quiet time’ process, rather than waiting till it’s vaccine time, so they have positive associations, and make sure they can ‘escape’ by removing them if (for example) a stressed or ‘spicy’ dog also comes into the clinic in case the dog picks up on the new dog’s fear and frustration. Or if they’re trying to engage too much with dogs or humans on a walk, take them out when you know it’s quieter so they can realise walks are for walking (and sniffing!) and they don’t ‘have to’ greet everyone and every dog they encounter. There is no point doing things like this too often, it just floods and overstimulates them rather than getting them used to it.
All these things should help keep frustrations at a low and easy to manage frustration rather than turning into a problem. Of course, it’s best to work with a behaviour professional if frustration has already started tipping into high level stress reactivity or to the vet’s to rule out a medical cause. Teenage dogs (6 months-2 years depending on size), a bit like human teenagers are especially prone to excessive frustration, or dogs that weren’t socilaised properly as a puppy or teenager, are less able to express it positively.
dogs aren’t deliberately trying to wind you or themselves up. They want to please you, but also don’t want to feel scared by or annoyed with life all the time.
What causes ‘problematic’ stressed dog barking communication?
All stress reaction barking or ‘problem barking’ comes from not keeping the ‘normal’ barking reactions under control by training, routines and addressing the dog’s needs.
So if they’re already really stressed, extra stressors like unfamiliar places or people, loud unexpected noises, or too many visitors/activities in too short a space of time can fill their stress buckets so much that they almost always feel uncertain and insecure. This will intensify their reactions, including barking, to prey animals, hazards, environmental changes and perceived threats. But they will still try and warn or tell you how they are feeling, in the hope you will help them, through body language changes as well as ‘excessive’ barking.
We do not advocate using e collars or prong collars to interrupt ‘excessive’ barking as they are adversive training methods and teach by fear of, and actual, pain, which is not conducive to a dog’s mental health.
Fear/anxiety (including separation anxiety)
Barking due to fear is not the same as barking to protect the home or their humans even though it can happen under similar circumstances- a visitor, a ‘worrying’ noise on the TV, or ‘scary’ things by or in (such as the air conditioning or the radio) the car they’re in. Dogs bark when they are scared to release feelings of discomfort. And the barks are noticeably higher in tone; fast, almost frantic; repeating a lot with no breaks; often with lower barks and low growling in between the ‘cries’. Such a bark is very hard to manage, as fear and memories of fear leave a lasting impression on a dog, and it’s usually accompanied by body language like a tucked under tail, ears back and/or down, shaking, yawning, whale or half moon eyes (where you can see the whites a lot) and a very hunched and stiff body. Sometimes due to its similarity to excited or alert barking, it’s hard to tell if they’re scared just from the bark alone. Just think of something like a fire alarm that won’t stop beeping-it’s an ‘extreme’ alert when they can’t or won’t stop barking, crying or even howling where the dog feels so bad they may seek comfort, want to hide by or behind you or hide from you if they’ve become scared of you due to a never emptying stress bucket that you haven’t helped them to empty, even accidentally. They are asking you to help them ‘escape’ the fearful situation. The ‘three barks’ method is not effective here as they tend not to stop barking, so it’s our job to leap (or shuffle gently!) into action as soon as we hear fear or anxiety barking. But we can thank them in soft calm tones if/when they do start to calm down.
So what should we do?
Remove them from the situation. They are far too stressed to learn anything positive right now from the (new) situation or place, and need to go home as soon as possible to their safe space.
Remove the scary thing. They may be reacting to a (new) appliance that makes an ultrasonic sound we can’t hear, or be so overwhelmed that everything is scaring them, or things that they were ok with they’re not any more (like dropping or breaking a glass, plate or pan).
Continue the consistent ‘quiet time’ training. Even and especially a fearful dog needs their safe spaces, and cues to go there; and not be bothered while they are in their safe space. ‘Quiet time’ gives the dog a chance to sleep and/or rest, to process the recent events and try and empty their stress bucket.
