Even Dogs Can "Talk" Too Much

Just as we can form sentences and change the pitch of our voice to mean different things, a dog change its bark depending on what it is trying to tell you.

Bark #3; "Hello"

According to K9 Magazine, here are the Top 10 Barks and, briefly what they mean.

1. Continuous rapid barking at a mid-range pitch: “Call the pack! There is a potential problem! Someone is coming into our territory!”

2. Barking in rapid strings with a few pauses at a mid-range pitch: “I suspect that there may be a problem or an intruder near our territory. I think that the leader of the pack should look into it.”

3. Prolonged or incessant barking, with moderate to long intervals between each utterance: “Is there anybody there? I’m lonely and need companionship.”

4. One or two sharp short barks at a mid-range pitch: “Hello there!”

5. Single sharp short bark at a lower mid-range pitch: “Stop that!”

6. Single sharp short bark at a higher mid-range: “What’s this?” or “Huh?” This is a startled or surprised sound. If it is repeated two or three times its meaning changes to “Come look at this!” alerting the pack to a novel event.

7. Single yelp or very short high-pitched bark: “Ouch!” This is in response to a sudden, unexpected pain.

8. Series of yelps: “I’m hurting!” “I’m really scared” This is in response to severe fear and pain.

9. Stutter-bark at a mid-range pitch: If a dog’s bark were spelled “ruff,” the stutter-bark would be spelled “ar-ruff.” It means “Let’s play!” and is used to initiate playing behavior.

10. Rising bark – almost a yelp, though not quite that high: Used during a rough-and-tough tumble play time, it means “This is fun!”


For those of you who would like to train your dog not to bark.

Barking Problems

What do you do about a dog that barks too much?

The first step in quieting your pooch is to understand why he is raising such a ruckus in the first place. Dogs, after all, bark for all kinds of reasons. They bark when they're anxious or when they are lonely. They bark to draw attention to themselves or to warn someone encroaching on the property. Sometimes, they bark just because it feels good.

The Alarm Barker

If the dog barks only when you are home, he is probably barking for one of two reasons: Either he wants attention or he is trying to warn you about something. Most dog owners feel safer knowing that their dog will alert them to intruders, so they usually reward alarm barkers. Because you are likely to want your dog to continue his warnings, you do not want to discourage barking entirely, but the trick is to teach him to stop barking when you tell him to.

When trying to curtail a dog's barking, as with any other training program, be consistent and clear about just what you want your dog to do. If you tell him to be quiet, you must then enforce what you have instructed. It does not work to yell "quiet" from three rooms away and then continue to talk on the telephone as your dog rants and raves at the window.

Instead, consider keeping your dog on an indoor lead and having him by your side at potentially problematic times. When you see he is about to bark, pick up on the lead and tell him to sit. Better yet, pair the lead with a head halter – which gently pulls the dog's head up, closing his mouth. When he stops barking, release the tension on the lead and praise him. An extra reward will emphasize your appreciation.

If your dog constantly demands your undivided attention, consider ignoring his demands - consistently - for a week. Try standing up and walking away whenever he starts to bark. This form of training, resulting in gradual "extinction" of barking, is very effective because it removes all rewards that, until now, were reinforcing the behavior. Keeping in mind that even scolding or brief eye contact can be interpreted by your dog as a reward, try to show no response at all. You can take this training a step further by giving your dog attention, such as petting, only when he is quiet. With patience, you can change many kinds of learned behavior through the process of extinction.

More Ways to Abate Barking

Sometimes, you can cut down on barking by using an anti-bark collar. These collars are most useful for dogs that bark when their owners are away and cannot correct them with voice commands. However, do not use one with a dog that shows signs of anxiety; it will only make the problem worse. When left on their own, for example, some dogs become extremely stressed, and act out that behavior by barking non-stop. In that case, the dog should be treated for the underlying cause of the problem – separation anxiety – not just his barking.

Anti-bark collars utilize ultrasound, electric shock, and vibrating devices – they work by punishing the dog when he barks. Electric shock may be effective, but is viewed by many as inhumane: Other types of collars that do not rely on inflicting pain contain citronella oil, its spray triggered by barking, has become available and can be an effective tool for distracting the dog from barking.

Luckily, most dogs will respond to some intervention to curtail their barking. Whether you simply bring an outdoor dog inside (which should calm the neighbors) or take the time to apply behavior-modification techniques, you can cause a dog to be less of a nuisance and to be more socially acceptable.

Barking on Command

Teaching your dog a few simple tricks is fun and entertaining for both you and your pet. It is best if your dog knows and reliably responds to the basic obedience commands of sit, stay and down before teaching him to perform tricks. Most tricks are built on basic obedience work anyway and, in the process of being taught "the basics," your dog will have learned to pay attention to you during training sessions.

Success in training of your dog hinges on rewarding the desired behavioral response in a timely fashion. The most valued rewards differ from dog to dog: For some, food it is the most powerful reward, for others, praise or petting are what they crave.

