Dogs communicate by barking, though some dogs are more chatty than others (as many Husky and Beagle owners will understand). Barking can mean many different things, and learning to “translate” it can help you better understand your dog’s intention. In this blog, we will help you answer “Why is my dog barking?
Friendly barking: When your dog is looking for attention
Does your dog excitedly bark when you walk inside the house? That’s likely a friendly greeting or their way of getting your attention. Other reasons a dog engages infriendly barking include when your:
- German Shepherd wants you to throw the ball for fetch
- Golden Retriever needs a potty break
- Australian Shepherd sees you pick up their leash for a walk
- English Bulldog is reminding you it’s mealtime
- Labradoodle puppy trying to greet a neighbor on leash
In each of these cases, these dogs are expressing an interest in something you are doing, or something they would like. But it can be difficult to understand what they are asking for, and their barks aren’t always as clear to us as they think they are.
How can I better interpret these barks?
Start by listening to the tone. In their effort to be better understood, their barks may become higher pitched, they may start to howl or even growl.
Next, watch their body language. To help, we have published a blog on “Understanding a Dog’s body language”. Dogs barking in a friendly way have a loose and bouncy bottom. They will hop around excitedly, with a wiggly tail. In their excitement, they may jump and offer play bows.
You should consider what your dog usually gets after barking. If we refer to the examples above, the German Shepherd barks because he wants the ball to be thrown. He may have learnt that fetch is a consequence of barking, and now this behavior is reinforced each time he barks for attention. Some dogs may get meals, taken outside, go for a walk, or they receive pets after barking. For dogs that do bark as an attention-seeking behavior, verbal reprimands such as “Stop” or “No”, may be enough to eliminate the behavior, since even negative attention can reinforce it.
Moving beyond friendly barks: Barking to alert or warn someone to go away.
Now that you understand friendly barking, it’s time to explore barking that serves as a warning or alert. A dog will usually bark to alert or warn strangers or other animals, telling them to go away. But when a dog is resource guarding, that same warning bark can be directed at family members, too.
This bark can happen when someone is in the dog’s line of sight or moving closer. A startling event occurs, such as someone ringing the doorbell. The bark is often lower-pitched than their friendly bark; their body will be stiffer, and the bark will be consistent and uninterrupted. They may lean forward and even run toward the source that startled them, such as the doorbell or an approaching person.
You should also consider what happens after your dog barks to alert or warn someone. For instance, your French Bulldog barks at the Amazon delivery driver every time they come up to the door. If your frenchie was barking for attention (i.e. wanting the driver to come in), the intensity of the barking would be highest as the driver leaves. However, the barking was likely at its loudest as the deliveryman approached or was closest to the door and you dog stopped as they went away. This indicates that the barking was to tell the deliveryman “go away.” And guess what? To your dog, that worked! That deliveryman has not once stepped into the house and your dog’s barking is being reinforced every time a package is dropped off.
Barking with changed intent
Sometimes the function of the barking changes within the situation. For instance, if it’s dark outside and you’ve just come in, your labrador might start with a low-pitched bark, continuing as they move toward you. But the moment you call their name, their behavior shifts, they might start zooming around, barking in a higher pitch, and jumping up to greet you.
This is because your dog did not recognise you at first, and was warning a stranger they thought was intruding in their house. This scenario would be when your dog is barking with a changed intent.
Final Thoughts
Throughout these examples, it’s essential to consider the events before the barking, the dog’s body language, and the events after the behavior. The more you observe, the better you’ll understand how your dog communicates in different situations. You may learn to better perceive how they issue a warning, seek attention, say hello, and alert others.
We’re here to help
Do you have any behavioral concerns for your dog? You can schedule a free consultation with our Pet Behavior Team. All of our training programs offer one-on-one training sessions at your home or local neighborhood.
Do you live outside the Kansas City area, or want to connect remotely? Our Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, and co-founder, Dr. Echterling-Savage offers virtual training programs. During these programs, Dr. Echterling-Savage will help you in achieving your training goals through remote training sessions where she will design a personalized training program that offers support and guidance.