Slow down, decrease, or (slowly) change routines. Routines are meant to help calm a dog, but not all routines are good for dogs. If the routine you’ve developed together is (no longer) helping the dog, then decreasing the amount of activities in a day, or removing toys they’re avoiding, or doing a different dinner routine at a different time or day can help to reset a fearful dog. But any changes must be done slowly, and one at a time, then see if that helps; if it does, in a few days, great, but if not move on and carefully try another small routine change and leave longer time to process between events and activities.
Reintroduce stressors slowly, one at a time over days or weeks, and at a distance that feels safe to the dog and be prepared to leave or remove the stressors and start from the beginning if the dog becomes fearful again.
Lower your expectations. Neither you nor the dog are a ‘failure’ if the dog starts to bark because of fear and anxiety. And sometimes we all need a bit of extra time and reassurance with some (new) experiences and events. Sometimes we don’t know if things are scary till we have a go, and neither do dogs. So often it’s not a deliberate action that causes the fear, it’s a lack on the humans’ or the dog’s part of being able to work out why they’re scared that can be the issue.
For separation anxiety, it’s not possible to always be with your dog, and in fact, never getting your dog used to being alone can make separation anxiety worse. But build up very slowly, in a few minute increments, with leaving the house, and give them the option of a smaller space like a pen (or crate if they like them) or a smaller but familiar room. As with other types of fear, very obvious, consistent and reinforced routines help the dog to make sense of what’s going on, to reduce the fear. And if the separation anxiety is very bad, the vet or rescue can advise on pharmaceutical or herbal helps to reduce their feeling of panic.
Always give a scared or anxious dog extra space and time, (whatever time you usually give a dog to process, triple it minimum) avoid direct eye contact, don’t go over and fuss them in their safe space and always wait for them to come over to us (for gentle fuss, comfort methods like going under a blanket by you, and never use treats to bribe a scared dog to do something, or make them play or do activities if they’re panicking, as this causes too much mental conflict. Here, ‘ignoring’ (while monitoring body language from a distance) and diverting with extra ‘quiet time’ routines, many times a day, away from any stressors, and using enclosed and covered spaces like ‘blanket forts’ to reduce visual stimulation, use calming sounds and comfort toys (but not too many) as well as ensuring a very obvious bed placing that you only change if where the bed is now is passed too often by resident humans or other dogs as they make their way through the rooms in the home, helps to break the cycle of fear barking. They are likely to regress quite a few times until it dissipates completely, and fear and anxiety barking can and will come back again if calming routines stop being enforced, as distress is habit forming for dogs.
it’s not only barking that’s a problem in fearful or anxious dogs. They can also ‘forget’ toilet training, pant, drool, chew themselves sore or things they shouldn’t, tremble, and even become lethargic and sick- as in nausea and vomiting as well as develop more serious mental and neurological conditions if the fears are not addressed.
Overexcited (stressed)
This type of barking is basically an escalation of ’normal’ excited barking. It usually means that ‘play time’ routines (as above) aren’t expelling enough energy to empty a dog’s stress bucket. Overexcitement stress usually shows when a dog can’t, or takes way too long to, calm down after getting excited. And as overexcitement presents the same in barking and body language in a dog, should they stay excited way too long when they experience (new) things, hear something too stimulating on the TV, or see something they want to play with out of the car window, then more types, of, and more complex ‘play times’ or activities for brain controlled brain stimulation need to be slowly introduced one at a time to see which ones dissipate energy best, and only after a good long ‘sleep time’ or multiple daily ‘sleep times’ and a more rigid routine based on the recommendations in the ’normal’ excitement routines described above. Just as with fearful dogs
Remove them from the situation. They are far too stressed to learn anything positive right now from the (new) situation or place, and need to go home as soon as possible to their safe space.