Some dogs will do whatever their owners want them to just to have a little playtime. Find the reward that best motivates your dog to learn and stick with it. Work with your dog daily in 5 to 15 minute sessions. Keep training fun, and end sessions on a high note with reward for a job well done. If you feel yourself getting frustrated or tired, quit and try again later.

When you teach your dog to SPEAK, you are not giving him permission to bark every time he hears a noise or sees a moving object. This command is one your dog will respond to only when asked. If taught properly, barking on command should not encourage the frequent barker to be more vocal, and may even have the opposite effect. If your dog has a problem with excessive barking, it may be due to anxiety, boredom, or may even be part of a breed characteristic personality. Talk to your veterinarian about possible solutions to the problem of a the dog that barks excessively.

"Speaking" should consist of a few short barks, and then your pet should quit. "This is a trick, like "sit" or "shake," that must have a clear end point. To teach your dog to speak, rely on situations that you know cause your dog to bark. Two common bark-promoting circumstances are offering a food treat and knocking at the door (or ringing the doorbell).

To tempt your dog with food, show him a treat. Use a higher, more excited voice than normal and ask him to SPEAK. Most dogs will bark if the treat is withheld long enough. If your dog barks, give him the treat and praise. Practice a few times and then try it without food.

If your dog does not respond to food, but you know he will respond to a knock or a ring at the door, try giving the SPEAK command, than rap on your door or ring the bell yourself. Sometimes your dog will bark even if he sees you do this. If not, enlist a friend to ring or knock right after you give the command. If this situation would normally cause your dog to start some frenzied running around the house, put him on a leash first to control his behavior and focus his attention. Once you get a few barks, offer a treat and praise.

Continue to practice this trick over and over again. Always use a happy singsong voice and lots of positive reinforcement. Eventually, your dog will understand what you want, and when, and will readily speak when asked.

The keys to success in training your dog to perform tricks are patience, practice, praise, and persistence. During training, every small step your dog takes in the right direction should be rewarded as though he had just won the lottery. Tricks are fun – and learning how to do them should be fun, too.

What Is Your Dog Saying When Barking?

A few years ago, an article in the Smithsonian magazine concluded that dogs may bark for no reason. It's just something that they do – a function without a purpose, so to speak.

That view is not widely shared. Even studies of wild canine behavior attest to the fact that barking serves a function of long-range communication. It is at least as important to dogs as a marine foghorn warning is to mariners. Even the most elementary interpretation of barking is that it is a non-visual communication signaling the dog's presence and territorial concerns.

On hearing a bark, the receiver of this audible message knows:

The presence of another dog out there
His approximate direction
His approximate distance
The sender's level of the excitement/energy/commitment

The sender of the message knows exactly what he is transmitting but may not know to whom.

If the recipient responds by barking back, he confirms:

The receipt of the message
His presence of another dog out there
His location and energy level (by how hard and fast he barks)

All of the above is really "old hat" and well accepted. What becomes more controversial, however, is whether the bark is more than just a "here I am" type noise that signals a dog's location and territorial claim.

Most dog owners believe that they can recognize their dog's different types of barking. The dog may, for example, emit an excited, alerting bark when a friend approaches the home but may sound more aggressive and foreboding when a stranger or a would-be intruder draws close. In addition to the different tones of barking, the same tone of bark can be used in different situations to "mean" different things.

If your dog's ball has rolled under the couch and he wants someone to get it out, he may bark for assistance. A learned communication, like verbal language in people, a bark is used in this context because it works to produce the desired response from you. Once he gains your attention, you recognize immediately what the dog wants by: the barking itself, the dog's orientation, and the situation. Humans also use a variety of signals to communicate with each other; they speak, orientate, gesticulate, and use facial expressions and other body language.

But could you understand what your dog wants by listening to it bark on the telephone? Probably not. But you might be able to determine the tone of the bark (friendly or hostile), the volume and intensity of the bark (his state of arousal) and the duration of barking – continuous or intermittent (indicating how intent the dog is).

Obviously, barking is not as sophisticated a method of vocal communication as human language but it works to convey elementary messages. Humans probably grunted their wishes to each other and barked orders a few hundred generations ago. It was a start. Interestingly, human consonant sounds are thought to be "hard-wired" from these humble beginnings just as the dogs bark is "hard-wired." Human language (in any country) comprises different constellations of consonants strung together in creative ways. Dogs have a long way to go to catch up but some do seem to try very hard with what little hard-wired sound-producing ability they possess by using different intensities, tones, and groupings of barks, growls, and mutters, interspersed with the occasional howl to get their message across.

Their sophisticated body language compensates to some extent for this limited vocal response. With patience, dogs can "train" their human counterparts to understand what they're trying to say.

Attention Getting

Dogs do all sorts of things for attention. Barking is the most common thing they do for attention. They not only bark, but also whine, and they run around and do some very funny things!

What does YOUR dog do to get attention?

This is a funny video. It is about a dog that keeps getting treats and more treats. Do you know a dog like this? If you have a dog or know a dog that likes to beg, you are likely to relate!