The cows go moo, the pigs go snarl and the dogs go woof, right? Dog communication it's a little more complicated than children's books might lead us to believe. Dogs are capable of a variety of vocalizations, and barking is only one of them. Not all dogs will do this in the same class. A dog's communication system consists of several factors, not limited to vocalizations. Body language and posture are also very important. However, barking is perhaps the most obvious because of its attention-getting nature.
If you recently adopted a new puppy, you may be asking, when do puppies start barking?? perhaps you're worried that they'll be loud or that your lack of barking means there's a problem? HowMeow.ru helps clarify and identify what a dog's barking says about them.
Why do dogs bark??
A dog barking can be caused by several factors. As a form of communication , it is intended to attract attention, so we should be aware of rather than ignore a dog's barking. However, paying attention to your dog's barking is not the same as rewarding it. Living with a dog, we will begin to learn different types of barks, varying in tone, volume, frequency and intensity...
Some of the emotions that cause a dog to bark include enthusiasm, stress, wariness, surprise or fear. There are also many undetectable signals that can lead to a dog barking. Emotions are caused by various stimuli in their environment. The reasons for a dog barking are varied and often multifaceted. However, common reasons why a dog will bark include:
- Stress
- Enthusiasm
- Boredom
- Disappointment
- Poor education
- Genetic predisposition
- Health problems
- External stimuli that we cannot distinguish
To better understand why dogs bark, we can see this article about the various causes of unexplained barking in dogs.
It is important to understand that a dog barking is not synonymous with aggression or threat. In most cases, this is an alarm or warning addressed to your family, be it dog or human. Given the importance of barking in a dog's life, knowing when it starts is helpful in understanding its development . Barking begins during the puppy stage.
When does a puppy start barking?
Many dog guardians first wonder when their puppy will begin to bark for the first time; the puppy will begin to vocalize in the first weeks of its life. However, even having the ability does not mean they will do it immediately. Likewise, a dog's first bark will be very different from the one he later emits as an adult. The same goes for other vocalizations such as growls or howls...
Around 6 weeks or so , the puppy will have practiced his vocalizations to the point that he can create his first bark. This is just an average time scale, some dogs will be longer and others will be sooner. Puppies will bark for several reasons, just like adult dogs. However, most of his vocalizations will be part of his learning development. Just as a human child will make sounds when learning language, a puppy will make sounds that interact with its environment. They may draw attention to their mother, to us, or indicate that they want to play with their siblings.
My puppy barks a lot
Puppies are constantly learning and developing. When they discover something new, they must repeat it in order to assimilate it into their nature. The same goes for barking. This may mean they bark a lot when they start learning. Barking may also occur more often when the puppy is still with its mother and siblings. Barking is an important part of the game. Just like they need to know bite inhibitions, knowing when to bark and what not to bark is a learning process that can take some time.
In any case, the best solution is to ignore the barking and then reinforce a calm attitude when it stops. We provide positive reinforcement in the form of affection, words of encouragement, or even treats. However, if a puppy is barking because he is hungry, needs water, is stressed, or suffers from health problems, then we cannot ignore his basic care needs.
How to control your dog's barking
To prevent our dog from barking uncontrollably, it is important that we know what caused it in the first place. When we are around them, we can discover what is wrong and calm them down. However, some dogs only bark when they are alone, and this behavior may include property destruction . This is known as separation anxiety, and the barking starts when we leave them for a while, sometimes even going unnoticed until we return. Spend more time with them, remove stressors, enrich their environment and provide mental stimulation. Read our article on separation to find out more.
Another reason for excessive barking in puppies can be due to the presence of strangers. When we have a visitor, his enthusiasm leads to barking at the door or the sound of the doorbell . In this case, barking is often a sign of the link he is sharing. They try to warn us of possible danger when they perceive a visitor. They may also just be excited about the prospect of a new guest. These types of reactions are the reason why obedience training is so important. Telling them how they feel and encouraging calm behavior can make barking less annoying.
When a dog barks at strangers, it could also be a territoriality issue. In the most severe cases, this can lead to aggression. It is very important to avoid visits until this situation is resolved. We must first take them to the vet to confirm that there is no underlying medical problem . A canine behavior specialist should then be called in to provide practical assistance in changing their behavior patterns. Spaying or neutering your dog can also help in these situations.
A dog may also bark a lot when it wants something and cannot get it. A puppy will bark first when it wants to suck on its mother's nipple, but adult dogs will do the same too. If this is something the dog cannot have, then we must remove it from his sight. A dog can also possess certain objects, but this is not healthy behavior. They usually do this because they do not feel secure with their resources. Finding a way to calm them down can help combat possessiveness in dogs.