Remove the ‘too fun’ or exciting thing or person. Some toys and favourite people and places can push excitement into overdrive. So give them extra and very obvious longer ‘quiet times’ to process those experiences, and don’t let them go back to the trigger till they are calmer. An obvious sign of being overexcited by a toy is if they destroy it or guard it.
Continue the consistent ‘quiet time’ alongside ‘play time’ training. Even and especially an overexcited dog needs their safe spaces, and cues to go there; and not be bothered while they are in their safe space. ‘Quiet time’ gives the dog a chance to sleep and/or rest, to process the recent events and try and empty their stress bucket.
But while with fearful or anxious dogs, we control and minimise activity, with overexcited dogs a slightly different approach is needed as well
Add levels of difficulty to or (slowly) change play routines. Play routines are meant to help calm a dog after letting off excess energy, but not all routines are good for dogs. If the routine you’ve developed together is (no longer) helping the dog, then decreasing the amount of activities in a day but making them more complicated and last longer individually, or removing toys they’re destroying, can help to reset an overexcited dog. But any changes must be done slowly, and one at a time, then see if that helps; if it does, in a few days, great, but if not move on and carefully try another small routine change and leave longer time to process between events and activities.
Reintroduce stressors slowly, one at a time over days or weeks, and at a distance that feels safe to the dog and be prepared to leave or remove the stressors and start from the beginning if the dog becomes overexcited again.
it is much better to stop overexcited behaviour before destructive habits start
Hypervigilance
Hypervigilance can result in ‘problem barking’ too and is when the dog thinks everything is an alert situation, no matter what they are experiencing. This means the ‘alerting’ training you have done hasn’t worked properly, and it’s time to go back to the beginning to find other ways to reduce the need to ‘alert’, or reinforce again what they learned in ‘alerting’ training as recommended above in the ‘normal’ alerting section. Hypervigilant barking is like ‘alert’ barking in tone and sound, but turned up to 11 (!)
It’s tempting once a dog appears to have mastered a skill to stop reinforcing it regularly, but dog’s memories don’t work like that. Sometimes it can take only a few months without reinforcement for a dog to forget training and start relying on instinct and tendencies from their breed mixes to take control of their confusing lives again, especially with such a strong natural behaviour as ‘alerting’.
We can also add some other routines to help with hypervigilant barking
Don’t just let them out in the garden to wander around by themselves, supervise them and distract with play or something like recall training, or basic sit and wait training, using a skill they’re really good at, to divert them and earn extra praise for positive behaviours. Try different enrichment toys and treats work to burn off excess energy using slower but longer lasting tasks or job they really need to concentrate on to solve. This can be really good for dogs who are (only) hypervigilant at home.
If the hypervigilant barking only happens outdoors or on walks, they may well be ‘(resource) guarding’ you from everything they encounter, from people to other dogs, to the weather or vehicle noises and more, which is a form of being over protective. If this is the case, cut walks, increase indoor enrichment and diversions instead and once they appear to be calmer in general, slowly reintroduce walks, small ones first, then longer ones at less busy times.
Try different types of sounds to mask the sounds they are hyperalerting to as they may have become ’tolerant’ to the usual sounds you’ve been using, and can start to pick out ‘stressful’ sounds through those noises or music
And never discount anxiety disorders, high or untreated/unresolved fear levels, past abuse or injury, pain or other medical issue if a dog starts being hypervigilant with no obvious cause like new or too many noises or experiences, or if usually they don’t ‘alert’ much. Sometimes pharmaceutical or herbal helps (with vet or rescue advice) can break the cycle of hypervigilant barking or behaviours, allowing the dog chance to properly rest and sleep.
Boredom (from lack of physical and mental stimulation)
If a dog is bored, this is something their humans need to fix. And boredom barks often sound quite different to usual ’normal’ or even usual ‘problem’ barking- it can start with a single ‘protest’ type of bark, or a short regular series of lower than usual or deeper barks (a little like ‘attention seeking’ barking, but without the enthusiasm) but with a flat tone, or a long howl, but it’s not an urgent or emotional sounding noise whether it’s barking or howling. It may be accompanied by other behaviours like destructive chewing, digging up the garden, attention seeking gone problematic, or restless actions like pacing and losing interest in things they usually like (such as their toys or games they play with you, other dogs or solo.)
