10 Ways to Curb Your Dog's Excessive Barking

Our canine buddies believe they have crucial jobs to do. One of their primary responsibilities is keeping an eye (and ear) on things and issuing warnings to their pack, which includes their humans when anything seems out of place.

Heads up, I see something, is essentially what they're saying. It can be reassuring to know your dog will alert you to a stranger approaching your house, but this warning behavior can get out of hand and become a nuisance.

Once your dog has figured out, you'll give them attention when they bark; they'll keep doing it.

Some pups get out of hand with the bossiness, demanding treats, petting, toys, you name it. Lots of pet guardians end up trained by their pets to respond to their vocal commands. The way to stop it is to teach your demanding doggo more pleasant ways to request your services.

Just like us, dogs need mental stimulation. A bored pooch sometimes barks repetitively, kind of like a child whining, mom, I'm bored!

Expect this type of vocalizing when a pooch is alone at home, and it has the potential to go on for hours, resulting in both cranky neighbors and a hoarse canine.

Have people stopped dropping by your place because your fur baby acts like a raving maniac when they walk in the door? It can be frightening to visitors, particularly children, when a big dog barks like crazy — snarling, spit flying, and teeth showing.

A dog that's afraid might seek comfort on a couch or other favorite spot in the middle of their barking fit, and they tend to back away from people, not charge toward them.

If you're getting complaints from neighbors that your ordinarily well-behaved dog is barking nonstop while you're at work, separation anxiety could be to blame.

If possible, set up a pet cam to see what your doggo gets up to while you're gone. You might uncover a simple explanation, like woof-inducing squirrels outside a window.

If it seems your dog starts whining and howling the moment you leave, talk to a vet about solutions for anxiety. Behavioral modification and medication can help calm your anxious pup.

Some dogs bark for perfectly ordinary and acceptable reasons — the doorbell rings, you pick up their leash, a strange dog passes their yard — but the volume and duration of their barking are totally out of the norm; it seems that your pupper is being a total drama queen.

Actually, they might have a buildup of emotions that they're releasing through vocalizations instead of in a quieter way.

When your dog gets up in years, you might observe them barking apropos of nothing, what some term "wandering barking," which is a potential symptom of cognitive decline.

If you think your senior pet might be dealing with doggy dementia, consult a vet to rule out other medical causes and inform you about potential treatment options.

Not only do some dogs bark at everything, they'll also bark at nothing — or so it seems. Assuming your pet doesn't have an underlying medical issue that's prompting all the commotion, they could be responding to sounds you can't hear and sights you can't see.

Little Gizmo's ears pick up high-pitched sounds we don't hear, and they also see better in the dark than humans. It might seem like a dog is kicking up a fuss about a ghost in the house, but the odds are they're alerting you to something in the physical realm.

If barking at everything is a new behavior for your best buddy, schedule a consultation with a vet to probe further.

In addition to doggie dementia, increased bouts of vocalizing can be due to various medical issues, like deafness, blindness, high blood pressure, a brain tumor, or pain. Once you find out what's going on with Bowser, you can take steps to address the root cause.

If your dog's barking has gone beyond communication and into the realm of crazy-making, the first step to reduce it is to identify the cause.

If you have no clue why your pooch is freaking out, keep a journal of times and situations that trigger the episodes. Once you've pinpointed a trigger, use positive reinforcement to swap the bark response with another behavior, and make sure your doggo gets lots of exercise to burn off energy and reduce anxiety.

You can also help stave off boredom with food puzzles and visits to doggie daycare for a more peaceful pet.