| Have you ever noticed how dogs begin barking | | | | became aggravated or excited and it uttered a |
| quietly with a menacing growl which gradually | | | | very short bark, you may have given it a treat |
| escalates to a loud howling bark? Maybe, you | | | | or a pat on his head. The dog learned through |
| have you noticed how some dogs sustain their | | | | your own actions that it's good to bark, so he |
| barks until they are acknowledged? | | | | would. |
| These dogs are barking to give their master a | | | | Dogs have acquired this trait of barking through |
| warning or an alarm. These types of barking arise | | | | centuries of domestication. Sheepherders and |
| from the dog's observation and judgment of his | | | | ranchers needed their dogs to bark because they |
| surroundings. Dogs do not bark to create noise | | | | left their herd in their dogs' care. They also |
| and to annoy their masters' neighbors. They bark | | | | needed the dog to admonish their herd not to |
| because they want to tell their masters | | | | wander. |
| something. Through barking, dogs are able to | | | | Excessive Barking |
| express their feelings and catch their masters' | | | | Unfortunately, some dogs' barking can be quite |
| attention. Barking is the way they indicate their | | | | excessive. If this is a daily episode for you then |
| fear, their anger, their loneliness, etc. | | | | your pet dogs might be trying to tell you |
| Dogs and Wolves: It's not in the Family | | | | something they've been trying to tell you these |
| Compared to their parent species the wolves, | | | | past few days. Your pet dogs may be feeling |
| dogs bark in an entirely different manner and | | | | alarmed, lonely, uncomfortable, or anxious. |
| under certain situations. In actual fact, wolves do | | | | To help stop the excessive barking, you need to |
| not even bark; they howl. | | | | understand what's causing your dog's behavior. If |
| Dogs allegedly have the capability to retain | | | | your dog stops barking when you gave him a hug |
| juvenile characteristics throughout their adulthood | | | | or played with him, then he was merely asking |
| in spite of genetic engineering and selective | | | | for some affection. If he stopped barking when |
| breeding process they have undergone over the | | | | you gave him food, then he was merely hungry. |
| years. Dogs are similar with the wolf young in | | | | If you had a visitor and your dog never stopped |
| their large eyes and heads, flat faces and a few | | | | barking the whole while, then your dog may have |
| mannerisms. | | | | been scared by the stranger or may have just |
| Barking: Acquired and Learned Behavior | | | | wanted attention. |
| Dogs, while they are so much like the wolves | | | | If your dog keeps on barking and you can see no |
| have learned to communicate differently. Their | | | | apparent reason for it, or if your dog is very |
| tendency to bark is actually acquired and was not | | | | excitable and barks long and hard with every little |
| their natural inclination. If you doubt my word, | | | | provocation, then you may need to seek |
| then look back on the time when your big hulking | | | | professional help so your dog can be trained to |
| dog was a mere pup. If you would recall, the | | | | properly (bark only at certain situations) or he can |
| puppy refused to utter a sound. | | | | be trained to bark quietly (debarked). |
| Then you'd encourage it to bark. When the puppy | | | | |