While dogs are usually good at entertaining themselves and self regulation when they need to rest or sleep to process and decompress, some dogs need extra help to be entertained by their humans or other dogs as well as keeping themselves entertained when humans and other dogs aren’t around. And perhaps unsurprisingly, what we can do to alleviate a dog’s boredom is very similar to overexcited and hypervigilant dogs, as boredom is at the other end of the ‘scale of frustration’. Instead of getting overstimulated by inappropriate or insufficient engagement with their environment, their humans, and other animals, they withdraw and become passive, even listless. Alternatively, bored dogs can very quickly become overexcited when they finally do find or get something fun to do, or become anxious if the lack of stimulation is not addressed!
The best way to fix it is to simply become more involved in their lives! Just like with hypervigilant dogs, when you let them out in the garden, go out with them and engage, with play or training, so they have some quality time with you.
In the same way we deal with overexcited dogs, we can reboot their ‘play time’ routines, introducing new activities carefully to see which (new) tasks or job they are drawn to. And if they react fearfully to sudden, new or unexpected engagement with you, toys or activities, slow it right down. Dogs like routine, and even boredom or lack of activity can become a habit if left unaddressed for long enough.
New calming or distracting sounds (talk radio so a dog can hear human voices, other types of music or natural sounds with animals in like birds-unless they get stressed by animal sounds- or white/coloured noise) can help change the background noise in the home to something more interesting.
There are many ways to positively expand a dog’s world and reduce their boredom. How much you do, introduce and maintain depends on how naturally confident or social a dog is of course. Adding a walk to your routine, ‘play time’ routine reinforcement and adding more complex or extra jobs, play dates with other dogs (and even doggy day care but make sure they’re a reputably registered one that lets you visit and see what they do with the dogs), or more advanced ‘play time’ like agility or canicross (running with your dog, attached by a bungee) and using treats more, or toys/activities that involve finding treats, could also bring them out of themselves and be much less bored.
We can also reboot and reinforce their ‘quiet times’, adding a close contact or ‘cuddle time’ with your dog if it soothes them. This can be at your feet or on the human furniture next to you, or under/by/on a familiar blanket for comfort, or, as recommended with frustrated dogs, go down to their level on the floor for some quality time.
But whether you’re changing ‘quiet time’ or ‘play time’ (gradually!) always have some consistent and positive cue words for this, asking them in enthusiastic tones if they’d like to do some activity (‘play’) or fussing (‘quiet’) time, and see if they come over to you in response, out of curiosity. Boredom kills curiosity, so it’s up to us to re(awaken) that love for life in the dog. ‘Cuddles’ or ‘loves’ as a question (saying the word as a question, or asking it in a question- ‘you want cuddles?’ Or ‘you want loves?’) have a good sound, very different to other cue words in this blog, but it’s not literally cuddles as dogs don’t usually naturally ‘hug’, so it can mean some strokes, belly rubs (if they’re not being submissive), leans, a gentle groom, or being wrapped in a blanket ‘burrito’; or just being near you while the humans actually take notice of them, with words or touch, rather being focused on the TV or scrolling on a phone.
However, sometimes a dog needs stimulation that only another resident dog can offer- companionship, mutual play and entertainment, and reassurance from another dog can help soothe a bored, frustrated, overexcited or anxious dog when done right. Dogs learn best from copying other dogs (‘good’ or ‘bad’ habits!), so the missing link may well be that your dog needs a dog!
And sometimes the most simple way to stop the cycle of boredom is every time you see your dog, simply greet them; even (over) ‘act’ being pleased to see them, with a smile, a happy ‘hi’ or ‘hello’ with the word ‘you’ their name or a nickname, and asking them how they or what they’re up to in positive, interested/curious tones. This can help them feel they are noticed, and loved.
