Why does your dog bark?

The Different Types of Barking in Dogs

Barking is normal canine behaviour and a form of communication. Some dog breeds are naturally more vocal than others, particularly those bred for guarding, herding, or hunting. There are several types of barking, each with a different motivation and purpose. Pay close attention to the sound of your dog’s bark to understand what they are trying to communicate. Listen for the pitch, the number of barks, and the duration. Your dog’s body language can also offer valuable clues.

When barking becomes excessive, it may develop into abnormal behaviour. For each type of bark, we provide tips to help prevent it from escalating into unwanted behaviour.

Here are six common types of barking in dogs:

The Excited Bark

This type of bark is triggered when your dog is happy or excited—such as when you come home, the doorbell rings, visitors arrive, or you grab the lead for a walk. The bark is higher-pitched than usual and occurs in quick bursts, sometimes mixed with whining. Your dog may also run in circles or jump up around you.

The Play Bark

Dogs may bark during play, whether with another dog or with their owner. This is typically a short series of sharp barks. The dog often adopts a play bow and wags their tail enthusiastically. They may also make sudden movements to encourage the other to join in.

The Defensive Bark

When a dog barks defensively, they are feeling threatened—often by a person or another animal. This bark is usually deep and sharp, and may be accompanied by growling. The dog may have already shown signs of fear before resorting to this type of bark. Their posture is forward-facing, moving in the direction of the perceived threat. They might lunge or snap in an attempt to scare the threat away and avoid conflict. In this case, the dog is trying to protect themselves, their owner, territory, toys, or food.

Fear Bark

This type of bark indicates that your dog is feeling afraid. Think of dogs with separation anxiety or fear of fireworks. The bark is somewhat similar to the excited bark—high-pitched but slightly longer. You can often hear the fear in the bark itself. The dog’s posture is directed backwards, trying to move away from whatever is causing the fear. They often crouch and may show signs of stress. The dog may appear very restless, pacing or scratching at doors. If escape isn’t possible, the dog might resort to defensive behaviour.

In fearful or stressful situations, you can give your dog some extra support with products that help reduce their sensitivity to stress. Dr. Ann’s Stress Reduction is a complementary feed that supports dogs during stressful periods by helping them stay calm and relaxed. There are also diffusers that can be used during stressful situations. Adaptil Calm is a diffuser that helps soothe your dog using natural comforting pheromones—similar to those released by nursing bitches to reassure their puppies. Pet Remedy’s diffuser contains calming ingredients like valerian to naturally support your dog during times of anxiety and tension.

Stress or Frustration Bark

This type of bark stems from frustration or ongoing stress. The dog may feel lonely or bored—for example, when kept in a kennel or left home alone. It may also occur when the dog is expecting something but ends up disappointed. The bark is usually persistent and monotonous, with a tone that’s lower than normal. Sometimes it ends with a typical howl. The dog usually stands still but may also display stereotypical behaviours like digging, scratching, running in circles, or pacing.

Attention-Seeking Bark

In this case, your dog is looking for attention. For instance, when they want to play in the garden and bark or whine by the door to make it known. Or when you’re talking to other people and your dog wants attention, barking may be their way of demanding it. In some cases, this behaviour may have become learned—often unintentionally—because barking has resulted in attention from their owner. This is a typical bark: 3–4 barks in a row, followed by a pause, then another 3–4 barks. The dog will usually look at you expectantly and may pace or turn in circles impatiently.

Teaching Your Dog Not to Bark

Barking is part of being a dog. However, it can become unwanted behaviour. That’s why it’s helpful to know what you can do to help reduce excessive barking.

Barking When You Get Home

A little barking out of excitement should be accepted. Greet your dog briefly when you arrive home, but try not to match their excitement. Avoid speaking too much to your dog in an excited tone, as this will only encourage more barking. If your dog keeps barking, the best approach is to ignore it. You can gradually teach your dog to sit after the initial greeting. Wait until they stop barking, then reward them.

Barking at the Doorbell

If your dog barks in response to the doorbell, train them to go to a designated spot (such as their bed) and stay there. Ask visitors to ignore the dog at first. Barking at the doorbell or visitors is often unintentionally rewarded when people interact with the dog or speak to them upon entering.

Barking During Play

Barking during play is something that should be tolerated to some extent—it’s part of the fun. However, if your dog starts barking to initiate a game with you, this counts as attention-seeking (see further down in this article). In that case, it’s best to ignore it. You, as the owner, should decide when play begins and ends.

Food Aggression

If your dog barks when you approach their food, this is definitely unwanted behaviour. In the case of food guarding, it’s important to teach your dog that you’re allowed near their food bowl. For puppies, you can do this by hand-feeding them or holding the bowl yourself. With older dogs, try adding small amounts of food to their bowl as they eat. This helps them learn that you’re the one providing the food and builds a positive association.

Resource Guarding

When a dog shows possessiveness over toys and refuses to give them up, you can practise swapping the toy for a treat. Offer something tasty in exchange for the toy. Once they drop it, reward them and associate this with the command “drop it”. Over time, your dog will follow the command even without a treat.

Barking on the Lead

If your dog barks while on the lead, it’s important to give them more space to pass by another dog. In other words, try to remove the perceived threat. Also, try not to give too much attention. A common mistake is anticipating the barking and tightening the lead while saying “No Max, don’t start barking”. This gives the dog attention and signals that something is about to happen—making them more likely to bark. Some dogs may even bark at dogs on the other side of the street. This behaviour is often learned and (unintentionally) reinforced by the owner. It can be unlearned through training. Try distracting your dog with a treat as soon as you spot another dog in the distance.

Barking at Passers-by

A common issue is dogs barking at the postman or passers-by. This often starts as defensive barking but can become learned behaviour over time if it’s unintentionally rewarded with attention. For example, your dog barks at the window and you respond by saying “What is it?”. You’ve given attention in two ways—by approaching and speaking. Eventually, your dog starts barking every time someone walks by, even when you simply glance out the window. At this point, the behaviour has become ingrained.

Fear-Based Barking

Fear is a clear signal and should never be ignored. Your dog should absolutely not be punished in these situations. Remove your dog from the stressful trigger and offer reassurance by sitting with them and calmly stroking them. Comforting is okay—just make sure it doesn’t come across as rewarding the barking.

It’s important to identify the root cause of the fear and work on it through training, ideally with the help of a qualified behaviourist. For separation anxiety, teach your puppy from a young age to be alone for gradually longer periods, possibly using a crate. Make sure they learn that the crate is a safe and positive space through proper crate training. If a dog already has separation anxiety, it’s best to address it with professional guidance, which may take time. You may also support the process with supplements designed to help with canine anxiety.

Barking When Left Alone

If your dog barks when left alone or placed in a kennel, they’re clearly expressing stress. In such cases, try to limit the amount of time they spend alone or consider a doggy daycare where they can be around other dogs. Another way to prevent boredom is to provide distraction—such as a filled Kong toy with a treat inside. Test beforehand to ensure your dog won’t destroy it. In addition to distraction, calming diffusers may also help when your dog is home alone. These plug into the wall and release a soothing blend to reduce stress and promote relaxation. There are pheromone-based options, like Adaptil Calm, and herbal alternatives, such as the Pet Remedy Diffuser. Sometimes a long morning walk or a mentally stimulating game can help tire your dog out—making them more likely to rest while you’re away. In short: give your dog more stimulation or companionship to help reduce this behaviour.