Why Do Dogs Bark?

Some are louder, some sharper, some combined with growls or even whimpers. There are several kinds of bark, each with a different meaning.

This sound, so easy to recognise but sometimes hard to understand, is the dog's voice — their way of communicating with us and with others of their own species. In this article we'll look at the reasons that can make them bark more often.

Barking, a Form of Communication

Dogs have, just like their ancestors, a complex, organised social structure. For this they need a communication system. This way, they can express their feelings and intentions, and also understand those of their fellow dogs.

To communicate, a dog mainly uses three senses: sight, smell and hearing. In the wild, a sound message is very useful and becomes key when the other channels aren't possible. But dogs don't just bark at each other — it's also their way of talking to humans.

One or two short barks at a medium pitch when they see us is their way of saying "hello". If it's very fast, on the other hand, they could be alerting us to a stranger's presence. So what is it, in short, that they most often tell us through barking? Let's see.

Reasons a Dog Barks

Our furry friends can bark for countless reasons, external or internal. Among the most common are the following:

• Anxiety. By barking, dogs release stress. That's why it's common for them to do it when exposed to situations causing this state of mental exhaustion.

For example, dogs put through very tough training, going through a house move, or feeling lonely. When this behaviour is constant there's a problem, since it's a sign the dog isn't feeling well psychologically — they're suffering stress.

• Boredom. A dog with nothing to do, no company and no toys, can end up destroying things or barking out of sheer tedium. The problem is that their owners often don't realise this is happening, since obviously they're not there.

What's more, this kind of barking can end up "spreading" through the whole neighbourhood. That's why it matters not to leave your dog alone at home for too many hours and, above all, with no form of entertainment. Otherwise, they could end up with anxiety problems.

• Frustration. When a dog wants to get something but can't, this feeling builds up in them. So the way many show that discontent is by barking. Frustration is also closely linked to loneliness and stress.
• Excitement. If a dog is thrilled or excited it's common for them to bark. This ties into their vitality, their eagerness to play and do activities that stimulate them. Even so, when this behaviour is too constant, we need to steer it in a different direction to help them feel calmer and more settled.
• Bad habits. Some owners, without meaning to, encourage their dog's barking. The dog learns that barking gets attention, gets them food, or gets them let outside, which reinforces this behaviour.
• Warning. Barking can also be an alert about an outside stimulus causing fear or wariness.

Often these are things we don't even notice — someone walking past on the other side of the door, wind moving the leaves, another animal nearby…

• Sight or hearing problems. With age their senses can be affected, and they may get startled more easily. That's why, if an elderly dog starts barking abnormally, it's best to take them to the vet for a check-up.
• Heredity. Genetics also explains why one dog barks more than another. There are dogs who, simply because of their nature, feel a greater need to do it — hunting dogs who follow scent trails, for instance.

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons that can make a dog bark. In fact, it's often not down to just one cause — there's a set of factors that can influence this behaviour.

That's why the best way to understand what's going on with them is by getting to know their personality well and paying them close attention, so we can manage to translate that dog bark into human language.