Barking: causes, triggers and how to help

Many dogs bark in reaction to noises, sights, or smells coming from outside their home. The root cause of this is often anxiety. When dogs are worried about something nearby, they might bark to let us know. They may want us to take action to help them feel safe.  

They may also be trying to frighten the scary thing away before it reaches them. It could be something they’ve seen, heard, felt, or smelt, or something that we might not be aware of at all. 

When the perceived threat, like a passerby, moves away, the dog thinks their barking saved the day. They don’t realise that the people were going to continue past anyway. Every time barking seems to work, it’s more likely to become a habit.  

This type of barking can be very stressful for our dogs (as well as us). If your dog is always on alert, they’ll be vigilant and likely to bark at more things they see in their environment. For them, it’s like having a stressful job, but without any time off.

Most dogs enjoy our attention, and some learn that barking is a great way of getting it.  

A bored dog might think we’re the best entertainment system they have. Or, just like us, they may prefer to be with others than play alone.  

The difficulty is that ignoring a noisy dog is very hard. 

They’re distracting, so we might end up telling them off, going over or making a fuss. But, if we do that, they’ve just received our attention, which can accidentally reward the behaviour.    

Mealtimes are a good example of when we might see attention barking. A dog is likely excited and anticipating food. They may start to bark at you when you’re preparing your (or their) food, or when you sit down to eat. In either case, if the dog gets food in this situation, they’re likely to try barking again next time. 

That’s how habits are created.

Be aware that this type of barking doesn’t always happen alone. You might see other attention-seeking behaviours like stealing.

If you live with multiple dogs, you may find they bark at each other for attention too. This could be to get the dog to play or because they want whatever the other dog has. If the dog being barked at is trying to avoid interaction, it’s best to intervene and engage the barking dog in another activity to maintain harmony.

Dogs that are worried or frustrated about being left alone may bark, howl, or whine when you leave them. They may also show other signs that they’re not relaxed when left alone.

These signs, including making noise, might start when you’re getting ready to leave, or only happen once you’re already out. Dogs are naturally social animals, so some enjoy spending lots of time together. It’s not possible to be with them 100% of the time, though, so we need to teach our pooch pals that being alone is nothing to worry about.  

Dogs that haven’t learnt it’s okay to be alone may become frustrated or distressed when left. They might bark, howl or whine to make us come back. If we rejoin them when they’re still barking, they might think this is why we have returned and will be more likely to bark next time we leave them. Only going back when they stop barking won’t help, however, as it doesn’t change how they feel about being left.  

If your dog barks because they struggle being left:

- seek expert support by calling our free Behaviour Support Line

- get your dog checked at the vets to rule out any underlying medical conditions

- find out what to do if your dog has separation anxiety. It’s important you don’t just leave them to bark

- help your dog get used to spending time alone.

The things that will help your dog to learn quickly are consistency, patience, and professional support. 

Dogs show their feelings with facial expressions, body language and vocalisations. If you’re unsure whether your dog barks because they’re afraid, frustrated or stressed, take the time to watch them and work out how they’re feeling.  

Some dogs will bark at dogs or people because they’re worried or frustrated. Frustration happens when dogs are unable to access or keep something they want, there are barriers (real or not) to getting what they want, or their expectations are not met. The behaviour of a frustrated dog is usually a visual and noisy expression of how they’re feeling.  

Dogs that bark at things they’re worried about, do so to make the scary thing go away. If your dog barks at something they’re afraid of and it moves away, the barking worked, and your dog feels safer. Feeling safe is an important goal for animals so they’ll probably bark again next time something scares them.

If you want to stop your dog from barking at people, or at other dogs, check out our advice on reactive dogs.

Barking in fear at loud, unpredictable noises is commonly reported by dog owners. Check out our advice on what to do if your dog is scared of loud noises and how to help your dog cope with fireworks for more support. 

Just like some dogs get excited around food, others can’t get enough of playtime.  

Lots of dogs bark when they feel excited or playful, so barking doesn’t always mean they’re unhappy. If barking at us results in a fun game, dogs might learn to bark at us every time they want to play. They learn this in a similar way to dogs that learn to bark for attention.

Barking and growling can be a normal part of doggy play. It’s often higher-pitched and harmless. However, be mindful that there is potential for conflict during play. Some dogs might guard their food and toys, or growl or bark to say ‘hey! That’s too much!’  

