During playing alone or with other dogs, this creates situational barking. Also, there are types of barks for boredom, excess energy, and even pain.
Therefore, before looking for tips on how to stop your dog from barking excessively, it is important to understand why he is barking.
Knowing the significance behind each bark will help you and your pet communicate more effectively. Barking is, after all, a dog’s language.
Now let’s get to the point and learn about the common dog bark varieties and how to interpret them. Look it over!
7 types of dog barks: understand what they are
We have created a list of the main types of dog barking so that you can follow and identify what your dog ‘s insistence on barking is trying to tell you:
- bark of joy,
- stress and excess energy
- boredom,
- frustration,
- alert bark (identification of risk situation),
- health problems or pain,
- possessiveness or attempt to dominate the environment.
Want to understand more about each type of dog barking? Follow the explanation.
1. Joy
Barking of joy, or excitement, usually happens when dogs are playing or are very excited.
It is also common at mealtimes or when they realize they are going for a walk.
It is important to control your pet’s anxiety, even during playtime, so that you can control it more easily.
Anxious animals do not listen to their owners and are unlikely to obey.
Wait for the dog to calm down and stop barking before continuing or starting the game.
2. Stress and excess energy
Stress barking or excess energy barking are similar barking. Unlike the first type of dog barking, in this type the dogs are not happy.
Just as our moods are affected when we are stressed and we are more likely to start arguments, so are dogs.
In dogs, one of the biggest causes of stress is lack of exercise and the accumulation of energy. Being locked in a small space is also a cause.
Therefore, to reduce stress and barking in dogs, maintain a routine of daily walks.
3. Boredom
When you spend many days without doing anything, you start to feel bored . This feeling is not good and makes you uncomfortable.
When your dog goes too long without attractions, without physical and mental challenges, this also happens.
The way a dog communicates that he is bored is by barking. This barking is usually to get your attention. The dog will come to you and start barking in your direction. In some cases, he will put a toy in his mouth or something similar.
To reduce this type of barking, invest in environmental enrichment that helps your dog work his mind. Walks are essential, but so are toys and challenges.
If you work outside the home all day, try to leave creative toys for your dog. Remember that this type of practice also reduces behaviors such as chewing furniture and destroying household objects.
4. Frustration
Frustration is a feeling associated with not getting what you want.
Animals can feel this for a variety of reasons, from bad behavior (like a spoiled child) to problems with their environment, like when they can’t get a treat out of a toy.
In these cases, try to identify the source of the frustration by observing what the dog was doing before he started barking.
It is important to know how to challenge the dog, but in moderation so that he can meet your demands.
5. Alert bark
This is the answer to why dogs bark at strangers . Protecting the environment where they live is one of the dog’s goals. Therefore, when they feel that the environment is in danger of being invaded, they bark.
Train yourself to control your dog’s barking instincts, especially so that you can receive visitors with peace of mind.
Usually, after the owner shows intimacy with the person, the dog stops barking. If this does not happen, it is a good idea to seek help with training.
Other warning barks can also occur due to dogs’ heightened senses. When they identify a risk, dogs bark to warn their owners.
6. Health problems or pain
In cases of pain, or illnesses that cause discomfort, such as blindness, dogs can become irritated and bark for these reasons.
To identify whether the animal really has a health problem, it is important to pay attention to the animal’s general behavior.
7. Possessiveness or attempt to dominate the environment
This type of dog barking usually happens when there is another dog nearby or another animal, such as a cat.
In an attempt to show that the environment is his, the dog barks with a certain tone of aggression.
To avoid this type of barking and behavior, it is important to practice some training commands, so that he learns to live in the company of other dogs.
If your pet is not used to other pets , be very careful when introducing them, especially if it is in an environment like your home. The ideal is to do the whole process gradually.