Why does my dog bark at the mirror?

Having a pet in the house, especially a dog, is a serious responsibility. Communicating with the owner, expressing her emotions and requests, she begins to bark loudly. Sometimes these concerts do not stop or occur at night. This not only disturbs family members, but also annoys neighbors. To understand how to stop a dog from barking at home, you need to figure out what is bothering him.

Why do dogs bark?

The first thing you're probably wondering is why do dogs bark? You should know that barking is one of the most effective ways a dog communicates. An interesting fact about this form of self-expression, as it happens with cats, is that they usually use it to exchange information with people and, in fewer cases, to interact with other dogs.

So what is it trying to communicate? This may be the hardest to detect. A dog barks when it is very excited, when it feels threatened, or when it notices an intruder. In any case, barking is trying to get our attention because he wants to play, because he feels hungry and/or thirsty, because of anxiety, stress, pain or boredom.

As you can see, there are many reasons. Now that your dog decides to bark at night and won't let you sleep, it's time to take a closer look at what's going on. Adapted to life in human families, dogs use the night to rest, spending about nine hours on it. If instead the dog doesn't stop barking for no reason, you should pay attention to what's going on.

A dog that barks at night will show some signs of fatigue the next day, such as:

Apathy
Irritability
Lack of interest in the game

When a dog barks at a passerby

If a pack of dogs gathers around a passerby and barks, this is a bad sign. Since animals capture energy well, they feel that this is an evil person with bad intentions. In this case, the dog's barking is a warning sign to other people.

If a dog barks at the bride and groom, then this means an unhappy marriage. And in the case when the dog also runs between the lovers, it means separation. But this sign has a downside. If the dog barks and runs around the newlyweds, this promises them long-term happiness together. If he barks at the bride, then a baby will soon appear in the young family.

Why does my puppy bark at night?

If you just adopted a puppy and he barks all night, keeping anyone awake, you should know that this behavior is relatively normal, but it needs to be dealt with to prevent it from becoming a problem in the future.

Basically, a puppy barks at night because he misses his mother and siblings. He thinks that not only has he been separated from her, but that he is in a new house, full of smells and sounds he doesn't know, with people he's never seen before. From his point of view, the least he can feel is fear and pain at night, because up to this point he has become accustomed to the presence of his mother and the company of his littermates. In this case, the puppy not only misses his canine family, but also because he feels insecure, so he tries to attract your attention so that you will accompany him. Barking is often interspersed with scream-like moans.

In this case, many owners often feel the urge to listen to them and put them to bed. But is this enough? During the first week, it is recommended to pay attention to the newly adopted puppy to facilitate its adequate adaptation. However, after this period, we must teach our puppy to sleep in his own bed so that he does not bark, demanding attention or wanting to always sleep with us.

In this sense, the first week in a new home is crucial for the puppy to feel comfortable and stop barking. That's why we highly recommend that you follow these guidelines to keep your puppy barking at night and everyone can sleep peacefully:

Play with your dog : A dog that has been physically active during the day will be tired at night and sleep peacefully. Take him for a walk, have him chase or search for something, play catch with him, or anything else that comes to mind, especially when bedtime approaches. Also remember that sniffing games for dogs also tire him out and stimulate his mind at the same time.
Water satisfies its needs : Having fresh and clean water at its disposal, offering quality food, or spending time with family are routines that a dog needs for its emotional well-being. But also, when it comes to dinner, be sure to serve it about three hours before bed so you don't have to go outside to pee or worry about digestion later.
Prepare a place : the puppy should have his own bed, fluffy blankets, a certain space so that he can rest and feel safe. For puppies, you can opt for fabric houses or improvise a kind of roof with blankets so they will feel well protected. Make sure there are no drafts or annoying noises.
Mimic the mother's heartbeat : For the first few weeks, you can place a clock that makes a distinctive "ticking" sound near where the dog will sleep, as the sound is similar to the mother's heartbeat. This usually relaxes them.
Ignore the crying : Although we can pay attention to it in the first days, after the first week at home we should completely ignore barking and crying. You should not go to calm the puppy, otherwise he will learn that after barking or crying we go looking for him, which can increase this behavior. As soon as the dog understands that no one will come after crying, it will stop crying.

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It is important to note that behavior problems tend to be more successful when they are identified and addressed quickly. Especially if we observe unwanted behaviors before 3 months of life, it is highly recommended to see a specialist so that they can guide us and work with the dog to prevent them from becoming chronic and continue to do them even when they are adults.

Why does my adult dog bark at night?

