Mary Allen
In contrast to one or the other dog of today, the wolf is more of a silent representative. He is able to bark – but he almost never uses the ability of this vocalization. This is actually a pleasant trait for many dog owners, but living with a wolf just doesn’t work. However, our dogs, who in turn are very pleasant social representatives, bark. One more, the other less.
Why Do Dogs Bark?
Dogs communicate their mood when they bark. But these can be different. If a dog barks because it is defending its territory, ultimately there is a fear of losing it in the worst case. It is defended. If he barks during play, the dog is – logically – in a much better mood, because dogs only play when they are relaxed. If a dog asks another dog to play, it sounds very different than if it wants to drive an opponent of the garden fence. Of course, there are other reasons to bark:
- They demand attention – you usually notice this when they bark at you provocatively and directly
- you are stressed
- They bark out of boredom
- They bark out of aggression
- you are in pain
- They bark from separation stress
Vocalization is More Than Barking
But there’s more to vocalization than just barking. Whining, squeaking, the well-known growling, etc. are all part of it. Here, too, there are individual nuances that need to be distinguished. You know from the expressive behavior that the dog uses its expression and body language as the situation requires. It’s the same with vocalization. Acoustic communication is used in an energy-saving but target-oriented way.
How Happy Can My Dog Bark?
If you have the choice, you are spoiled for choice. If you are looking for a new dog, you should actually consider how willing it should be to bark.
- Do you wish he barks? If so, how much and in which situations?
- How close does your neighborhood live to you and how pleased will they be at dogs barking?
- Barking isn’t barking – many small dogs have a different barking frequency than large dogs. That too is a matter of taste.
When Barking Becomes a Problem
Most of the time we let the dog continue to play in a relaxed manner and we accept the barking. But if the dog starts to get annoying at the garden gate and bark in a rage, many people want the dog to stop – but why should it do this? From his point of view, the “enemy” is still there. Since territorial behavior has its roots in fear, it is now understood that the dog will not simply be at peace with a “no” and stop barking. He will continue to be unsettled when the stimulus is present and there is a good chance he will start barking again – despite the ban.
It is better if you can give him security and take away his fear. Give him an alternative to barking. When you realize your dog is barking at the gate, walk up to him, happily call him off, and send him to a permanent place like his blanket. So you take over here, thank him by praising him that he heard you well, and make him more into the background from the front. Here your dog knows that he can relax and that you are now paying attention to the situation and protecting him. Then he can relax, the stress level drops and your dog will automatically stop barking.
Barking is Natural
So pay attention to the circumstances, because not every dog can be simply forbidden to bark – so it’s not the number one training path to just tell a dog to be quiet. Rather, you’ll have to play Sherlock Holmes if you have a dog that loves to bark. You have to know the cause and his emotion if you want to change his behavior without stress.
Incidentally, it is the case that all dogs are born with the genetic possibilities of vocalization, so to speak, but they have to make sure – preferably in the first few weeks of life – that their communication partner understands them correctly, otherwise unnecessary injuries could occur. In short, he’s allowed to growl when he’s born, but he has to learn how to make the most sense.