dog barking up a tree drawing
Dogs make amazing pets for a variety of reasons. They're often protective of their owners, help keep you active, can help relieve stress or anxiety, and offer a level of companionship that few other pets can.
Clearly, there is plenty of evidence dogs are truly "man's best friend." In fact, 45% of dogs in the U.S. even sleep on their owner's bed. But what happens when your canine pal starts to bark at night, causing you sleeping issues?
While some dogs are much quieter than others, most dogs bark to some degree. That being said, it's important to ensure that your dog doesn't bark at night to allow you – and your neighbors! – a good night's sleep.
If you're having trouble getting your dog to stop barking at night, you're in the right place. Here's what you have to do to make your dog stop barking at night.
Background on Dogs
First, let's dive into a little background information on dogs. Dogs are highly social pack animals, which is part of the reason why they are so loyal and devoted. They're largely regarded as the first domesticated animals, and the common name for a domestic dog is "Canis familiaris."
Though they're all part of the same canine family, dogs can vary greatly. Dogs can vary in their temperament, function, appearance, and size. While the exact number of dog breeds is widely debated, there are over 200 types of dog breeds, with some estimates closer to 500!
In addition to this, dogs are highly trainable, especially in comparison to other household animals. Dogs can learn approximately 100 words in the language of their trainer. Another reason why dogs are so trainable is that pleasing their owner is important to them. Scientifically speaking, there are reasons why this occurs. Compared to cats, for instance, dogs have more cortical neurons. That's why dogs have an easier time processing things than their more aloof feline friends.
You might be wondering: why exactly is my canine companion barking? As you might have guessed, there are plenty of reasons that your dog might feel the urge to bark. Helping isolate exactly why your dog is doing it can help you figure out how to make them quit the behavior.
It is important to note that it's not realistic to expect dogs to never bark. After all, barking is one type of vocal communication dogs use. Here are the main reasons why a dog might begin barking:
- If they're feeling territorial or protective
- If they're bored or lonesome
- If they're frightened or alarmed
- If they're greeting you or feeling playful
- If they're seeking attention
- If they're experiencing canine separation anxiety
Territorial or protective – If a person or another animal enters a space that your dog considers to be part of their territory, they might begin barking to signal that it's their space. If this is why your dog is barking, your pet will typically appear to be alert or aggressive.
Bored or lonesome: Because dogs are pack animals, they do not enjoy being left on their own. If you're in a different room at night and that room is far away from your dog, then they might begin to bark to demonstrate their boredom. This type of barking is fueled by sadness or feeling lonely.
Frightened or alarmed: When a noise or object catches your dog's attention and startles them, they will likely feel provoked to bark.
Greeting or feeling playful: Most dogs love to play, and also enjoy greeting people and/or other dogs. This type of light barking will usually be accompanied by a wagging tail or even jumping.
Seeking attention: When your dog wants something, they might begin barking. This can include when they want a treat, to go outside, or to play.
Separation anxiety: If you've noticed that your dog suffers from canine separation anxiety, this may also be the cause of their barking. In addition to barking, dogs who experience separation anxiety often frequently urinate, defecate, chew, dig, or destroy objects. Sometimes dogs will even bark at the sound of voices when they're experiencing separation anxiety.
Dog Breeds That Bark Frequently
As mentioned earlier, dog breeds vary greatly. This means that there are some types of dogs that are more inclined to bark and some that are less inclined. You might be interested to see where your dog falls on this barking spectrum. Here are some of the dog breeds that bark frequently:
- Beagle: Since these dogs were bred to chase rabbits, beagles are famous for being frequent barkers.
- Chihuahua: Though Chihuahuas are tiny, their barks can be mighty! These little dogs can pack a punch with their barking.
- Pomeranian: Similar to Chihuahuas, Pomeranians are small dogs with a load of personality. This contributes to frequent barking.
- Siberian Husky: Huskies are working dogs that were bred specifically to pull sleds and bark while they're working. This can lead to some barking that sounds similar to howling.
