Dog Barking Problems – Why Won’t Fido Shut Up?

Most dog owners will do anything to stop their dogs from barking. Almost everyone who owns a dog will experience dog barking problems, whether it’s from complaints from their neighbors or from anyone who visits the home. They bark because they want to communicate with you. Barking is not necessarily a bad thing; in fact, you should be delighted that your dog wants to “talk” to you. Unfortunately, the language barrier between dogs and humans is quite impermeable. This means it’s up to you to use context, decipher your pet’s body language and the circumstances of vocalization to make sense behind the barrage of barks.

In solving the various dog barking problems, you will find yourself asking the question, “Why do dogs bark?” That’s not easy to answer, like exhausting yourself to answer the question, “Why do humans talk?” To start dealing with dog barking problems, understand that dogs bark for many different reasons. One reason depends on your race. Some canines, such as Rottweilers, Dobermans and German Shepherds, were bred to bark only when there is a perceived threat, while dogs such as Beagles and Bloodhounds bark as a tool to aid their owners in pursuit of a common goal. There are also breeds that some would like to call “toy breeds” where these dogs like to listen to the sound of their own barking.

However, regardless of the breed, there are cases where a dog barks and such barking problems arise. Maybe your dog is bored and lonely and wants to play with you. Maybe your dog is hungry or maybe he knows it’s time to eat. Maybe something is wrong or someone is at the door or maybe your dog needs to go potty. For these reasons, it is not fair to stop a dog from barking. After all, it is in the nature of all dogs to bark at certain times and in certain situations.

Keep in mind that the main cause of unwanted barking problems in dogs is nervous, agitated energy, the kind you get from not getting adequate exercise. Allocate an hour and a half for exercise every day, which is a considerable amount for a dog to function at its best. But of course this varies from dog to dog and depends on factors such as breed, age and general level of health.

Another cause of dog barking problems is too much “alone time.” Dogs are social animals and need a lot of attention, a lot of interaction and a lot of communication. Without these things, they become anxious and nervous, thus dog barking problems begin.