One of the things that every dog owner will know is that their furry friends will bark at things from time to time. They can bark at almost anything you can think of!
This could be the postman, doorbells, other dogs, other humans and even the television! Now, while a lot of the time this might not be a problem, especially if they only do it for a short time – sometimes it can be very annoying and disturbing.
So how exactly could you sort this problem out? How could you get your dog to stop barking at every sound?!
We’ve got everything you need to know with this handy guide. We’ll look at what sounds dogs bark at, why they bark and how you could help to solve this problem.
Read on to learn more.
What Sounds Do Dogs Bark At?
There are plenty of things that dogs like to bark at and some are much more common than others. We’ll take a look below at the things that are most common and examine why your furry friend might be doing this.
Doorbell Rings
When it comes to dogs barking, one of the most common sounds they will bark at is the doorbell. Almost all of us will have some sort of memory of a dog barking crazily, simply at the sound of a “ding dong!”.
But simply the sound is not why your dog is barking at the doorbell. It goes much further than this. In fact, it’s the psychological connection to everything that the doorbell represents.
For the majority of the times that the doorbell rings, your dog will remember certain things. For example, previously the doorbell might have rang and your family member or friends that they are familiar with have then walked in.
Dogs will be excited to see them so they will get very animated and start to bark as a way to both alert you that there is someone at the door, but also to show their happiness and excitement.
Similarly, if the doorbell has rang in the past and you’ve had a delivery (say from Amazon or a Pizza for example), they might connect the doorbell with receiving gifts or food. Once again, their barking is a sign to tell you to answer the door and show their happiness.
Whatever the reason, the way in which you can train your dog to stop barking here is the same. All you need to do is shown in the following section.
Training Your Dog Not To Bark At The Doorbell
You will need to get some dog treats and this will take a lot of practice, but you will eventually get there. Here’s what you should do step by step.
- Put your dog on a lead
- Get someone to ring the doorbell
- Once the doorbell rings, command your dog to sit
- If your dog sits, feed them a treat
- Repeat this step everyday until they do not need treats or a lead
Now, this might sound much more simple than it actually is, and often your dog will refuse to listen to your commands when they are barking. If this happens, try to distract them with treats during the doorbell ringing, and then repeat the steps.
Other Barking Dogs
It’s very common for your dog to respond to the sound of other dogs barking with a bark of their own – in fact, it’s almost expected.
However, it’s important that you do not shout or try to shut down their barking right away, but you can reduce the amount of barking they perform. All you need to do is get some doggy treats and once they start to bark at other barking dogs, distract them.
These treats will teach your dog that barking is normal, but it will also stop them from continuing barking. In the future, they might initially bark but then they should stop after a few moments.
Loud Sounds
Loud sounds can startle your dog, as they can startle us. However, we might jump or even scream – but a dog will bark. It’s important that we recognise that your dog will bark if they are scared and they shouldn’t be punished or told off for it.
Loud sounds like fireworks on bonfire night can scare your dog, so if you want them to stop barking and feel more reassured, you should keep your dog close so they feel safer and try to distract them with a dog toy or tasty treats.
This is a tactic known as reverse conditioning, and it’s essentially trying to get your furry friend to connect scary sounds with treats, rather than panicking them every time they hear one.
The same tactic should be used for anytime a loud sound might happen, which includes sirens from the police, ambulances or fire engines, balloons popping during a party and even a car simply starting up.
What If My Dog Barks At Uncommon Things?
Some dogs will bark more than others, and some sounds act as a direct stimuli for your dog to begin the barking process. Uncommon things that your dog might bark at include pots and pans falling on the floor and the telephone ringing.
Once again, the process for how you can reduce their barking remains the same. All you need to do is to try and distract them whilst also reassuring them of their safety.
If they keep barking at uncommon things and they do not respond to your training, it might be a good idea to try to hire a professional dog trainer – but this will depend on the severity of their barking!
Final Thoughts
Dogs will bark – that’s what they do! However, these are the ways you can try to get them to be a little calmer. We hope this guide has been helpful for you – good luck!
