Why is my dog barking at me?

Why is my dog barking at me? 

My dog barked at me in obedience training, to remind me not to expect him to stay quiet, but to respond to my needs. I don’t want him to just react because I’m upset. Is it okay to decide that maybe my dog is going to have to be a little patient, too? I can’t yell at him and expect him to stop barking at me. That wouldn’t be fair.

 

Is my dog getting better, or is it all just me being too sensitive?

Yes, I have made my choice, and I’m tired of my dog’s bad behaviour. When I got angry at him in the past, the barking returned even stronger. It has helped me to understand that I am getting my emotional reaction from my dog’s bad behaviour. Now I have started to talk to him in a way that respects his place in my life, and helps him to understand that I love him.

Here are more tips for dog owners, adapted from “Help Your Dog Be Healthy & Happy” by Marty Levin, PhD.

 1. Practice patience, but not giving up

 Acceptance of our dog’s bad behaviour is not helpful. Anger does not help. It can make things worse. It is best to try to understand why your dog is responding to things in the way that he is. Is it because he is scared? Maybe it is time for him to understand that being scared is not something that he can control. He should not get so scared, and not bark so much. Sometimes, barking serves an important purpose in the way that it is our dog’s attempt to warn us of an intruder. We just have to identify and understand the meaning of our dogs bark.

 2. Try to understand your dog, not only his behaviour

 Your dog might be anxious. It is time for you to understand more about his fears and anxieties. It’s not always easy, but you can try to understand your dog’s feelings more fully. Even if we are not at a complete loss to understand why our dog behaves as he does, we can still try to do our best to meet his emotional needs. Dogs are not human. Their emotions do not always show up on the surface of our emotional experiences. Take it from a dog; take your dog’s behaviour seriously. Do not just take your dog off for being rude, barking, or impatient with you.

 3. Try to understand your dog’s limits

 Your dog may be trying to communicate what he needs. Maybe he can’t get into the living room with you. Maybe he can’t just get down on the floor and let you sit on him. Maybe he can’t just go to sleep or sit quietly with you. He may be trying to give you his limits so that you do not take it personally when he is barking, or even if he is whining and begging for your attention. If it is really hard for your dog to be quiet, let him be. If it is hard for him to be still, make a commitment to do your best to help him.

 4. Develop a plan for calming your dog

 If your dog is losing control, it is a good idea to calm him. Once your dog is calm, give him a chance to come out of his emotional state. Take him to a park to get some fresh air. Use a leash to guide him to a place where he can stop barking. Listen carefully for the calming signals that your dog is sending to you. Pay attention to your dog’s body language. Is he still anxious? Do you see it in his eyes? Is he barking, but he is not getting as frustrated as before? Remember that you still have the power to calm your dog down if he is getting loud and barking at you. Try to help your dog to stop barking at you. You can also use a training tool like a leader stick, but it can help to have your dog sit next to you. If you are occupied and your dog's barking is coming toward you, he may not be able to get in the way.

 5. Respond to his calming signals

 Even when your dog has calmed down, he can still give you a calming signal. If your dog is staring at you, that’s a calming signal. If your dog is listening attentively, that’s another calming signal. Even when your dog is resting in your lap, you can respond to his calming signals. Maybe he is giving you a look to stop barking. Maybe he is still having trouble calming down. Is he still lying on the couch, quietly watching you? Maybe you are missing calming signals like those, and responding to his barking instead. When you respond to his calming signals, take your dog’s response seriously. As long as he is calm, you can continue with your plans.

 6. Reassure your dog

 Is your dog still giving you calming signals? That means he is still reaching out to you, and his anxieties have not gone away. There is something that is keeping him from responding, and you need to be aware of that. This is something you can work on with your dog. Remind your dog that you still care for him, that you will be there for him, and that his anxious moments are over now. Remind him that you love him, that you are looking after him, and that you are there to help him with whatever he needs. Then he will be calmer. Remember that sometimes your dog’s anxiety will not go away immediately, especially if he is still frightened and barking. Your dog will be happier to respond to you when you return to calm. Remind him that you will respond to his calming signals. It may not be right away, and that’s OK. Give him some time to calm down. Eventually, your dog’s anxiety will start to go away, but that takes time. If your dog stays quiet and calm for longer than 15 minutes, that is a great thing. Don’t worry about it too much. The important thing is that you give your dog the chance to calm down and make sure what he needs from you.

 

It is not your fault if your dog is barking at you, especially if he is showing you calming signals. If your dog is barking, it is often due to anxiety. Anxiety is a natural response. The main thing is that you can help your dog to calm down again. There is nothing to worry about. Your dog is safe. Calm down, and focus on calming the things around you. The best thing to do is to stop responding to your dog’s anxious behaviour. That way, you can focus on calming things around you, and your dog’s anxious behaviour will be much less stressful. If you start to focus on calming things around you, your dog will start to calm down. Take your dog for a walk. Then you can see your dog’s fear in action. When your dog starts barking at you, take a break, and just look at your dog. Is he barking at you because he is really happy, or is he barking at you because he is scared? Is he actually barking at you, or is he barking at you because his dog is barking at you, and he is trying to stop the dog from barking at you? If your dog is actually barking at you, he needs help to calm down. That’s why you need to ignore him for a while. Stop responding to his anxiety. Let him calm down. Keep your dog calm with calm responses. He will probably breathe a little faster. He will be looking at you, listening, and breathing with more force. This is a sign that he is calmer. He is starting to look at you in a calmer way, and he is able to relax in a calmer way. He is not barking at you anymore. Give him his calm back. Take your dog out for a walk. Sit in the middle of your living room, and look at your dog. Look at your dog from a distance. Stop focusing on him, and start looking at the rest of the room. Look at the noises that are coming from outside. Stop your dog’s barking by ignoring him. Take your dog’s calm back. Take your dog for a walk. Calm your dog down again, but you can still continue to work on calming your dog. Calm things down around your house and your dog’s anxious behaviour will improve again.