The Barking Dog

I read an amazing book! It is a great easy read! Usually it takes me forever to get through a book but this one only took 1 hrs to read. If you have ever questioned why your dog barks all the time or at certain things, this is the book for you. It's called Barking - The Sound of a Language by Turid Rugass.

Turid Rugaas seems to be an amazing behaviourist, I am now disappointed that I did not jump on the chance to see her speak in Calgary last August.

Here I have briefly laid out the book for you, but please go buy it if you want to learn more than what I show you!

The Barking Dog

A barking dog is divided into six major classifications.

1. Excitement Barking

2. Warning Barking

3. Fear Barking

4. Guard Barking

5. Frustration Barking

I've left the 6th one out so you have to buy the book! HA!



Excitement Barking:

Excitement barking expresses emotions ranging from happiness to the excited expectation of something good about to happen.

How It Sounds- It is a high frequency sound, and it can sound a little hysterical. Barking is more or less constant with winning in between barking.

Activity Involved- Because of the excitement level the dog will probably exhibit a higher stress level than usual. The dog will be moving more because his muscles are full of adrenalin, it’s impossible for him to keep still. Wagging of his tail and in some cases everything at once. Some dogs will go and pick something up in their mouth as well.

What Can We Do:

1. Be calm yourself. Your calmness will influence the dog.

2. Have some objects available and let the dog carry one of them. It’s difficult to bark when there is something in your mouth.

3. Ask the dog to fetch something, and then let the dog search and find it for you. Of course this will mean you have to teach him how to fetch you something.

4. If the dog is only a little agitated have him sit and stay just a few seconds before going and answering the door. Always use a hand signal as dogs will more likely be able to take cue on that when they are overly excited. Always be between the door and the dog.

Always reward the dog for silence. You want to make sure the dog does not associate the reward with barking so timing is key. example… Bark… Sit… Reward.



The Warning Bark

The warning bark is a vocal expression you will not hear as often as other types of barking. They will bark when they perceive others need some sort of warning.


How It Sounds: One short, sharp “Woof”, meaning “get away, the enemy is coming”.

Activity Involved: Flight from the threat is common; one pack member will stay back and take the responsibility to defend the rest. With human families the dog tend to learn that barking a lot is more useful as only one bark usually doesn’t get the attention of others.

What Can We Do: Since the dog might think his job is to warn the pack about danger and since this is a natural thing for a dog to do, we humans should react in some way to show we understand what the dog is expressing. It is important to communicate to the dog that you get the message, and that you will now take over responsibility for dealing with the threat.

1. The simplest thing to do is calmly place yourself between the dog and what appears to be the threat. This is one of the simplest and most efficient techniques to sue to inform the dog you heard him and are in charge.

2. Get up calmly without looking or talking to the dog.

3. Place yourself in front of the dog, between him and the sight or sound with your back to the dog. Hold your hands a little out from your body with the palm of your hands visible.

4. Stand still. Wait for the dog to be quiet or turns around and goes the other way.



Fear Barking:


Almost all dogs are afraid of certain things. When an individual feels fear the stress level goes up, this also happens with dogs.

How It Sounds: This bark will be high pitched, and come in long series of barks. Similar to excitement barking, but you will clearly hear the fear in the dog’s voice. This is a long series of hysterical barking which may end in a howl.

Activity Involved: Because of the high stress level involved the dog will be active, muscles full of adrenaline. The dog will be restless, running back and forth, looking out windows, scratching on doors, trying to get out.

Dogs can be fearful of many things or everything. Dogs are not born fearful this is a learned behavior over time.

What We Can Do:

1. Avoid whatever is making the dog afraid enough to start barking, especially during the times you are training him to stop being fearful.

2. Be careful not to show any reaction yourself. Do not talk to him, soothe him or pet him. Just act as though nothing happened, and the dog will be more likely to forget about it.

3. Do not pull or force the dog into a situation where he doesn’t feel safe. Wait, keep a loose leash, and let the dog decide when he feels safe.

4. Go between the dog and the scary thing, acting as a barrier.

5. Avoid an oncoming threat by curving away from it or changing directions.

6. Counter-conditioning can be very effective method.



Guard Barking


This kind of barking is probably the most misunderstood of all. It is usually accompanied by growling sounds, which people view as being aggressive. Guard barking occurs when a dog feels as though he needs to defend himself or something.

How It Sounds: If the dog is guard/defensive barking, there will usually be some growling in it, like: Grrrrr…. Bark, Bark…. Grrrrr. The guard barking sound will generally be shorter and deeper than fear barking.

Activity Involved: The dog will move forward, lunging towards the object he is defending himself against. He may try to scare something away by:

• Showing teeth

• Growling

• Lunging forward

• Snapping

• Barking

• And eventually biting

What We Can Do: It depends entirely on what the circumstances are that result in guard barking and what the dog is guarding or defending:

1. Avoid letting the dog get into a situation where he feels he has to defend himself.

2. Be quicker to pick up the signals that the dog gives off as he begins to feel defensive. Learn to recognize them before they escalate into stronger emotions.

3. Early in the situation before the dog finds it necessary to get defensive, you can show you are taking responsibility for things by going in between the dog and the object.

4. Walk the dog in a curving pattern past the approaching people or dogs since being approached directly and straight on is threatening for dogs. Even just a slight change in direction is good enough.

Training Techniques:

1. Parallel Walking: If the dog has a problem with other dogs, etc, start with parallel walking. This means setting up a situation in which you walk with your dog on a leash parallel to whatever he fears. With enough distance between the two of you to ensure the dog does not engage in a guard barking response. The distance will vary from dog to dog. Walk slowly in a relaxed fashion. Praise for good behavior.

2. Walking in a Curve: Make the dog follow you in a curve past the approaching dogs. The size of the curve depends on the dogs reaction. Slowly decreasing your curve.

3. Counter conditioning: Place the dog well away from an object that he has had a negative reaction to in the past. If he reacts to this situation calmly, you should praise and reward him. Providing the dog with a positive association to something he has reacted to negatively in the past will begin to change his attitude.



Frustration Barking:

This is the kind of barking that is heartbreaking to listen to. You can hear the desperation and frustration in the dog. Long term stress is always at the bottom of it. Being tied up, in a kennel too long, ignored, hunger, loneliness are a few examples.

How It Sounds: Endless rows of static barking, the same tone over and over and over.

Activity Involved: Typically a behavior that is repeated over and over and over. It causes certain hormones to be release which make the dog feel a little better and makes him better able to endure a terrible or hopeless situation.

What We Can Do: Frustration barking is painful to listen to. It means a dog is in real trouble.

1. Remove the dog from the situation that is causing frustration. Take him inside, be together with him.

2. Give him something to do- usually it doesn’t need to be much. Go for a walk now and then, Have him search for some treats in the yard.

The most important thing is for the dog to be part of the family. Do not leave your dog alone for long periods of time.

Frustration barking is the kind of barking that will start to occur when a dog becomes so desperate and frustrated over a long period of time that he starts adopting behaviors that will help him cope with the situation. Barking is one of these behaviors. If you cannot give your dog the time he needs than maybe you should think twice about having a dog.