Barking is another form of canine communication Barking is a behavior typical of the species, however, on some occasions, barking it may appear as a negative symptom or as a behavioral problem that may be related to the use of inappropriate methods in its education or poor socialization of the dog.
Do you wonder why your dog barks at you when you scold him? Of course, we recommend that you quickly consult a dog behavior specialist so that you can find out the real causes of said behavior and guide yourself on a specific treatment. However, you will also learn some possible explanations for why your dog barks at you when you scold him and how you should proceed to improve this situation.
Why is my dog barking at me?
It is always important to be aware of the causes of barking in dogs. Although barking is part of canine communication, dogs tend to preferentially use body language to express their moods, emotions and perceptions of the environment. Barking can have many meanings and it is important that you learn to interpret what your dog means with this bark before you scold him or believe that this attitude needs to be corrected. Therefore, we invite you to read our article on what dog barking means so you can better communicate with your best friend
Barking is also part of canine nature and we must learn to respect it. However, if you notice that your dog barks a lot when he is left alone, it will be necessary to pay special attention, since this behavior indicates that your dog has not learned to manage their loneliness and positively channel their energy while you're away. In addition, excessive barking can appear as a symptom of some diseases that cause pain or interfere with our furry's senses.
For this reason, do not hesitate to go to your veterinarianwith confidence when you verify that your dog barks a lot and presents any alteration in behavior usual of him. Once any pathological cause has been ruled out, it is also advisable to have guidance from a canine ethologist to diagnose the cause of excessive barking and establish treatment with specific guidelines according to needs of your hairy.
Why does my dog bark at me when I say no or scold him?
Is it bad to scold dogs? It is important to understand that punishment is an action that inevitably causes stress in the dog. In some more complex cases it can even generate anxiety. For this reason, when you scold your best friend, you are causing him negative emotions and detrimental to his well-being, such as fear or a social conflict with you, which you are his reference figure. For this reason, many furry ones lose control over their own emotions in this context and can carry out involuntary acts, such as urinating when you scold them.
If you have recently adopted a dog or puppy, you should be especially vigilant about these behaviors, as they may be a sign that your furry has a history of physical and emotional abuse or was not properly socialized. Also, if you scold him after spending many hours of some inappropriate behavior, your dog will not understand the reason for the punishment and your anger will generate mistrust towards you. In this context, your dog may bark at you out of the frustration of not understanding what you mean by your attitude.
However, barking during a punishment usually indicates that your dog is upset and asks you to end with this unpleasant situation. In these cases, the barks are usually sharp and short and can be interpreted as "enough" or "it's over." And if the barks are interspersed with soft, steady growls, this is an indication that your dog is getting angry and is warning you to stop doing something that makes him angry. Also, if you exaggerate the intensity of the fight, you will be increasing the stress of this moment and your dog may end up carrying out aggressive behaviors in response to excessive punishment.
Therefore, scolding is not a recommended method to teach a dog to respect house rules, and can lead to be very dangerous for the dog and everyone around him, especially if there are small children in our home.
Don't confuse obedience with authoritarianism
To offer a positive education to our dogs and get them to obey us, it is essential not to confuse obedience with authoritarianism, or fear with respect Unfortunately, unreasonable and very dangerous methods of "establishing dominance" over a dog in order to "educate" it are still circulating in popular belief. These behaviors, such as forcing a dog to lie down on its belly, are meaningless and counterproductive in the education of any dog, since they provoke negative feelings and expose the dog to contexts of stress, insecurity, distrust and bewilderment.
If you want your dog to obey you and demonstrate balanced behavior, you should invest in a he althy bond and apply positive reinforcement in his education, excluding any type of physical or emotional abuse. Your dog will learn more easily when he perceives that his behavior generates joy and provides benefits to everyone (including himself)
What should I do if my dog barks at me when I scold him?
Especially if your dog growls at you when you scold him, bites you or attacks you, you should follow the advice that we show you below, but do not forget that to solve it in a really effective way you should go to a specialist in canine behaviour:
- Rule out pathological causes: In some cases, dogs bark excessively and develop behavioral problems as a result of certain pathologies that cause pain or affect their sensory functions. Therefore, if your dog starts barking very frequently, is more tense or insecure than usual, do not hesitate to immediately consult your trusted veterinarian.
- Avoiding the "snowball effect": let's look at the situation from the logical point of view: if your dog barks at you when you scold and scold him again for having barked at you, you will be making the animal continue barking or barking even more. In addition, if you continue to increase the stress of the situation and make your best friend afraid or angry, you will be favoring the development of aggressive behaviors in response to excessive punishment, which are very dangerous.
- Eliminate the punishment: as we have mentioned, when you scold your dog, you transmit negative feelings that weaken his emotional stability, such as insecurity, anxiety and fear. An inhibited, stressed or insecure dog becomes more vulnerable to many psychological disorders that are usually revealed through learning and socialization difficulties, as well as self-defensive behaviors or obsessive self-mutilating behaviors.
- Apply positive reinforcement: positive training of a dog allows you to teach without damaging its emotional balance. If you reward your dog for recognizing appropriate behaviors, you will be stimulating his cognitive, social and emotional capacity. In this way, you will obtain an obedient and self-confident dog, who will be prepared to interact with people, animals and objects in his environment.
- Increasing your dog's physical activity: Dogs can also bark excessively or show symptoms of stress when exposed to a sedentary routine, which does not offer the proper stimulation to your body and mind. If you want your dog to maintain a balanced behavior, we recommend you increase his routine of walks, exercises and games to improve the physical and emotional state of your furry and avoid inappropriate behaviors associated with stress or boredom.
- Invest in quality moments and improve your bond with your dog:As we mentioned, obedience also requires a he althy relationship between the dog and his guardian. For this reason, remember to invest in quality moments with your best friend, which allow them to work positively on their education and strengthen the bond between you.
- Knowing and respecting canine nature: dogs have their own forms of expression, which make up their canine nature. If we scold or inhibit a dog for performing behaviors inherent to its nature, we will not be educating but repressing the pure and spontaneous expression of a sensitive and intelligent living being. Also remember to take your time to better understand the needs of your best friend and respect the 5 freedoms of animal welfare.
- Seek the help of an ethologist or canine educator: if your dog barks excessively or presents other behavioral problems, it is best to consult an expert in canine ethology or a professional educator. A dog that has not been properly socialized or has been abused should undergo a resocialization and reeducation process based on specific guidelines.