Loneliness (can escalate into separation anxiety)
Loneliness can develop if a dog is left to be bored or anxious too long. A ‘lonely’ bark can sound high pitched like anxious, stressed and even overstimulated/overexcited barking- but the barks are also long and drawn out to the point of howling, crying and moaning. Other behaviours can also present in the same way as problematic boredom, fearfulness or frustration, like toileting in the house, inappropriate chewing, clingy body language when we do come home, or pacing. As a lonely dog is much more likely to be bored or frustrated, and both of which can escalate into anxiety if not addressed, it makes sense that their sounds and actions are similar when they are lonely. And like with boredom, it happens when they feel ‘alone’ or are left ‘alone’- so again the main ‘cure’ is to engage more, and in a positive way, with our dog! All the recommendations in the boredom section above can be applied to lonely dogs.
Sometimes, a dog needs to be left alone, due to their humans having to go somewhere dogs aren’t welcome- like work, medical appointments or human food shopping. And like with hypervigilant (problematic alerting), fearful, overprotective, overexcited and bored dogs, the ways to deal with loneliness are similar. Changing or rebooting routines, particularly ‘play times’ and ‘quiet times’ is, as usual, the way to go.
Ways to alleviate loneliness often involve interactions with other dogs too, as well as meeting more or new humans while doing an activity they enjoy. Getting a dog walker, for a change of scene, or weekly dog daycare visits/regular doggy playdates at home; (new) calming sounds in the home to change the background noise to engage the dog’s brain; reducing the free roam in the house so it doesn’t feel so big and empty; or, like with bored dogs, getting your dog a dog can help with doggy loneliness. If that’s not an option, talking to your dog more, asking them things, greeting them, or narrating what you’re doing is an effective, low key way to start to re-establish engagement with your dog before you start changing play or quiet routines.
(Over)reaction, obsession or (hyper)fixation to seeing ‘prey’ animals
As we have seen, many dogs have ’normal’ or bred-in prey drives due to breed (mix.) And like an excited play bark, barks that indicate they have seen prey are happy sounding, rapid and high pitched. The more ‘value’ or ‘dangerous’ the prey is perceived to be, the more intense the bark will be.
But how do we ensure that barking at animals they think are ‘prey’ doesn’t become problematic frustration, hypervigilance or overexcitement, or that all animals are ‘prey’ due to being too stressed? Firstly, they usually show some very specific body language when they get fixed on a ‘prey’ animal- they will stiffen, make themselves look taller or bigger, and make quick movements, and stare hard at their desire as they ready themselves to chase. They may make some final barks before lunging but not always. And lunging isn’t always to chase or take down another animal. We have a blog about lunging as well, if you want to find out why dogs lunge. While it’s best to address the problem before they start stiffening and barking, if it happens too fast or unexpectedly, damage limitation is the way to go. Sometimes only adding super high value food rewards that they don’t usually get to your calming routines or ‘quiet times’ is a strong enough diversion to counter this ‘natural’ reaction in dogs. Food releases hunger hormones (ghrelin) that are very strong, as most dogs love to eat, and get ‘happy feelings’ from food as they feel more full, as well a healthy energy boost.
Unsurprisingly a hungry dog is low on energy, sugars, and happy hormones dopamine and serotonin; but high on ‘fight or flight’ adrenaline, so are more likely to already be ‘moody’ or ‘on alert’ already so an extra tasty snack at this time could be the perfect distraction and ‘prey’ need replacement. So giving the dog food actives the hunger hormones, usually making them quest for more of the readily available food they can already smell that you have, instead of wanting to ‘bring down’ a (pet or outdoor) small dog, cat, bird, rabbit or squirrel, or bigger animals like livestock for a snack!
