Without a doubt, few things are more characteristic of dogs than their barking This particular vocalization that dogs emit occurs in all kinds of everyday circumstances and do not particularly attract our attention, as long as they are not excessive barking. But sometimes, and to the surprise of many owners, there are cases in which the dog barks for no apparent reason
This fact generates both doubts and superstitions in many people. Since, do dogs have a sixth sense and bark at paranormal phenomena? Or is there a more reasonable explanation behind this sudden behavior? If you are curious and wondering why your dog barks at nothing, we invite you to read this article on our site in which we will try to answer these questions.
Why do the dogs bark?
Barking is one of the most common vocalizations in dogs, since all dogs bark to a lesser or greater extent. Each dog also has its own peculiar way of barking, since some breeds, such as the Siberian Husky, emit barks that are very similar to howls and these, for their part, have nothing to do with the barking of a Chihuahua.
This peculiar sound is just characteristic of dogs, because to the surprise of some, adult wolves, as well as other wild canids like the coyote, they cannot bark.
What does this mean? All adult canids that live in the wild do not bark, but puppies do, because it is the cry they emit as an emergency call when they are scared, feel unwell or when they are hungry.
This means that during the domestication process of the ancestor of the dog (which is also the ancestor of today's wolves), they were selected and they bred dogs that retained the attributes of puppies, a process known as neotenization
However, not all the barks that dogs vocalize mean the same thing, since the intention for which they make quick and short barks is very different from that of slow barks and growls of for medium, for example.
Regardless, all barks have a common intention, to communicate, that is, to express their mood and intentions. Mainly, the bark of a dog is produced with the following purposes:
- Get attention, whether from the owner, dogs or other animals.
- Alert when they detect someone unknown in their territory.
- Alert when you see a threatening object (such as a car).
- Warn that it is preparing to defend itself and attack if necessary.
- Indicate that something is bothering you or you feel stressed.
- When he's happy, whether it's playing or when he greets you when he comes home.
- Because he feels lonely and wants company.
To learn more about why dogs bark, you can consult our article Why do dogs bark? or watch the video below:
My dog barks for no reason, why?
Dogs are animals that have some senses more developed than ours, such as smell or hearing. However, there is no evidence that they have a brain structure that gives them a "sixth sense" that we do not have, that is, canines have the same senses as us in terms of the perception of stimuli. external: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch; as well as the ability to perceive internal stimuli: the sense of balance, hunger, pain, etc.
There are other, more realistic explanations for why a dog may bark for seemingly no reason, which are not related to some kind of “extrasensory” perception. Rather, the most frequent causes of a dog barking at nothing are:
More developed senses
As we have mentioned, dogs have some more developed senses than ours. Therefore, it is believable that if a dog barks out of nowhere, this is because has smelled something or heard some noise that you have not been able to perceive, such as the sound of a siren in the distance or a strange smell in the environment that makes you uneasy.
Wants to get your attention
This cause is really common and many times the owners are not really aware of it. Specifically, some dogs that are bored and frustrated or have a high need for attention from their companions to feel protected (for example, in case of separation anxiety), find that barkingget their human tutor to pay attention to them And it is through this association of actions that a learning process is created in which the furry learns that every time he barks, he will receive the attention he needs.
It is for this reason that some people may have the belief that their dog is barking for no reason, when in reality he is doing it because he knows that his owner is going to pay attention to him.
You may also be interested in How to stop my dog from barking when he is alone
Not feeling well
Barking, on many occasions, is also a clear indication that the well-being of the dog is not fully covered. You may feel stressed or anxious because you don't go out enough and therefore have a excess energy It may also be because you feel insecure if you don't is with its owner, which triggers separation anxiety.
On the other hand, it should never be ruled out that he barks or howls because he is sick or suffering some physical pain.
Notice your mood
Dogs also have the ability to sense the emotions of their human friends. This implies that it is capable of perceiving your happiness, sadness, anger…
It is due to this that, if for some reason you find yourself nervous or stressed, it could be that, without realizing it, you are directly or indirectly transmitting your state of mind, in fact that alters and manifests through barking.
Stereotype
Stereotyped or compulsive behaviors are really alarming, since this kind of behavior has an insidious development that is difficult to detect and practically has no solution.
But what do we mean by stereotyping? These kinds of behaviors are actions that the dog performs continuously and repetitively because they are self-reinforcing, that is, his own brain rewards the action by creating a feedback loop, in which the dog barks and "enjoys" the fact of doing it Compulsive barking is characterized by being repetitive, monotonous and the fact that it can be barking for a long time constantly, without apparent motivation.
These cases occur when the dog lives in a environment that is very poor or lacks stimuli Lack of stimulation, frustration and general malaise It is such that the only way of entertainment that the dog has is barking, among other compulsive behaviors such as chasing its tail or even injuring itself. Examples of these situations are dogs that live in patios without ever going out or tied up all day, situations of clear abuse.
Here we show you another 5 compulsive behaviors in dogs.
Old age and cognitive decline
Finally, older dogs also suffer from dementia once cognitive decline occurs. It's not surprising then that if your dog is older, he starts to show unusual behaviors, like barking at nothing.
Here we explain more about senile dementia in dogs - Symptoms and treatment.
What to do if your dog barks for no reason? - Recommendations
As you have seen, the fact that your dog barks for no reason is not an alarm signal. However, if his barking is excessive and you don't locate the particular item he is barking at, it is largely because his welfare is apparently not covered. That is why, to detect and correct this problem, we advise you to follow the following guidelines:
- Take him to the vet: It is important that you take your dog to the vet to rule out any problem of organic origin, especially if it has There has been a sudden change in their usual behavior that can give rise to these barks, as well as other strange behaviors that you may have detected.
- Stress and frustration: dogs are social animals that need to interact with other living beings, as well as good physical and mental stimulation. This means that, as the owner, you must ensure that their well-being is covered, carrying out walking routines, allowing them to interact with other dogs and their environment, play, etc. Otherwise, a dog that lives in an environment that lacks stimuli, that does not get enough exercise, does not socialize with other dogs, and does not receive enough attention, will develop behavioral problems as a result of this discomfort, among which are barking. Therefore, you will have to make sure that you offer your dog the care it needs. In addition, it is recommended that you provide him with a good environmental enrichment to ensure that he does not get bored at home.
- Reeducation: Many owners reinforce the fact that their dogs bark without realizing it. A clear example of this is when, effectively, they pay attention to their dogs only when they bark, talk to them, give them a prize, caress them, play with them, etc. So the dog sees that to be heeded, he must bark. It is for this reason that to redirect this behavior in a positive way, the opposite must be done. Your dog should never see that by barking he can get what he wants, but you should ignore it so as not to reward his barking. Similarly, you want to make sure that you give your dog enough attention so that he learns to stay calm and that he doesn't need to demand your attention.
- Be positive and avoid punishment: If you're nervous, stressed, or frustrated that your dog isn't behaving the way you'd like, you can get upset and start barking. Whenever you try to spend time with your dog, you should try to adopt a calm and pleasant attitude for him. In this way, you can spend quality time together that he will associate with you. On the contrary, trying to educate your dog through shouting, intimidation or physical punishment will only generate a negative experience for your dog, which will be associated with being with you, generating distrust, fear and, ultimately, damaging your bond.
- Ask for help: If you have tried all the above points and your dog continues to bark excessively for no reason, it is best to go to a specialist in canine ethology, who will be able to advise your case in a personalized way and guide you on how to solve this problem.
You may also be interested in this other list on Tips to prevent my dog from barking.
