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You expect dogs to bark since it’s their nature. Barking is a communication means for dogs.
But when they bark non-stop for a long time, it becomes a nuisance.
Pay attention to the tone when your dog barks. Each time it barks, there is something it is trying to tell you.
Read on to know why your dog will not stop barking and what you should do.
Reasons Why Your Dog Won’t Stop Barking
There are a bunch of things that will make your dog bark. Some dogs ideally do not bark so much.
But when they try to express certain emotions or tell you what they want, they will bark continuously.
You might have known how to communicate with your dog if you spend substantial time with it.
But sometimes, the constant barking might leave you with challenging questions to answer.
Before quitting your dog, try to figure out what it’s communicating.
Once your figure out the reasons behind the barking, you will be able to tend to the problem and give a solution.
Here are some possible reasons why your dog won’t stop barking and what you should do.
It’s Reacting To The Potential Threat
Your dog might be barking as a response to a potential threat.
It is usual for the dog to freak out when the doorbell rings.
When something is catching the dog’s attention, it will automatically bark.
As commonly referred to, alarm barking in dogs shows danger ahead.
The kind of barking and the expressions the dogs make show that you need to deal with potential danger.
Certain sounds and signs might trigger the dog to bark continuously.
If your dog notices an intruder in your home, It will bark continuously.
It goes to the window and starts barking if it’s inside the house.
Probably it’s barking at other dogs or people outside.
Other times, dogs bark at something small like a bird in a tree.
Not every barking should cause alarm to you.
Try to understand why the dog is barking, then react.
Solution
If your dog is barking at other dogs and people passing by, you calm them down, by closing your curtains.
You might opt to put it in another room if it’s barking at people coming to your home.
As long as these people are sure these people won’t cause harm to you, keep your dog off them.
Avoid shouting at the dog. You might make it escalate the barking.
Instead, check out what is causing the alarm and be calm.
Once you check the issue, say something gently to it, like “Thank You.”
Communicate well with your body language and friendly tone, assuring it that there is nothing to worry about.
Training your dog from the word go is essential.
It will know you better and learn how you communicate when mad or calm.
So gets its focus and attention, it will reach better situations.
Seeking Attention
Having a dog as a pet is similar to having a small child.
It requires constant attention, holding, and playing to keep it calm.
If you aren’t giving your dog the attention it wants, it will demand it by barking continuously.
Your dog might demand physical interaction, some time to play with it, or maybe cuddles.
As a good dog mom, you might react and give the dog exactly what it requires.
Giving in to your dog’s demands is not the right thing to do and should never be your priority.
Also, yelling at the dogs will not stop the barking.
Solution
Once you realize that your dog is just barking to get your attention, ignore it. Then wait for a few minutes.
If it keeps quiet, reward it with attention.
The dog learns that it doesn’t get anything when barking, only when it is quiet.
Staying consistent in doing this will help the dog reduce the barking.
You can always reward them with attention any time they are quiet.
Also, tire your dog by keeping it occupied with something else.
Push it to do regular exercise, and you can also give it puzzle toys to play with as you work.
This way, it will not get the time to bark since there is something it is doing.
Separation Anxiety
Dogs also get separation anxiety, just like human beings.
Leaving your dog alone causes sadness and anxiety to them.
They will start pacing, show signs of depression and destructiveness, and may even cause accidents in the house.
Other dogs won’t stop barking no matter what you do to stop them.
Usually, they will do so the first 30 minutes after leaving them.
Some dogs will continue to bark until you come back home.
Separation anxiety can occur due to many reasons.
Knowing the root cause of this anxiety will help you react accordingly.
Some dogs won’t stop barking even after trying everything because it’s the first time they are left alone.
Others won’t cease barking after changing ownership.
Also, the loss of a family member, or moving from where they stayed before, can make them bark so much.
Solution
Separation anxiety can be pretty tricky to solve.
For your dog to bark less once you separate, it will take enough training and energy.
In some cases, you might need to consult a veterinarian.
It rules out any medical problems that the dog might have.
Give your dog some treat each time you want to leave. Once you come back, take the treat away.
You can also make sure you leave without alerting the dog.
Please make a point of ignoring it for a while after getting home until the dog is calm.