This is not the case for all dogs though, so if your dog gets overexcited during treats training, or isn’t food led at all, it’s best to find another strong diversion, like reinforcing your usual ‘quiet time’ routine of calling them to you calmly, or using a clicker, or a squeaky toy that makes a sound that reminds the dog of ‘prey’, removing (them from) the stressor (including taking them right home if you’re out of the house) and rewarding with attention (fuss or a low impact training session) as soon as they quiet down or have a sleep or rest in their safe space. This is common in dogs with very low ‘prey’ drive. So if a low prey drive dog starts reacting to other animals in a problematic way, it could have another cause, like general overexcitement, misdirected territory guarding or over-protectiveness, hypervigilance, unresolved frustration or even pain and illness. Or the other animal (pet or wild) could be sick or weak; a vet check of both animals if it’s two or more pets suddenly not getting on is advised. Or you could be sick or ill (or pregnant) without knowing, and the dog is reacting instinctively to a usually hormone or smell based change they don’t like or understand in their ‘pack’.
How we can reduce excessive ‘prey’ barking
Distance. The further away a dog is from the ‘prey’ the easier they are distracted by something else as they can first no longer see, then hear, and finally smell the animal. Change direction calmly on a walk, or separate the animals in the home, and give both some ‘quiet time’ for processing.
Barriers. Double stairgates (in the house) or putting yourself, a fence, wall or railings between the dog and the ‘prey’ animal (when out) to stop them from being able to sound out and give chase to another animal
Hiding. Closing the curtains, removing access to where they can see, hear or smell the ‘prey’ or reducing the open area in the home to calm down over-reactions (indoors) by using a bed, pen or other closed smaller safe space, or putting them back in the car/taking them home (when out) if they start reacting, barking or trying to chase the other animal when neither animal is actually wanting to play. Note the dog could also be ‘frustrated greeting’, thinking they have to engage even with play with every animal they meet, whether they actually want to play or not, which is already confusing and stressing them.
Distraction. For dogs that are food led, or become calm after food, use super high value treats like cooked meat or fish or homemade strong smelling treat made from peanut butter, dog chocolate or other strong smell in little cubes. Something they can eat fast safely rather than a long lasting edible chew as that can hyperfocus them negatively on finishing that instead. Give them a cube or two get their attention. When they look round at you for guidance, or don’t react or sit (sitting is usually done by a dog if they’re calming down and starting to feel more comfortable), give them a treat, a specific food only verbal cue like ‘yay, treat!’ or ‘tasty!’ plus their name in a happy tone, and calm praise. Throwing the treat in the opposite direction to where the ‘prey’ is can also be a useful distraction. Give them another treat immediately if they come back to your side voluntarily instead, or showing any signs of no longer being fixated on the other animal. Once the animal moves out of sight, or the dog starts coming back to you and self regulating calm in such situations starts to happen, continue to reinforce and alternate the treats with your strongest/most approving praise words, happy and approving facial expressions and body language, or a quick fuss so they don’t expect food every time. This can avoid the possibility of a dog ‘playing up’ or begging just to get super high value food.
The super high value treat is meant to replace the ‘hunger’ or instinctive ‘need’ for any ‘prey’, and is obtained from their usual food provider (the human) without the need to chase or pull the prey apart, making it more immediate and desirable to the dog.
Pain/health issues (including issues in old age like hearing and sight loss)
Sometimes a dog barks because they know something is ‘wrong’ with them like an illness, or a condition that causes pain. And just with all the other types of barking, ’normal’, or ‘problem’, they are asking their humans for help! The pain or ‘off’ feeling they are having can be sudden (acute), or could have been happening for a while (chronic) but they’re not the type of dog to usually ‘complain’ much, or they have high pain tolerance levels. And some dogs get so used to being ignored, bored or lonely, especially in formative periods of growth (puppyhood) that they just go quiet or become more introverted in general, or act out for no ‘obvious’ reason- which can include mixed up or unclear ‘problem’ barking signals, as they know there’s no point asking the humans for help, and know any bark will do, as their needs aren’t met no matter what noise they make.
