Why Do My Dogs Keep Barking At Nothing

Some dogs may bark more as an expression of this concern.

Why do my dogs keep barking at nothing. Most dog owners will have witnessed their dogs barking at absolutely nothing at some point or possibly have been woken up in the middle of the night to search the house for the armed intruder that your dog is frantically telling you about only to. Not only will it not help to extinguish the behavior but it may actually stimulate the dog to bark even more. Barking is a dog s way of communicating so it s often a natural reaction. Dogs may bark in any number of situations including.

If your dog is barking at nothing it probably isn t because he s seen a ghost or going crazy. This alzheimer s like condition typically appears in dogs as several behavioral changes including barking house soiling and changes to interactions with people and other pets in the household. When there is somebody at the door. When some dogs get older they will bark at night or at something that does not appear to be there.

You may not hear noises from a distance but your dog does. At cats or birds in the garden. This is not only painful and unkind but some dogs learn to test them and eventually figure out how to work around them. If you want this type of barking to stop sawchuk says the most important thing is to not yell at the dog.

Never yell at your dog. At other dogs or people when out and about. This causes them to startle more easily or to feel more concern about their environment in general. Alarm barking is associated with something catching the dog s attention says sandra sawchuk a primary care clinical instructor at the university of wisconsin school of veterinary medicine.

For example a compulsive barker might pace in a circle or walk back and forth along a fence as she barks. At visitors who enter your home. Thankfully there s help for this problem too. Why does my dog bark.

That just tends to rile him up even more. He used to seem to go. The bark seems to come in response to nothing and may resolve without any identifiable reason. When they are bored.

To get your attention. What may be causing unexplained barking. At people walking past the house. Elderly dogs often experience at least partial hearing or vision loss.

This may be a sign of cognitive dysfunction in an older animal. Barking due to canine dementia. Many dogs really love the sound of their own voices and will bark and vocalise for all sorts of reasons such as excitement boredom to get your attention to alert you to someone coming and to warn other dogs or people off their territory. One of my client s german shepherd s was having odd barking spells in the evening.

When they are left on their own. If you believe your dog is barking at absolutely nothing compulsive barking is a possibility especially if your dog barks excessively and repetitively while also moving in repetitive ways. Do not hit your dog or use devices like shock collars.