The best way to know if your dog is relaxed whilst playing is to take regular, short breaks to check their body language. Their movement should be nice and wiggly, without any tension in their face or body. 

If you have more than one dog, you may find that if one barks in excitement, the others join in. This may mean that you need to work on keeping all dogs calm, not just the instigator.

If your dog starts to bark when they haven’t before, it’s important to see your vet. Sudden changes in behaviour can mean there’s a medical problem. Joint pain and illnesses like doggy dementia may cause dogs to bark more.  

Some dogs become sensitive to sounds when they’re in pain.  Loud, unpredictable noise can startle them, and the tension their body creates can aggravate the injury or illness. They might bark simply to stop the noise.  

Loud noises are often over quickly, so they’re likely to think barking worked. Over time, dogs may learn to pair loud noises with jolts of pain and barking with the noise stopping. This makes it more likely they’ll bark again.

We know how stressful it is when your dog keeps barking in the garden. The noise doesn’t just disrupt us; it disrupts the people around us too. This adds social pressure on top of our own frustration. Tell your neighbours that your dog is in training. This way, they’re likely to be more patient whilst your dog learns.  

Once you’ve identified what’s causing the barking, stop your dog barking in the garden by: 

- getting creative with furniture, fences, screens and plants to muffle the sound, and limit the sight, of triggers

- choosing quiet times for your dog to play in the garden. If they’re afraid of people, they’re more likely to bark during busy commuting times than on a calm mid-morning

- limit time in the garden if they’ve had a stressful day

- use a lead or longline to stop your dog from running and barking. The more excitable they are, the more likely they are to bark

- supervise your dog when they’re in the garden. This way, you can intervene if needed and reward them when they’re calm and quiet

- if your dog starts to look vigilant, bring them inside. They’re likely to bark soon.  

If your dog does bark in the garden, don’t worry. It’s not going to ruin all the training you’ve done. Just bring them back inside your home without fuss.

Dogs barking at windows are often reacting to sights and sounds outside the home. And, just like dogs that bark in the garden, it’s an easily formed habit that can leave us frustrated and apologising to next door. 

To stop your dog from barking at the window, you can:

- close curtains, lower blinds or use frosted film to block the view of outside

- use stair gates and puppy pens to block access to the window

- move furniture away from windows so your dog can’t climb up to look outside

- some triggers, such as bin collections, are predictable. This means you can plan activities to keep your dog busy at the relevant times

- use a radio to mask the sounds of outside

- watch your dog's body language and behaviour. If they start to look tense or move towards the window, they’re likely to bark. Encourage them to a quieter space and engage them in a calm activity.

Car travel is an important part of life for many dogs. For some, the anticipation of a new walk in an exciting place might be more than they can silently handle. For others, cars can be scary. There are different sights, sounds and strange movements. They may also get worried or frustrated because they can see things out of the window but can’t do anything about it.

Pull over safely if your dog’s barking is distracting you whilst driving. The chance to go to the toilet and have a drink could also reduce your dog’s barking. 

To stop your dog from barking in the car, you can:

- find alternative travel methods, like the tram or train, if your dog is relaxed on them. Ask others to look after your dog if you must travel by car

- seek expert advice if your dog is afraid of the car or if they get travel sick

- have a chat with your vet if your dog is sick when travelling. Medication to help them feel better can help stop the barking

- block their view of the outside. You could use car blinds, window screens, crates or window tinting

- familiar bedding and a friend to sit with can be comforting and reassuring

- build up journey times slowly and take regular breaks. Show your dog that being in the car means good things happen

- vary your journey times and where you’re going. This reduces your dog’s expectations of the car only being linked to exciting adventures or worrying vet visits

- reward your dog when they’re quiet in the car. You might need someone to help. Start when the car’s stationary on the drive at home

- introduce new routines, like settling when the car is in motion. Teach your dog that waiting calmly and quietly is the key that opens the car door

- crates help limit the amount your dog moves when travelling. This can reduce pain and nausea. If this is why your dog barks in the car, using a crate may stop the barking.

If your dog has not used a crate before, you’ll need to crate train them so they feel relaxed inside.

If your dog keeps barking when left alone, they might be feeling worried. If this is the case, you will need to change the way your dog feels about being left. This is best done with the support of a qualified expert to stop the behaviour from getting worse. For immediate, free advice, please call our Behaviour Support Line.

