Why do dogs bark? You probably ask yourself that question often, but sometimes the barking is so shrill and insistent that it’s hard to come up with an answer. Barking, according to Lisa Hartman, a dog trainer and pet expert, is deeply programmed into your dog’s DNA.
“All behavior is genetically programmed, and vocalizing or barking is one of a dog’s main channels of communication, along with body language and calming signals,” Hartman notes. “Dogs may bark to signify a potential threat, fear, loneliness, and more through a myriad of different-sounding barks.”
What’s crazy, though, is humans have the ability to interpret dog barks. Here, learn about how to better understand your dog, along with clues as to what your pup may be trying to tell you.
Understanding your dog
Your dog barks to communicate with his pack, which includes other dogs and you. While all dog barks may sound the same at first, if you pay close attention, you’ll see that barks come in different amounts, lengths and frequencies. In 2005, Hungarian researchers performed an experiment in which people tried to decode the meanings behind the barks of familiar and unfamiliar dogs. It turns out that the dogs’ owners didn’t fare any better or worse than non-owners or the parents of other dogs.
Why do dogs bark?
Here are a few reasons why your dog may be barking and how their bark can translate to a specific message.
- Greeting
One or two sharp, mid-range pitch barks is a dog’s way of saying “Hello!”
- Playful Barking
Two or three little clusters of barks invite you to join the fun. - Stop
A single, sharp, lower-pitched bark says, “Warning! Stop what you’re doing.” Are you too close? Did someone pull her tail?
- Startled!
A single sharp bark at a higher pitch shows a dog is surprised by something unexpected or new.
- Ouch!
A dog lets out a single yelp or high-pitched bark in response to a sudden pain.
- Come Check This Out!
A repeated sharp bark at a higher pitch repeated a few times tells you there’s something new that needs investigating.
- Territorial
Intermittent mid-range pitched, rapid barking alerts you (or other dogs) to check for a potential intruder.
- Territorial (urgent)
Continuous mid-range, rapid barking is a high-alert bark. Your dog really thinks there’s an intruder.
- Lonely
When a dog is looking for companionship, his barks will be spaced out. - Attention
Pay attention to me! This bark sounds like a demand with a higher-pitched, rhythmic, steady repeated bark.
Better communication for all
The attention bark is the main bark owners try to curb. Responding to your dog’s bark with anger or yelling can only make it worse. When you reprimand a dog for barking, even just responding to the bark reinforces that behavior. Yelling at a dog is a form of attention. Some trainers advise that ignoring this bark is the only way to stop this behavior. Others swear by bark-control collars or other forms of negative reinforcement, such as shaking a penny can or spraying the dog with water.
Hartman has a different, softer take on the barking issue. “As with any relationship, communication is key. Understanding what the dog is trying to communicate through barking can lead to a proper solution, and strengthen the human-animal bond in the process.”
*Originally written by Cara J. Stevens.
