For dogs, barking is a natural way of communicating. Humans have relied on it for thousands of years to alert us to danger. Unfortunately, there is no innate on/off switch to end the vocalization when itʼs convenient for us. Shouting at a barking dog is almost always ineffective—from the dogʼs perspective, youʼre barking, too. Anti-bark collars seem like a quick fix, but they do not address the underlying issue or redirect the dog toward an alternative behavior.
Dogs bark for a variety of reasons that are always legitimate: boredom, alerting, demanding attention or access to something or someone, indicating that itʼs time for a potty break (if trained to do so), fear, separation stress, offensive barking meant to drive away an intruder, etc. Some hunting dogs are bred to bark to indicate the location of potential prey. Some dogs are more vocal than others. No matter the validity of any particular reason, in our urban environment, it can be crucial to be able to lessen or manage your dogʼs barking.
First, letʼs do a bit of detective work. Gather the facts surrounding the barking. For example, when is your dog barking, who is around, what happens immediately before your dog starts barking, what happens when your dog is barking, and what is the result of your dogʼs barking? You will want to help your dog not just to suppress the impulse to bark, but to relax enough to become quiet or find a different way of achieving what she is trying to accomplish. Then you can start thinking about how to replace excessive barking with something more conducive to your and your neighborsʼpeace and quiet. You will also be able to facilitate calming your dog and therefore help her be less stressed.
It may seem obvious to you why your dog is barking (someone rang the doorbell), or it could be more of a mystery (your dog barks at a shadow or the windshield wiper). The doorbell situation can be worked with in several ways. One approach is to extinguish its meaning. Usually your dog has learned to associate the ringing with the arrival of a guest, which can be exciting. Ringing the doorbell numerous times without anyone entering the house can make the sound meaningless. No one comes in; no reason to get excited.
You can also teach your dog to hear the door bell as a cue for going to a mat or into a crate. By doing this, you are providing your dog with an alternative behavior.Start by teaching your dog to understand that a small towel or other target is a “magic spot”: as soon as the dog steps on it, or even looks at it, mark and reward. If done correctly, your dog will soon seek out the mat as a wonderful place to be when asked (either with a verbal cue or simply the sound of the doorbell); you can then place the towel or mat into your dogʼs bed or crate. Itʼs a fun exercise where you can watch your dog “think.” It still amazes me how easily most dogs understand the relationship of paying attention to a target with being rewarded—even in the absence of words or gesturing.
If you interpret your dogʼs barking at the sound of the doorbell as an expression of worry, it may be more pertinent to change your dogʼs anticipation of something unpleasant. By giving your dog space away from the threshold (possibly behind a baby gate), you can teach her that she has the freedom to avoid being near the door and an unknown or unwelcome person. You can further help your dog to anticipate a friendly situation by letting your visitor toss some treats toward her while she is in that safe spot, without the person making eye contact and only presenting friendly body language. It will be important to let your dog choose if she wants to interact more — or less—with the visitor. Just because your dog takes treats from a stranger doesnʼt mean she is not in the same emotional state as before; taking a treat does not me an the visitor now gets to pet or can even approach the dog.
Many dogs will bark at cats or wildlife outside a window. Canine disposition for prey drive may be triggered, or she simply discovers that if she barks, the animal will move or leave, which can be entertainment for a bored dog. Given how unpredictable this type of trigger is, your best solution—at least temporarily—may be to block your dogʼs access to the window or doorway. In the meantime, concentrate on improving your dogʼs obedience skills, so you will be able to call her away from sights or sounds that trigger the barking. Taking away an opportunity to practice barking will help calm your dog as well as offer her a chance to be involved in a quieter pastime, such as dedicating her attention to a stuffed Kong toy or a cow ear.
Some strategies to curb barking may only require simple management. However, if the barking is related to separation stress, or a symptom of a more severe behavioral issue, it can be useful to enlist the help of a professional dog trainer or behaviorist to help you with a solution. Make sure your goals are realistic and that you use any temporary failures as diagnostic tools for further training. Remember: You and your dog are trying to communicate across different species, and plenty gets lost in the translation. Be patient with your dog, and yourself.
Birgit Hafermann, CPDT-KA, has been working with dogs professionally for the past 13 years. She teaches classes at the Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society, runs her dog walking business Birzi’s Walk-n-Wag, and provides private dog training consultations to her clients. She trained Sandy in a local production of Annie. She loves teaching dogs of all sizes and ages and has a penchant for teaching tricks to small dogs.
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