- Yorkshire Terrier: These spunky little dogs are true terriers, which means that they have a big personality and enjoy barking.
This is, of course, a non-exhaustive list or dogs that bark frequently. In addition, it's important to take into account your canine's individual personality. Just because you have a beagle doesn't mean they're always going to bark a lot, but it could help explain things if they do.
Dogs That Bark Infrequently
Just like there are dogs that bark more frequently than others, there are dogs that bark rather infrequently. Of course, if you have one of these dogs, you might find that your pup still barks, but they might be less inclined to than other dogs. These are some of the dogs that bark the least:
- Japanese Chin. These dogs are stellar indoor companions. They're relatively small, lax, and bark infrequently.
- Pug. Pugs were originally bred as companions to Chinese emperors. Pugs are usually calm and quiet, which means there's usually less barking than some other canines.
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Cavaliers were named after British royalty, and they're plenty regal. These dogs are also rather calm.
- Shiba Inu. These dogs are extremely independent and also relatively low-maintenance. This leads to less frequent barking than other dogs.
- Basenji. These relatively small dogs don't usually bark when they're excited; instead, they'll make a yodeling noise. They're not the least vocal of the breeds on this list, but you typically won't' hear tons of barking from this dog breed.
How to Make Your Dog Stop Barking at Night
Hearing your dog bark all night long is undoubtedly frustrating, but the most important thing when tackling a barking problem is to be patient with your dog. There's a reason why your pet is doing this, and as mentioned earlier, it might be because your dog is lonely, sad, or anxious. Therefore, when you're treating your dog's barking problem, it's important to approach it like you should any issue with your dog – with kindness and patience.
Admittedly, getting your dog to stop barking at night might not happen right away, and it will take some effort on your part. Still, it will be worth it for the improved night of sleep, and to see your dog feeling less distressed.
Once you've isolated the potential cause of your dog's nighttime barking, it's time to begin treating the issue. If your dog is barking in response to hearing other dogs or wildlife outside, getting a white noise machine and putting it in the room where your dog sleeps might help calm them down and drown out the noise that's causing them to stay up all night barking.
Another way to do this is to simply put on the TV or a movie, as long as it won't keep you up. You can even put on some quiet classical music. It's calming and will help dilute the noises outside your house that might be causing your dog to stay up all night and bark.
In addition, it's important to ensure the reason that your dog is barking isn't because they're not tired enough when it's time for bed. If you play a good game of fetch or even take your dog outside for a quick nighttime walk, that can work wonders when it comes to ensuring that your pet isn't going to be up all night barking aggressively.
One helpful tip is to make sure you've taken steps to corral the barking before it even occurs. If your dog is barking to get your attention, and then you give it to them, you're essentially condoning their barking behavior, even if that's the only way to get them to quit it. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Such is the case here.
Finally, if the reason that your dog is barking is because of separation anxiety, it might serve you well to treat that first and see if the barking eases up once you do.
Conclusion
Barking is a natural behavior for dogs, and it's virtually impossible to get your dog to quit it entirely. Still, there's a time and a place for barking, and it's definitely not when you're trying to get some sleep.
Taking steps to prevent your dog from barking at night in the first place can ultimately prove more helpful than trying to fix it once it occurs. While this will take a decent amount of training or effort on your part – and your dog's – it will be worth it when both you and your canine companion can get a good night's sleep.
SOURCES:
25 Fun and Fascinating Dog Facts (akc.org)
Dogs – Information, Facts & Pictures (animalcorner.org)
Why Do Dogs Listen More Than Cats (wagwalking.com)
Why Dogs Bark: Stop Excessive Barking (pets.webmd.com)
ASPCA Common Dog Behavior Issues: Separation Anxiety (aspca.org)
A Full List of Dog Breeds That Bark The Most and Don't Bark at All (petcube.com)l
Why Do Dogs Bark at Night? (petsafe.net)
Source: https://www.reference.com/pets-animals/how-to-stop-dog-barking-at-night?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740005%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex&ueid=1f9fb315-47d7-4d95-b375-99df4d4f2ef9
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