Here are some reasons why dogs bark at you or me:
- Wants you to pet him
- You might remind him of someone
- He may be wondering about a big hat you’re wearing or an unfamiliar-looking large object you’re carrying.
- You may have a scent on you that he’s curious about (cologne or food)
- You’re staring at him
- You are ill (they sense it)
- He’s hoping you’ll come over and give him a treat
- Guarding his food or toy against you
- You didn’t say hello properly
- He’s protecting his human
- He had a bad experience with a human
- He doesn’t know anyone that looks like you
- He doesn’t like your body language
- Jealous that you’re distracting his owner from him
- He’s elderly and confused
Let’s take a look at the different reasons why pooches bark.
They Want You To Pet Them
This is a positive reason. He just wants to say hello. If you know the dog or ask his human, you can say hi. You obviously love dogs, or you wouldn’t be reading Doggiez.
You Remind Them of Somebody
If you remind her of someone she likes, or someone she doesn’t like, she comments by saying, “come here” or “go away.” If she’s wiggling her butt and wagging her tail, she might be signalling you to approach.
Wearing a Big Hat or Carrying an Unidentifiable Object
Dogs notice if something is new or different. They want to be sure everything is okay. Anything odd grabs their attention immediately. Their concerned response can be barking.
They Detect a Scent
Their highly sensitive noses can smell good, bad or interesting from far away, and they want to know if it’s edible or if they should avoid it because it’s unpleasant.
You’re Staring at Them
Staring is aggression in the animal world. You may just be admiring her, but she wants you to know she doesn’t want you to threaten her.
They Sense You Are Ill
You’ve probably heard about cancer- and COVID-sniffing canines. They also sense seizures, diabetes, narcolepsy, migraines and anxiety. That’s why so many dogs are gainfully employed as therapy pets.
They’re Hoping You Have a Treat in Your Pocket
Doggos know that sometimes people have a treat to offer them. Their human, the banker at the drive-thru window, the mail carrier and so on. Some pups are accustomed to being given treats and figure it’s worth barking at you to find out if you brought something tasty.
Guarding Their Bone or Toy
Some dogs are especially protective of their possessions and suspect that anyone passing by is interested in stealing their bone or toy. She wants you to know she’s not letting you take it.
You Didn’t Exchange Proper Greetings
When a canine meets a new person, she prefers to be approached in a non-threatening way so she can give you a sniff and determine if she trusts you. If you don’t have a proper meeting, she may be wary of you.
Protecting Their Human
Certain breeds are very protective of their humans. Of course, any dog can be protective, but the ones who are bred to be protective are:
- Akita
- American BullDog
- Boucheron
- Belgian Malinois
- Boxer
- Bullmastiff
- Cane Corso
- Doberman Pinscher
- German Shepherd
- Giant Schnauzer
- Great Dane
- Great Pyrenees
- Komondor
- Rhodesian Ridgeback
- Rottweiler
They Had A Bad Experience With A Human
Most dogs who were traumatized by a human will bark at people to let them know that they shouldn’t come near them.
You Don’t Look Like Anybody They Know
If a pup has never met a person of your gender, age, size (especially a child), et cetera, she may bark just because you are completely unfamiliar.
Suspicious Body Language
Canines respond instinctively when they don’t trust someone. If you approach her too quickly, get in her personal space when she just met you, or you come across as threatening, she may bark at you.
You’re Diverting Attention Away From Them
A fur baby may be sensitive to someone stealing her human’s attention away from her. Naturally, she will comment on that offence.
Elderly Dogs Bark Because They May Be Confused
Like us, as our fur babies age, they suffer from declining senses and sometimes dementia. If a pup who didn’t bark much begins barking a great deal as he ages, he may be confused.
Read Her Body Language
A dog’s body language should reveal if she’s ready to attack or just saying hello and asking if you happen to have a treat on you. If her body is loose and her tail is wagging, she probably wants you to say hi. High-pitched barking is more welcoming than low-growling sounds.
If her body is stiff and she’s drooling or growling, she’s warning you not to come closer.
How To Train A Dog Not To Bark Constantly
Canines bark to communicate, so they should be allowed to bark when they need to tell us something. However, you can train your dog to be confident and calm–which should mean less barking.
Socializing your pooch with other people and dogs and exposing them to a variety of settings helps them feel secure and not threatened.
Training exercises require small pieces of the most delicious/motivating treats, like liver. You might want to begin training games in your home and perform them outside once Fido masters them without distractions.
The American Kennel Association suggests several simple training games. One is just saying his name and rewarding him with a treat. You would repeat the exercise a bunch of times a couple of times per week. Another game is “watch me,” in which he receives a treat when he responds by looking at you after you say “watch me.”
An exercise to encourage your pooch to walk with you is walking without calling him and rewarding him for catching up to you and following you. The last exercise is for longer walks. You reward your dog when he walks right next to you. If he strays from your side, don’t say anything. Just give him a treat when he heels so he’ll respond to the positive conditioning.
Here’s a video showing how to teach other simple tricks to your pup:
Conclusion
A dog will bark at humans for many reasons: for attention, you remind him of someone, you’re carrying/wearing something he’s never seen, your scent, you’re staring at him, he senses you’re ill, asking for a treat, guarding possessions, improper introduction, protecting his human, a person hurt him, he’s never seen anyone like you before, your body language is threatening, jealous that his person is paying attention to you (not him) or he’s suffering from dementia.
Well-socialized canines are confident and may not bark as much as those who haven’t been exposed to different types of people, dogs, settings and situations.