Pain noises are quite distinctive. They are more likely to yelp, whimper, howl/cry, moan, groan or grunt instead of full on barking. Sometimes they may even have trouble barking, or develop a rough, hoarse bark that ends with a cough, which is often indicative of heart or breathing issues.
Other changes can happen when a dog feels ill or in pain, like a yelp if you touch the painful or tender body part, or not want to be handled at all any more; or panting when they’re not hot (stress reaction), limping (even if they don’t have limb pain), lying only on one side (the pressure can help with pain), sleeping all the time, or the opposite, not being to settle and sleep; a ‘pinched’ or ‘worried’ facial expression or sunken eyes, excessive licking of the sore/painful area (licking releases endorphins (for pleasure/relaxation), dopamine (for pleasure/motivation) and oxytocin (for bonding/trust) hormones that calm a dog, but it shouldn’t ever become a self soothing habit , tremors, changes in usual appetite, reduced mobility (not wanting to stand up, play or go on walks) and start being generally louder/more vocal or doing more ‘problem’ barking in general for any of the above reasons.
If you suspect your dog is in pain due to the noises and behaviours they are doing:
Start observing them very carefully to work out that their noises are actually from pain. Some dogs can ‘fake’ pain noises for misplaced ‘attention seeking’.
Let them ‘cry’ in terms of not telling them off for (constant) noise, or not using ‘quiet’ cue words. Don’t use the ‘three bark rule’, but don’t ignore them- use your calm voice to soothe and reassure them, letting them know ‘you’re on the case’, have noticed they have an issue, and you have their backs.
Avoid touching the areas the make them cry when they are touched. Even if you have a gentle hand and excellent trust with your dog, any dog can snap if they’re in great pain. Although some dogs will still seek touch from you for comfort even if it hurts them, and some dogs will let you carefully check the area where it hurts; if they turn/move away, cry out or show teeth, stop trying to examine it.
If you’re not sure, get them to the vets as fast as possible! But try and keep stress levels as low as you can, and weigh up whether it’s better to walk or drive them there, balancing if walks and vehicles stress them or not with how much pain they seem to be in, or how urgently they need to be seen by the vet.
Older dogs (and dogs of any age) can develop deafness or blindness, which can increase all the ‘problematic’ barking and behaviour symptoms. Dogs born blind or deaf know no different (though will need extra help and support from you for life) but losing such vital senses as hearing and sight can be very stressful for a dog. It’s actually much worse for a dog to lose their (excellent) hearing than their sight, as they rely on hearing more. They do rely on smell most of all of course, and this sense may heighten to compensate. Blindness and deafness could also be the result of injuries as well, at any age.
Some dogs are genetically likely to go blind or deaf like albino or merle coloured dogs, and it can be breed dependent too.
Dogs can’t tell you they’re going blind or deaf, and are usually naturally adaptable animals so there may not be any clue it’s happening until it’s quite advanced. But some stress is inevitable if the loss of these senses mean they find it harder to locate you.
They may continue to bark ’normally’, usually meaning they are adapting well. But dogs coping less well with the situation may withdraw or go quiet: or start doing ‘problem barking’ as they sound out for help, or to try and work out where you’ve gone.
They may squeak or howl, in high or low tones, often sounding quite puppy like (as they access old memories of wondering where their dog mum is, as puppies are born blind and deaf, then develop those senses,) so it will often be a new sound, it’s likely to be a sound you’ve not heard them make since they were little that they make, and will be noticeably different to ’normal’. So if their bark suddenly changes, never rule out a health or medical cause.
You can use gentle regular touches (so you don’t startle them) or vibrating clickers as they will feel the movement/vibration, or keep them on lead outside especially so they know you’re near, and they can’t get lost, disorientated or panic. Or get them a harness patch, lead wrap or bandana warning others they are blind or deaf, so passers-by can take more care when they encounter you and your dog outdoors.