How to stop your dog barking when you go out:

- find out more about separation anxiety and how to support your dog

- avoid leaving them until they’re ready. Ask friends, family and dog sitters to help you

- make sure they have enough mental and physical stimulation

- calmly praise them for resting without you, ignore them when they follow you about

- consider using stair gates to separate your dog in different rooms, if this isn’t too much for them. They should be relaxed when separated. This way, you can have some separation, but your dog can still see you

- if you have an open-plan home, consider using a puppy pen or room dividers to create some distance between you and your dog when you’re at home.

We understand visitors can be stressful for both you and your furry friend. But fear not, we have lots of suggestions on how to manage the situation calmly. 

To stop your dog barking at visitors or deliveries, you can:

- make a note of when the post arrives and follow tracking updates on parcels. This will help you to work out what to do ahead of time

- install an external letterbox outside of your home

- arrange for parcels and deliveries to be collected from a designated, local site

- place a note on your door asking visitors or delivery drivers to phone you instead of knocking when they arrive 

- block your dog’s view of people approaching your home with stair gates, puppy pens, blinds, curtains, or frosted window film. Move furniture if it gives them a vantage point

- use a radio to mask the sound of approaching vehicles and voices

- reward calm and quiet behaviour whenever you see it

- create a safe space for your dog and encourage them to use it

- find our how to train your dog for visitors

- mirror the energy you want to see from your dog. If you and your visitors are calm and relaxed, your dog will be calmer, more relaxed, and less likely to bark.

If your dog doesn’t respond to the suggestions above, or you think the behaviour is getting worse, seek expert advice. Our behaviour services team can provide additional support. And you can check out our advice on reactivity to visitors.

At night, fewer distractions make outside noises, or pain, harder for dogs to ignore. If they sleep away from their family, they may feel lonely.  

If your dog needs to go outside to the toilet, barking may be the only way they can wake you.  

Some dogs also learn that if they bark, their family come to entertain them. If this is a new behaviour for your dog, take them to a vet for a health check.  

How to stop your dog from barking at night:

- dogs do best with routine. Regular bedtimes help them to settle and feel calm

- make going to the toilet before bed a part of their nightly routine Read our advice on toilet training your dog

- if your dog's worried about being alone, check out our separation advice

- if your dog is sensitive to noises, use a radio or white noise to mask sounds from outside. Aim for your dog to sleep in the quietest part of the house

- make sure their bed is comfortable, gives enough support, and they’re able to stretch out if they need to

- if your dog starts to bark at night, this could be a sign that all is not well. It’s always best to see your vet to rule out any medical problems.

As with any unwanted behaviour, it’s important to take context into account.

Is your dog hungry, thirsty or do they need the toilet?

Have their needs for physical and mental stimulation been met? A bored or frustrated dog might bark for our attention to resolve these feelings.

Is the barking being accidentally rewarded? If your dog barks for attention and you tell them off or make a fuss, they get your attention. This makes the barking successful.

Are calm, quiet behaviours being consistently rewarded? It’s easy to forget to reward these behaviours because they’re much less distracting in nature.

Yes, older dogs may bark more, but it’s still vital to know why. This is so you can give them the best support. 

Here are some reasons why your older dog may be barking more:  

• reduced mobility can increase anxiety as they’re less able to escape threats
• increased discomfort and reduced mobility can make them fear getting hurt during play 
• decreased mental function can leave them confused and anxious  
• deteriorating eyesight and mobility makes navigating the environment harder
• limited mobility can lead to boredom due to reduced activity
• some age-related medical conditions can cause changes in behaviour, including increased barking and aggressive behaviour.

To reduce barking in your older dog, you can try:  

• encouraging your dog to move away from things that worry them
• advocating for your dog if they don’t want to interact
• choosing doggy interactions wisely
• sticking to known routines
• stimulating brain activity with enrichment and training
• keeping furniture in the same place
• seeking veterinary advice for other ways they can be supported.

Barking is a completely normal and natural part of dog communication. It’s important to know why your dog is barking though as it can indicate that all is not well. If you’re not sure why your dog is barking, or what to do about it, call us. We have a variety of behaviour services that can help you understand why your dog barks, and what steps to take.