You can also allow someone else to interact with it so that it will be okay when you leave.
If separation anxiety is due to the surrounding change, make the place more habitable than before.
Also, try to learn some of the previous owner’s techniques to keep the dog calm.
Excitement
Your dog won’t stop barking due to excitement. Such barking might occur before taking it for a walk or feeding it.
Like human beings, dogs develop specific cues before feeding them or taking them for a walk.
Excitement barking is easy to identify but can be challenging to solve. Shouting at the dog will not work.
Solution
When the dogs’ barking is getting out of hand, you need to remain calm.
Then take control of them without necessarily talking to them.
You will also need to change your cues immediately after they start barking.
If they are barking because you are about to feed them, stop serving them the food.
Put the food back and sit down.
Ensure that you only feed or take them out when they are quiet.
Ensure you are consistent and patient with this technique.
The dog will learn that it can only get food or be taken out to play when it is quiet.
Remember that the body language you use on your dog speaks volumes.
Once it watches you, it knows how to react in a particular situation.
Other Things You Should Do When Your Dog Doesn’t Stop Barking
Always Stay Calm
Calmness is attractive. If you are so over your dog’s barking, you need not shout at it. It will not solve the barking.
If you start pouring out your frustrations at the dog, it will bark more.
Take some time off it until you are calm. Then speak to it in a friendly, calm tone.
It will read your energy and stop barking.
Allow The Dog To Get Used To A Specific Stimulus
Understand what your dog is barking at, then allow them to get used to that trigger.
If maybe it is barking at your visitor, try to show it that you know the person.
You can do this by physically touching the person. This way, you positively desensitize the stimulus.
The dog will get used to this visitor with time.
Manage The Stimulus
Managing the stimulus will also make the dog stop barking so much.
Sometimes your dog might just be barking at people passing by your house.
Or maybe it is barking at something around your house.
Block the dog from seeing the people passing by.
For instance, in order to control the behavior, close the curtains or move your dog to another room.
This will help in managing the situation if they start to bark at people or animals passing by the living room window.
Also, you can find something that will distract the dog. This way, it will not find a reason to bark.
Ensure you distract them before they start barking.
Therefore, you should also learn the signs that your dog is about to bark.
Get A Certified Dog Trainer
Sometimes, you might be why your dog won’t stop barking despite the efforts to calm it down.
Maybe you are not training the dog well on how to respond to certain situations.
Dogs don’t stop barking when you yell at them to be quiet.
Identifying the cause of your dog’s barking and either providing them with a different means of communication or eliminating the stimulus that’s causing it is the objective.
If you have tried the above tips to stop the dog from barking and it won’t do that, get a professional to help you.
Quicker outcomes may result from having your entire household on the same page.
A certified dog trainer will help direct the dog well.
It will then be able to cope with certain situations better.
Maintain a cheerful attitude during your workouts.
Your dog’s communication methods include barking, which is completely normal.
Be consistent so your dog does not become confused.
For instance, you start the process by training your dog to jingle a bell at the door instead of barking when they need to go outside.
Your trainer can begin by bringing them to the bell and rewarding them when they touch it with a treat.
Progressively, make them ring the bell before leaving the room to use the restroom.
I’ve Tried Everything, And My Dog Won’t Stop Barking – Takeaway
Try all the above tips to alleviate the constant barking from your dog.
Knowing why your dog is barking and its temperament will help you choose the appropriate method.
Also, know that you are the pack leader of your dog.
A passionate content creator on pet behavior, nutrition choices, and health, Mike is an experienced pet expert. He has been writing on multiple websites to compensate for his passion for cats. Mike grieves around plenty of pets in his parents’ house. At the start of his career, he had a sturdy intention to be a part of pet care by any means.
With his affiliation to Purrfect n’ Pawesome, he found a way to satiate his craving to participate in pet health, wellness, and behavior analysis. He has been a significant part of our team and a major contributor in equipping our site with useful, authentic, and research-backed articles.
“I love pets as much as I love to travel to explore multiple places and lifestyles. I have been attached to this pawsome platform for many years, and my experience regarding pets has enhanced significantly by using various devices to write articles. I believe in writing my thoughts and experiences, so I try to write down the experience and learnings for my readers no matter where I am and what my mood is.”