They could also become frustrated- as could you- when they are unable to respond to your usual verbal cues or training, so hand signs for deaf dogs, and different touches to replace different cues for blind dogs will need to be added to your training so they still feel you and them are communicating and bonded, reducing the likelihood of them developing problem frustration barking. Once you have found methods that work, stay with them to be consistent. Praising a deaf dog can become a thumbs up sign rather than saying ‘good dog’ or similar, for example.
However some dogs may start reacting problematically to vibration with alerting or fear barks, as their other sense enhance, from kitchen appliances like a fridge, to vehicles passing by, because they can’t make sense of what the sensation is any more.
But ‘play times’ and ‘quiet times’ do need to be adapted and reinforced so they still get comfort from a version of their usual routines. You can use their beds, mats and other flooring to help a blind dog know where they are or where to go, and don’t have a furniture moving day or move their food and water bowls as they will remember where everything is, usually. And for blind or deaf dogs relying more on smell, using nice smelling high value treats instead rather than biscuits or other usual treats to reinforce training and routines will maintain their motivation.
Habitual/ compulsive behaviours
Previous behaviours that haven't been corrected appropriately so become habitual or even compulsive (and compulsive behaviours can develop into neurological (brain) issues). So the most important thing to do when your dog starts barking, even ‘normally’, to manage it properly in order that the dog knows you are trying to meet their needs. It is unfair and cruel to let a dog’s barking issues get so bad that they become psychologically or physically ill. Thus the best way to stop this happening is manage and train our dog while barking is in minimal or ’normal’, for them, levels as above.
Habitual or compulsive barking is very hard for a dog to stop doing, and nothing obvious will ’trigger’ it. It is usually a persistent and continuous series of very loud, high pitched barks that sound like ‘yips’ or ‘yelps’, a ‘stuck record’ to humans, or like the dog version of a stammer. This is unsurprising as they are telling you they are at the point of pain mentally. If the bark becomes hoarse or sore, like a seal cough or foghorn then sadly the dog is likely to be in the first stages of neurological damage from unresolved chronic stress. Symptoms that are likely to develop alongside neurological damage are changes in the way they walk; a permanent head tilt; changes in cognitive function (memory) or breathing; and constant pacing, trembling and spinning; or staring at the wall, just like dogs in physical pain. And just like a dog who is in pain or sick, they need to go and see the vets and are likely to need anxiety and sedative medication to try and help them recover. It’s gone beyond training or diversions, at this point only medical help is able to reboot the dog and give them a chance to find their ’normal’ again.
So we can’t emphasise enough, that when it comes to dog’s barking, we need to have the right mindset towards it and use positive prevention and calming or play/engagement routines first, from the day our dog comes home- starting simple over very short time spans, praising for ‘quiet times’; and diversions and distractions when prevention isn’t possible. If you do this, the barking will remain at ’normal’ levels and stay a healthy way to communicate their needs and feelings with their humans.
SOME FURTHER READING
More on how to help a lonely dog https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/resource/leaving-your-dog-home-alone-guilt-free-guide
A review guide to DNA blood panels https://www.bestreviewsonline.co.uk/dog-dna-test
Training tips for dogs that are blind and deaf https://blog.companionanimalsolutions.com/training-dogs-who-are-blind-and-deaf/comment-page-1/
More on blind or deaf dogs https://briargatevets.com/news/teach-dog-tricks
Barking at the door https://www.countrylife.co.uk/out-and-about/dogs/how-to-stop-your-dog-barking-at-the-door-239031
More reading on frustrated dogs https://www.gooddoggie.co.uk/frustrated-dog-behaviour/
The excellent guide 8 on the training and behaviour group on Facebook, run by qualified professionals, all about barking that we recommend all our adopters join (they have many more useful guides as well).
But what if my dog is barking AT me? https://www.koinoniadogs.com/blog/how-to-stop-my-dog-from-barking
The ‘Three Bark’ rule or system https://petcaresouthtyneside.co.uk/what-s-the-3-bark-rule
More on how to alleviate doggy boredom https://woodgreen.org.uk/pet-advice/dog/dog-enrichment/