After the puppy stage, the adult dog should rest normally during the night unless some environmental element or behavior problem interferes with its rest. Some of them are as follows:

Pain and illness : If your dog is injured or sick, he may bark and whine to let you know he is suffering from this discomfort. Don't forget that some diseases are not obvious to the naked eye, such as some hormonal or neurological problems.
Company : The dog usually barks for company if we suddenly decide to move his bed outside. This can also happen if we deny access to the bedroom.
Boredom : A bored dog is capable of many things. If you don't provide the necessary incentives for exercise and distraction during the day, it is very likely that your dog will become bored by night. With energy, she will bark at night as another way to entertain herself.
Warning : Dogs are protective animals, territorial in nature, so it is very likely that they will bark as a warning if they sense that there is danger or that someone is approaching the house. They may be real (for example, the presence of an intruder near the house) or not (the dog interprets unfamiliar noises as a reason to be wary).
Basic Needs : A hungry, thirsty, cold or hot dog will attract your attention by barking at night so that you satisfy its basic needs immediately. Before bed, be sure to make sure your furry friend has everything he needs to feel comfortable and have a restful night.
Anxiety and stress : A dog showing signs of stress is susceptible to behavioral problems, such as incessant barking at night.
Sexual Behavior : If a female dog is leaking nearby, your male dog may stay up all night, barking, and fussing over the smell while trying to go outside.

Reasons why a dog vocalizes:

• Temperament. The “talkativeness” of a four-legged animal often depends on its breed. For example, Basenjis, Mastiffs, Salukis and Akita Inus are not very “verbal”, but Border Collies, Bloodhounds and Shepherds bark quite often.

• Emotional excitement. Joy, delight, fear, fright, panic - any strong feelings, both positive and negative, make your pet bark.

• Lack of attention. The dog may invite you to play or call you for a walk.

• Loneliness. A dog that sits at home all day often “entertains” itself, and at the same time its neighbors, by barking.

• Friendly greeting. By barking joyfully, the animal expresses its respect. Moreover, the dog can “say hello” in this way both to the owner and to other dogs.

• Protection and protection of the territory and the owner. A dog can react excitedly to both real and non-existent danger, such as someone just walking past your door.

• Lack of movement and physical activity. If the dog is active by nature, but is not exercised enough and not walked enough, it means that he will definitely bark loudly in order to expend excess energy.

• The desire to show “who’s boss.” With the help of barking, the dog tries to manipulate its owners and take a leading position in the family.

What can you do to stop your dog from barking at night?

To help your dog stop barking at night so everyone can get some rest, you need to know the cause of the problem as well as the trigger that causes the behavior. Here we will explain what to do if your dog barks at night:

Go to the Veterinarian : Before we start “working” on this problem, we need to make sure that the barking is not caused by a health problem. Contact your trusted veterinarian for a complete exam to ensure your dog is healthy.
Ensure emotional well-being : Another important aspect is ensuring the emotional well-being of our dog. Remember to offer good food, soft bedding, care, or fresh water throughout the day. Additionally, you should avoid punishment completely and also allow her to express herself naturally.
Don't go out when she barks : If your dog is the type that barks to get attention, you should learn to ignore her. This behavior is usually more difficult to deal with if it occurs over a long period of time, but if we are consistent, it can be achieved.
Work on training your dog : To ensure that his mind is active and absorbs everything you want to teach him, you should do mental stimulation exercises or practice basic commands with him.
Provide physical activity : We need to stimulate the dog's mind, but also his muscles. Offer her a variety of walks, take her to the mountains or play sports with her.
Avoid noises at night : Noises are probably the most common trigger for these types of behavioral problems. It is advisable to place the dog's bed in a quiet place in the house, away from doors and windows facing the street, so that nothing can disturb it.
Call a professional : When the situation gets out of control and the dog barks every night, keeping everyone awake, it's time to call a specialist, such as a dog educator, trainer or ethologist. Do not use behavior modification techniques unless you are trained to do so, as this may make the situation worse.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to avoid barking at night as each case is unique, so if the advice we suggested above doesn't work for you, it's best to consult a behavior modification specialist.

Author of the article : Zoraida Coelho . Journalist specializing in wildlife. Has a Bachelor of Arts degree. I have always loved animals and adored cats. Woofy.dog is my opportunity to write about animals and help other people understand what's going on with their furry friends.

When a dog barks at home (in an apartment) and outside the window

In general, a dog’s barking is a way of communicating with its owner, thanks to which it conveys mood, emotions, or wants to convey some idea. Therefore, be attentive to your pet, as its behavior indicates something extremely important.

If a dog barks at something invisible, then you should expect the manifestation of evil spirits in the house. To prevent this, go around your home with a church candle and say: “Dog barking is not for an empty reason. The one she sees will not offend us; if he stands still, he will not show himself, and will not dare to disturb us. Evil spirits won’t settle here—we don’t have to worry.”

A dog barking at the door is a harbinger of the arrival of guests in your home. And if the pet yaps sadly, then he has a presentiment that a bad person will be on the doorstep of the house. If such a guest comes to you, the dog will greet him with an unfriendly loud bark. She may even try to bite a stranger. Such a gesture should make you be careful with the guest - he may have insidious plans for you.

It's not just your pet that can predict something significant. If you heard a dog choir on the street, this portends a joyful holiday. However, if dogs gathered near the house and started barking, whining and howling, then this is not good. This is how dogs notify about the activity of dark forces nearby.

If a dog barks towards your window, then this sign speaks of illnesses and failures that may overtake you.