Why Does My Dog Bark At Everything?

Dog barking used to be a feature, not a bug. When humans existed in agrarian societies (and you didn't have a Ring doorbell camera), dog barking was one of the most reliable security systems out there.

In fact, it still works. It's been demonstrated that thieves preferentially break into houses without any dogs barking - the security existing in the risk assessment of the person doing the crime prior to ever targeting your home.

But, as an increasing number of measures have developed to replace that action, barking has become superfluous. It also frequently becomes pathological.

So WHY is your dog barking at air?

Let us return to our core concepts of training - all experiences train dogs, and all behaviors had - at one time - a practical reason that worked for the dog.

So, if your dog barked daily at the mail man coming to drop mail in the slot, and the mail man left afterwards, in your dog's perception it means that their bark, in a very predictable manner, drove the mail man away. He was shady anyways.

If your dog barks and strange dogs and people, oftentimes you the handler will tense up and put distance between you and your dog and the percieved threat - reducing the immediate threat to your dog. Ding! Functional.

Oftentimes, dogs bark to be let inside. Or outside. Or to be told harmlessly to "hush" which in their perception isn't a correction, just the attention they crave.

So, how to stop the dynamic?

First, identify why it is that your dog is barking. Then, do the opposite of what they want. If they want to drive a stranger away, invite a friend over who only leaves when the dog stops barking. If you want them to stop barking to drive strangers away while walking, work your heeling right where they start to get fixated, ask the stranger to stay in one spot, and only have them leave when the dog focuses on working with you. If they bark to be let outside, only get up to let them out when they aren't barking.

Problem barking is a timing issue. When you start to give the dog what they want only when they are quiet, they will begin to be quiet to get what they want.

It can be a slow process to shape away from barking - some dogs are very barky (here's looking at you, shelties!)

So, unfortunately if you need them to stop barking today, right now, or you're getting kicked out of your apartment complex, I suggest introducing a fair punisher - namely a high quality bark collar. These collars (I recommend Dogtra and Ecollar Technologies as my only favorites) automatically give your dog immediate negative feedback for barking, which is sometimes the only way you get a breath to step in and reward them for quiet.

They work very well. Start at the lowest level and step it up one level at a time until the dog figures out that they are uncomfortable when they bark - so they stop.

This, paired with good timing on giving the dog what they want when they are quiet, will solve your problem barking astonishingly quickly.