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Dogs often bark because they\u2019re bored and it\u2019s a fun thing to do. If this is starting to tick you off, you can get loads of training and brain-stretching done to prevent it with the Zigzag app. In it, you\u2019ll have a personalized training program for your puppy, and an absurdly amazing team of professional dog training experts to help you around the clock, 24\/7. Just reach out to them via our in-app chat and they\u2019ll do their best to problem-solve; whether your dog is barking, or you\u2019re struggling with potty training, they\u2019ve got the answers for you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why do dogs bark? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Barking is a natural instinct for a dog. It\u2019s their way of communicating, whether it\u2019s with each other or with us. Just like with humans, they are usually trying to convey fear, protecting their territory, boredom, seeking attention, overarousal or excitement, or simply because it\u2019s fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fear and anxiety <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Whether your dog is howling<\/a>, barking or doing low-level woofing, barking when they\u2019re scared is a common thing for them to do. Barking can be a dog\u2019s way of making the scary thing go away, or it can have a self-soothing effect as it can make them feel better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Barking can be amusing for dogs. Especially when they\u2019re bored, barking feels great, just try it yourself. That said, if your dog chews<\/a> a lot, destroys things, or generally does \u2018bad\u2019 behavior, this is usually a normal sign that they need more and better mental stimulation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n When dogs get excited and over-aroused, barking will be the best thing they can do to release and express their joy, oh and you might see humping<\/a> too! It probably won\u2019t sound like confetti and trumpets to you, but there\u2019s nothing like knowing your dog is happy. You might even let this kind of barking slide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, we <\/em>know the mailman isn\u2019t coming in to murder us, but our dogs might think the opposite. If you have a dog who barks at visitors<\/a> or your lovely delivery people, it\u2019s actually pretty common – it\u2019s typical dog behavior that warns us about the potential danger lurking outside!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although it might seem like your dog is barking for no reason, they probably aren\u2019t. Dogs do what works for them and what they find rewarding, so they may hear, see or smell things we don’t, not realizing they\u2019re barking at it in the first place.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dogs can hear things that we can\u2019t due to their more sensitive hearing. Back in the day, they needed this skill to hunt effectively and keep themselves safe from potential predators. Don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s not like they\u2019re \u201chearing voices\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dogs have better vision in low light, as they would have hunted at dusk and dawn when they lived in the wild. When they bark at something at night<\/a> in the yard that\u2019s \u2018not there\u2019 to us, rest assured they can probably see something that we can\u2019t. Probably better if we don\u2019t see it; we\u2019d shriek louder than they can bark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s much to learn about dog eye anatomy<\/a>, so if you\u2019ve got some time to read our article on it, please do. It\u2019s a good one to learn about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With their incredible sense of smell, dogs will often smell things before they see or hear them, and this can cause them to bark when you feel like there\u2019s nothing there. If you fart and they bark, you know you\u2019ve been caught. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have a stinky dog you\u2019ll want to read our guide to why does my dog smell so much<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might hear your dog barking or woofing in their sleep. Dogs have similar sleep cycles as we do, and the barking occurs in REM sleep when there is a lot of brain activity. If you\u2019re wondering if they\u2019re dreaming of fields of green and raining treats, chances are they are. If you have a senior dog who seems to be barking at nothing, then it can be an idea to get them checked out for CCD or doggy dementia by your Vet. Yep, it\u2019s a bit sad that dogs also get dementia, but barking at nothing can be a symptom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To stop your dog from barking at nothing<\/a>, you can train them to minimize the behavior. Typically, this will mean checking for health problems, managing the environment to block out or muffle external noises, redirecting them onto something else, and teaching them a quiet cue. You\u2019ll love the quiet cue, we can tell already.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your dog is trying to tell you or communicate something when they\u2019re barking, so it\u2019s very wise to not ignore it. Actually, just don’t ignore it at all. Look at why the barking is happening; what is your dog trying to say? <\/p>\n\n\n\n A senior dog may bark due to canine cognitive dysfunction, whereas a younger dog may be in pain. It\u2019s always worth getting a vet check<\/a> to rule out anything medical being the reason your dog is barking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your puppy is barking at night,<\/a> playing a white noise machine<\/a> or classical music can help to block or muffle outside noises that they might be reacting to. Humans love white noise too, just notice the sheer amount of playlists on Spotify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Teaching your dog to be quiet on cue is a great way to deal with your dog barking at nothing right there and then. With positive reinforcement training<\/a>, we can train our dogs to stop barking when we ask them to, kind of like a magic spell. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your dog has specific needs which, when they\u2019re not met, can cause an increase in barking at nothing. Same as us to be honest, we tend to scream and complain when we don’t have what we need. At least I do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Check off this list to be sure your dog’s needs are being met to reduce their barking at nothing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Feed them the right amount<\/a> of a balanced diet<\/a>. Whether you feed a commercial wet or dry food, a raw or BARF diet<\/a> or you go all out and cook for your dog<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s tempting to look for a quick fix to get your dog to stop barking at nothing. It’s sad to see our great human brains being used for things like shock collars, or simply telling them off – these actually make the barking worse… or cause a slew of other issues! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bark collars generally work by setting off compressed air or citronella scent when they detect a dog barking. The idea is to startle the dog or spray something unpleasant at them in order to interrupt the barking. This method of training is aversive and can have long-lasting negative effects on your dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The other problem with bark collars is they go off when other dogs bark too. That isn\u2019t very fair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n E-Collars or Shock Collars can work manually with a person pressing a button on a remote, or automatically when the dog barks. The collar delivers an electric current to the dog which hurts quite terribly. Even we hate the static from a shopping cart\u2026imagine getting it on your neck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shouting at your dog when they\u2019re barking at nothing has a few problems associated with it as well. Firstly, it can scare your dog. They\u2019re just being a dog at the end of the day, and don\u2019t understand why you\u2019re so cross with them. Secondly, shouting can make them think there\u2019s DEFINITELY something to be worried about as you\u2019re shouting too! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Okay. So now that you\u2019ve listened to everything we\u2019ve got to say, if you have a dog who seems to be barking at nothing, understand that they’re probably barking at something; it just can\u2019t tell you exactly what it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To reduce your dog\u2019s barking, make sure all their exercise<\/a> and nutritional needs<\/a> are met and that they\u2019re not bored and just barking at nothing for fun. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBoredom<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Excitement <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
To sound the alarm <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"dog](\"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/nothing-1.png\")
Why do dogs bark at nothing? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
They can hear high-pitched noises <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
To learn more about how dogs were domesticated<\/a>, read our article. It\u2019s quite a nice read, actually.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThey can see better in low light <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
They can smell things much better than we can <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Barking in their sleep <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Our full guide on how much puppies sleep<\/a> will tell you more about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCanine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD) or Doggy Dementia <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"dogs](\"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/nothing-3.png\")
How do I stop my dog from barking at nothing? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Acknowledge the behavior <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Rule out any medical issues <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Play them white noise in the evenings <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Train them the “be quiet” cue<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In the Zigzag training app<\/a>, we have a full breakdown of how to teach your dog to be quiet on cue\u2026all secrets included.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMake sure your dog’s needs are met <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Dog](\"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/nothing-4.png\")
What not to do when trying to stop them from barking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Bark collars <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Shock collars <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The bottom line is that using punishment-based techniques is never a good idea. They can emotionally damage your dog and create negative associations between them barking and the thing they were barking at. For example, if they see a dog and bark and get shocked, they will now fear the dog more and can become aggressive<\/a> as they associate the dog with pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\nShouting <\/h3>\n\n\n\n