Why Do Dogs Bark?

Why do dogs bark? The answer is simple, dogs bark because they are communicating. They are communicating with you, other dogs, or just expressing emotion. Dogs have a voice just as we do, and they use it.

Watch your dog interact with another dog. If they are playing or hanging out, there is vocal communication. If they are threatening or defensive there is a different communication (but be careful – dogs do not always growl before they bite!).

The difficulty for dog owners is to properly interpret the barking. Owners tend to humanize what their pets are doing, but it is not that simple. Think of your dog’s vocal communication as you would a baby’s cry – no words are spoken but definite messages are delivered.

Dogs bark because they are hungry, they want to play, they need to go outside, they are alerting you about something, or they are feeling bad. Sometimes it seems as though they bark non stop for no reason. Boredom, being left alone for long periods or inattention from you can be reasons for excessive barking.

To control dog barking, the owner must determine the reasons for the barking. Once the reason is determined, there are techniques to bring excessive barking under control, which I will explore in subsequent articles.