Barking is considered as a normal activity for all dogs because it is a common canine communication. Depending on different situations, usually dogs bark to express a number of emotions and different things. It is not reasonable to expect your little buddy to never barks but when it comes to inappropriate or excessive barking, it can be annoying for pet-owners as well as others like neighbours. If your dog barks too much and too often, it’s not normal and it is considered a behavioural problem. Some of the common causes of excessive barking in dogs are anxiety, excitement, boredom, attention-seeking behaviour, medical issue, etc.
Moreover, being a dog owner, it is your responsibility to teach your canine when to bark and when to be quiet. If your dog is trained and still he continues to bark a lot at certain times, you will need to know the real cause of this behaviour. As soon as possible, start working on his excessive barking problem because the longer you wait, the harder it becomes for you to control your canine’s behaviour. To be able to handle your dog’s excessive barking issue, you may first determine what is causing your furry fellow to bark a lot as once you understand the real cause, it will become easier for you to get the solution of this problem. Below are some of the reasons that will explain why your dogs bark at lot.
– Medical Problems: Many dogs bark when they have a medical issue or they are in pain. You can check out your dog’s body to see whether he has pain in ears, mouth or any other body part or he has a tender spot somewhere that can cause pain when being touched with something. Simply, take your dog to your veterinarian who can easily assess your dog’s medical issue.
– Fearful Feeling: When your dog will frighten from something like from a loud noise, a person, a strange situation, etc, he will voice this concern via loud barking. This situation can happen in home or away from home.
– Ageing Dogs: Excessive barking is quite common in ageing dogs and some of them may bark for hours. In addition, due to canine cognitive dysfunction, ageing dogs can have different medical problems like deafness, vision impairments, pains, body aches, etc and all these problems can lead them to barking.
– Warning/ Alarm/Alert: Naturally, most of the dogs bark when someone is at the door or when cars or strangers pass near their houses. In fact, they sense some type of threat and that is why they bark vary loud and sharp to alarm or alert their owners or to protect their homes.
– Responding to Other Dogs: It has been observed that if one dog in the street starts barking, the rest of the nearby dogs will also do the same. Most of the dogs start excessive barking when they communicate or respond to other dogs.
– Territorialism: Dogs are very conscious about their territories. If a new person or a dog comes into their area, they feel very possessive as they want to protect it. All dogs considered their homes, their yards or even their beds, their territory.
– Loneliness: If you leave your dog at home for a long time span, he will feel lonely and in this response, he may bark as a sign of unhappiness. Most of the dogs enjoy human or other dogs’ company. Lack of stimulation in a bored dog may trigger excessive barking.
– Attention-Seeking Behaviour: Your furry fellow needs your attention. Lack of attention may cause them to bark and it is the sign that your dog is hungry, wants to go out, desires a treat, needs interaction with others, etc.
– Separation Anxiety: Dogs when left home alone for several hours daily can suffer from separation anxiety. In addition to repeated barking, they also show other compulsive behaviours in this condition like chewing, digging or scratching furniture, walls, and doors.
