What Makes a Dog Bark?

Just like humans, dogs communicate through physical movements and vocal sounds. Dogs communicate several emotions through barking, from happiness during play to warnings of unusual sounds or smells outside at night.

  1. Alert and Warnings

    • The most common reason dogs bark is to communicate that they sense something strange. Even when people find the habit annoying, dogs bark at sounds, sights, and smells not recognizable to humans. For people who live alone, that can be a benefit because dogs have better hearing and smell than humans. The act of barking is used to alert the "pack" (including other pets and the dog's human companions) that something unusual is coming or nearby.

    Attention

    • Some dogs bark for attention, which is considered a bad habit. It's recommended that dogs that bark incessantly for attention should not be acknowledged. If a dog is rewarded for unwanted behavior, the act will continue. A dog may bark when it feels ignored or jealous of attention given to other pets. The best way to deal with dogs barking for attention is to ignore the behavior; over time, the behavior should cease. If the pet owner rewards the behavior with attention, it's likely the dog will continue to bark.

    Play

    • Dogs bark when playing with family or with other animals. That behavior is normal. Pet owners may notice other posture characteristics displayed by a dog that is playing. For example, playful dogs will bark and wag their tails at the same time. Submissive dogs may bark but keep their heads and front legs low. Barking while playing with other dogs is natural.

    Loneliness

    • Some pet owners get complaints from neighbors of dogs barking while the owners are at work. Dogs are pack animals, so they become lonely when owners are away from home for long periods of time. Barking while the owner is away is a difficult behavior to remedy. Pet owners who received such complaints should arrange to have somebody visit the dog in the middle of the day to give the dog some companionship.

    Startled or Frightened

    • Dogs often bark when they are startled or frightened. Dogs are quick to respond to sounds with which they are unfamiliar. A dog will surely bark at sudden sounds that are not normally heard at night, which may be annoying if the sound is a squirrel in a tree, but very comforting for people who live alone or in areas prone to late-night breakins.

    'Gotta Go!'

    • Once a dog begins house training, the dog will learn that it must go outside to urinate or defecate. The dog may bark at the door if it needs to go out. Such behavior is normal, as the dog is only responding to proper training. If such barking is problematic, be sure to give the dog frequent chances to go outside.