A dog barking is completely normal and natural, since dogs use their bark to communicate. However, it can be confusing for pet parents when we don’t know what they are trying to tell us! Everyone knows that dogs often bark at people walking past the house, at the postman, at strange noises… but why is my dog barking at me?
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Why does my dog keep barking at me for no reason?
Well, firstly, there will be a reason! You just need to figure out what it is. Reasons your dog may be barking at you include:
- They may be trying to tell you something, for example that their ball is under the sofa
- To alert you that they are in pain or are feeling rotten
- They are hungry, or they are letting you know that you are late feeding them
- They need to go out to toilet
- There is someone at the door
- They want your attention, or to play
- They would like a walk, especially if you usually go at a certain time and are late doing so.
Of course, this list is not exhaustive! Your dog is talking to you, so to decipher what they are trying to say you’ll need to pay attention to their body language, the time of day they bark at you and who is around.
How do I know why my dog is barking at me?
Sometimes it will be obvious why your dog is barking at you. For example, if your dog starts barking at you and sniffing around the sofa, they are probably trying to tell you that their toy is stuck underneath! Other times you may need a bit of detective work.
Look at the time. Are you late with a meal or a walk? A dog’s internal body clock is pretty accurate, so they know when dinner time is!
People often wonder why their dog is barking at their partner, for example, but not them. This can happen if your dog is over attached to you, and they may be ‘resource guarding’ (with you being the resource!). This is often the case with dogs who suffer from separation anxiety.
If your dog stops once you turn your attention to them, they may have learnt that this is a great way to initiate a game!
If your dog suddenly and frequently starts barking at you, then it’s a good idea to have them checked over by a vet. Especially if this is out of character for them, as they may be trying to let you know that something is wrong.
If you can’t figure out why your dog is barking, it can be hard to stop the behaviour. Below are some things you can try, but failing that you can ask your vet to refer you to a clinical animal behaviourist, who can help you get to the bottom of the problem.
How can I stop my dog from barking at me?
This can be tricky, unless you’ve worked out why they are barking at you. Some things you can try include:
- Try to keep to a routine. Dogs know when it’s meal-time, play-time or walk-time and can become unsettled if you are off schedule. Sticking to a routine will avoid them needing to bark at you when you are late!
- Prevent boredom by providing plenty of toys and puzzle games.
- Try letting them out to toilet. Sometimes dogs need to go out more often as they get older, so you may not have considered this. (If they are needing to go more frequently than usual then book a check-up with your vet, to rule out medical reasons).
- If they are attention seeking, it’s important not to reward this behaviour. Ignore them until they are calm and then offer them attention and a treat. You can try a command such as ‘sit’ or ‘in your bed’ to help redirect their energy.
- Take them to the vet for a check-up if the behaviour is out of character. They will check for any pain or illnesses, and can assess their hearing.
If these don’t work, you may need help from the professionals.
The take home message?
If your dog is barking at you, they will be trying to tell you something! Never get angry or punish your dog for barking, as this may teach them to suppress their feelings, which can then escalate to aggression. You need to find out why they are barking and then you can address the issue. If you aren’t able to determine why they are barking at you, or the barking is out of character, then you should take them to your vet. After ruling out medical causes, they will be able to refer you to a clinical behaviourist.
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