Yes, dogs can bark when they’re in pain. It may be an instinctive response to the physical pain, they may be seeking your support, or they might be warning others not to interact. Either way, dogs in pain are likely to feel vulnerable and less resilient. If you think your dog’s barking is pain related, speak with your vet as soon as possible.  

Having to live with a dog barking every day that isn’t your own, can quickly drain your patience. It’s frustrating, distracting and it’s not your choice. Realistically however, there isn’t much you can do without the dog’s owner on board. This means that the first step to resolving the situation will be having a conversation with them.  

These situations are delicate. If tempers rise, being disturbed by a barking dog can become a full-blown neighbourly dispute. You may need to live near this neighbour for some time so it’s important to choose your words wisely and keep things friendly.  

Here are some other things to bear in mind:

- plan your conversation before you have it. This will keep the conversation information-led rather than emotion-led

- if the dog only barks when their owner is out, the owner may not know there is a problem. If they do know, they’re likely to be stressed and embarrassed

- your neighbour could be overwhelmed. Tell them their dog barks, how it affects you and then give them the chance to resolve the situation. You can always speak again another day

- have our number handy so that you can direct your neighbour to people that can help if they ask

- approach the conversation kindly and with understanding. We never know what somebody is going through. Judgement and frustration lead to defensive responses, not cooperation

- if you believe that the dog barks because their welfare is poor, report your concern to the RSPCA

- if your neighbour is not receptive or does not try to resolve the problem, speak with your local council about next steps. 

The first step is to work out why they’re barking in the first place. Why a dog barks is just as individual as them, so training will need an individual approach. Explore the topics on this page to work out why your dog barks and what to do about it.  

Top Tip: Dogs repeat behaviours that work. If your dog is quiet when you would expect them to bark, offer them a ‘jackpot’ reward. This could be a special treat or multiple treats. It’s like a big, neon sign saying, ‘more of that please!’

Not really. If your dog keeps barking for any reason other than attention, ignoring them is not going to change how they feel. That doesn’t mean that ignoring barking works for dogs seeking attention either. If barking worked before, stopping suddenly will leave them confused and frustrated.  This means they will probably bark a lot more and with greater intensity before they give up.

Here’s the frustrating bit: dogs tend to be much more persistent than we are tolerant. If we ignore their barking for a long time and finally tell them off at the end of our tether, we will teach them to keep going because eventually, it will work.  

The best thing we can do is reward them when they’re quiet with praise, play or food rewards.  This will teach them that being quiet pays off more than barking does.

Possibly. The only way to know for sure is to work out what they’re barking at and why. Keep a diary or bark log to help you track patterns.

Understanding body language and signs of anxiety will help you to know how they’re feeling. An example of when a dog might bark because of anxiety is when a stranger approaches. If the dog’s barking gets more intense as they get closer, they’re probably feeling anxious.

If you’re not sure, seek professional support. Our free Behaviour Support Line team are always here for you.

A promise to stop barking, fast, is very appealing. Unfortunately, quick fixes like anti-bark collars rarely solve the issue without causing more problems.  

• anti-bark collars aim to stop barking by making something bad happen when your dog barks. However, this can create problems
• anti-bark collars require immaculate timing. If your timing is off, you could punish the wrong behaviour – like being quiet!  
• if your timing is off your dog will not be able to associate the punishment with the cause – their barking. This can make your dog constantly anxious and make them bark even more
• these collars don’t change the underlying emotion, they just stop communication. Anti-bark collars are a great way of teaching your dog to silently bite
• you will always need to use the collar. Your dog knows the bad thing happens because of the collar. Use a different one, and the problem will likely return
• if the collar requires a remote and your dog sees you use it, your relationship can suffer
• if the collar doesn’t require a remote, there’s a chance of malfunction when you’re not with your dog. This could cause injury and trauma
• shock collars can cause burns and injury
• some dogs won’t find the collar punishing enough to stop. The collar can also increase emotion and result in aggression towards humans or animals nearby when it is triggered.

In short, no. The longer answer is that a correctly fitted muzzle shouldn’t restrict your dog’s mouth movement. 

Your dog should be able to open their mouth to eat, drink, and pant to keep cool. Putting a muzzle on won’t change how your dog feels about what they’re barking at. Without knowing and working on that, your dog’s need to bark will still be there.

To stop your new puppy from barking, prevention is better than cure. Read our advice on how to solve puppy problems for more information.