For some people it is an offence to have a barking dog around them, they think that dogs should be seen and not heard. This is slightly unfair given that the bark is a dog’s voice and like yourself it uses it to communicate.

In some instances of course you want your dog to bark loudly such as when a suspected burglar approaches or if you fall into trouble of some sort and need urgent assistance. In most cases your dog is just trying to talk to you, perhaps he is just happy about something, dog obedience training will help you to find this out for sure.

The problem is that the language barrier between barking dogs and humans is well nigh impenetrable. Therefore, you are forced to resort to the facts of the situation in which your dog is barking and try to understand from its body language just what it is trying to say.

Apart from that many people ask just why do dogs bark? Your dogs bark is its voice, it is the best way it has of communicating with you.

Naturally they will bark when they are happy about something such as greeting you on your return or perhaps they are happy about running around in the park.

Some dogs having barking bred into to them such as toy dogs or sporting breeds where they are trained to bark in order to notify their owners of the presence of a particular quarry being hunted. Other dogs like the guarding breeds are trained only to bark when a threat is perceived.

Some more reasons for barking that are not always obvious include simple boredom, being hungry or lonely or just a means of getting attention for the fact that it needs to go to the toilet.

Again the context of the situation will help you to decide the likely cause. But of course it is not fair for you to try to shut the dog up. She may be communicating for a very good reason, you just need to spend some effort in understanding her.

However, dogs are not stupid animals there are situations where they realise that they can use their bark to annoy or force their owner into a particular action. It is important that you communicate to your dog exactly who is boss to stop it learning that barking will make you give in every time it wants something.

For instance you dog may have decided that it is time to play and continues barking until you give in and drop what you are doing to amuse her. The problem here is that the dog then learns that all she has to do is to bark whenever she wants something and you will oblige.

This can get very wearing after a quite short period of time. The best approach would have been to show the dog that it cannot get its own way by giving it the cold shoulder.

Make out to ignore your pet and turn away so that it registers your displeasure. After repeated actions your dog should eventually get the message.

Barking as a means of manipulation is used by your dog to try to demand things like going for a walk. Do not let your dog rule you, you need to be in charge here. This teaches your dog respect and hopefully makes for a quieter household with limited barking dog problems.

Consult a good book on dog obedience training like SitStayFetch to solve many of the problems you will encounter when you are training your dog.

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The Lentek Super Bark Free emits either ultrasonic or audible sound to discourage dogs from barking.

This outdoor device will train most dogs that barking results in an unpleasant ultrasonic response. This “training” is most effective against boredom barking, and is less effective against territorial behavior or trained behavior. The unit is effective up to 25 feet away, which also makes it a great option for the NEIGHBOR’S dog(s) that never seem to stop barking. If you have a large yard, or the neighbor’s animals congregate at a certain spot further than 25 feet, consider purchasing and installing multiple units. Many homeowners report that this finally restores a bit of peace of quiet!

For about 2 out of 3 dogs, the Lentek Bark Free unit will cause results within 24 hours of being installed. Other dogs may be more difficult, for various reasons, and may require several days or weeks to train. A small percentage of dogs just will not respond at all; for example, some older dogs or breeds with congenital hearing problems are unable to hear the ultrasonic sounds and will just ignore the Bark Free device.

In a few situations where there are a lot of other noises, the ultrasonic sound may be masked or reduced to such a degree that it is not effective. Most pet stores and online retailers offer a money back satisfaction guarantee on their products. In the case of the Lentek Super Bark Free most dog owners DO get a positive result, so it is certainly worth trying for your unique situation.

You may also want to try Citronella Barking Deterrent

If you live in an apartment, or in a neighborhood where your little barker will be in close proximity to neighbors, it’s a good idea to do a bit of research before getting a new dog. It is actually possible to improve your odds of getting a quiet dog.

photo credit: Barbara L. Slavin

If you already own one or several dogs, it is helpful to know which breeds really tend to be a problem.  If you can’t manage to train the dog to stop barking excessively, you’ll know more quickly that some professional help might be in order.  Go to the internet, or your local yellow pages, and you should find plenty of dog training experts.

If the thought of spending a couple of hundred dollars for training sounds over the top, consider that one city citation may cost you the same amount. And the longer the problem persists, you may alienate your neighbors.  In some cities, you may be ordered to remove the dog, if the problem persists.

It’s not an exact science, of course, but there is a general consensus that beagles and toy breeds are the worst barking offenders. (sorry guys…and gals)

photo credit: Mephisto83

Following are ten breeds that do tend to speak their mind often:

1.  Beagles

2.  Chihuahuas

3.  Miniature Schnauzers

4.  West Highland Terriers

5.  Yorkshire Terriers (Yorkies)

6.  Cairn Terriers

7.  Fox Terriers

8.  Pekinese

9.  Minature poodles

10.  Toy Poodles

photo credit: Yasuhiko Ito

Dog breeds known to be less prone to barking:

Basenji

Blood Hound

Basset Hound

Bulldog

Siberian Husky

Alaskan Malamute

Golden Retriever

English Sheepdog

Chesapeake Bay Retriever

Dog owner resources:

Humane Society of the United States

Bark Busters — Home Dog Training