It is easier to counteract excessive barking if we do it when they start barking rather than when it intensifies. Using a word may not be counterproductive because they don't always know what they should associate the word with. Reprimanding is equally problematic and can make barking worse.
Sometimes it is impossible to determine the reason for your dog or puppy's barking. This is because they bark due to stimuli that are invisible to us. However, we should strive to discover it, or at least be distracted and calm when it happens. A phobia of certain objects can also cause excessive barking. This is usually due to poor socialization during the puppy stage, so we will have to correct this.
If your dog barks at strangers on the street, it is important to remain calm. Instead of tightening the belt and scolding them, we should stop and tell them to stay put. Congratulate them or give them a gift when they comply. In more extreme cases where the dog is aggressive, behavior modification sessions should be carried out after a general examination by a veterinarian. It is likely that a puppy who is coming out for the first time is simply barking out of emotion, so we must take into account his developmental trajectory...
Beginning of education - socialization
These are two pillars that are inextricably linked to establish a strong bond between the owner and his pet.
Without proper socialization, further education of a German Shepherd is impossible.
Without proper upbringing, a German Shepherd will not be able to master the initial training course and successfully demonstrate its abilities at the final stage - ZKS or sports tests.
Without the initial socialization of the puppy, its further upbringing and completion of the training course at the appropriate time, not a single BUT will be recognized as a full member of human society.
What does "socialization" mean?
Between one month and two months is the ideal time to buy a puppy - a dog's child is especially curious and friendly. Thanks to this, he has no problems forming contacts with people and other pets.
Tolerance of another species is also socialization!
During this period, it is easy to “make friends” between a puppy and a kitten, especially if both are about the same age and both came into the house recently
. A kitten at the age of 2-3 months does not yet need personal space and, just like a puppy, loves to run and play, and they are not yet capable of causing serious injuries or scaring each other.
Serious disputes between “children” can arise over food - the puppy will most likely try to drive the kitten away not only from its own bowl, but also from its bowl. Feed the animals at the same time, and space out the bowls at different heights.
True friendship (in the human sense) will not arise between playmates, but the feeling of a “friendly shoulder” will persist for many years.
A matured kitten will eventually move away from its grown-up friend, but a barking baby will gain rich experience in communicating with an animal of another species (including humans) - a huge positive contribution to the socialization process.
What are social skills for?
By exploring a new environment, meeting new people, animals, sounds, objects and concepts, acquiring new knowledge and skills, BUT puppies develop fully, training their brains, developing control over their actions and emotions, stimulating the development of innate instincts.
Consolidating new knowledge with correct behavioral reactions builds self-confidence in the puppy - resistance to stress.
The resistance of the central nervous system to external stimuli leads to the development of innate instincts and unconditioned reflexes (automatic behavior characteristic of animals), without which further steps in education and training are impossible.
The owner’s task during this period is to be nearby, communicate, show miracles of patience, encourage and protect.
Without human support, the OI will never be able to realize itself socially in human society; it will become aggressive and cowardly and will forever lose valuable working qualities.
Socialization of a puppy is psychophysiological preparation for further education.
Why doesn't my dog bark??
Although barking is common in dogs, not all dogs will bark to the same degree. This is partly due to genetically less predisposed races. If a dog barks more or less than other dogs you know, it is not necessarily a problem. It's also important to remember that it can take a puppy some time to develop their barking skills , so don't worry if they're very young.
In rare cases, the dog will bark less than before. One of the main reasons for this is related to age. As a dog ages, he generally lacks enthusiasm and this may be reflected in less barking. Dogs can also reduce their barking when they are not feeling well. The inflammation caused by laryngitis may stop your dog from barking as much, but some diseases can debilitate him. Power to such an extent that even barking is difficult. It is important to watch for other symptoms and bring them to your veterinarian if we have any questions about your well-being.
Finally, it is also possible that the dog needs time to become uncomfortable . When you adopt an adult puppy or dog into your family, the dog will need some time to get used to its new environment. Additionally, some dogs that have been abandoned, abused, or injured may take longer to perform well in a new environment. After acclimatization, barking should continue as usual.
Reacting to the approach of a stranger or dog
Another common type of loud barking is when owners complain that their dog reacts violently to a stranger approaching the door or to another dog on the street. These animals are characterized by high excitability, increased levels of anxiety and a labile nervous system. The nature of their barking changes - from warning, relatively normal in frequency and pitch, to monotonous, more persistent and ritualized. At the same time, the change in the nature of barking occurs very quickly, and if the dog has already switched to the second type of barking, then it will be very difficult to stop it and calm it down. In this case, the owner needs to intervene immediately as soon as the dog barks - by distracting the dog with play, or by introducing elements of obedience.
