If you ask any dog owner if they can understand their dog, most will readily tell you, “of course I can!” Distinguishing an “I have to potty” whimper from a “let’s go play” bark is key to owning a dog; they can’t speak after all. But what about those times your dog barks at seemingly nothing? Well, here’s why!
1. Frustrated
Your dog may be frustrated. This may be because they are having trouble retrieving something they want like a treat or a toy. It may also be a form of territorial barking. A dog’s space is their space. If they feel they are being threatened by some other animal, person, or thing, they may bark up a storm. What seems like nothing to you, may actually have a purpose.
2. Social
Does your dog bark from the window as other dogs walk past? This may be your dog giving a loud “hello” to fellow furry friends. It could also be territorial, as we stated before, though dogs are incredibly social. Barking isn’t always negative and may just be their way of saying “hi.”
3. Sounds you can't hear
Imagine this: You’re sitting in your house, everything is silent. Then, out of nowhere, your dog starts howling and barking. Nothing happened, but your dog is going crazy! Chances are, your dog is hearing something your ears just can’t pick up. Dogs hear a much wider range of noises than we do, which is why they tend to be upset by very loud noises. So, your dog barking at “nothing” could just be something you can’t hear.
4. Attention
Dogs are incredibly active creatures. If they’ve spent a lot of time by themselves, laying around the house, they may be searching for attention. Barking is a way that they know to get your attention and potentially get you to play with them. If your dog has been static for a while, boredom and attention-seeking could be the cause of the barking.
5. Stress
Stress could be the cause of your dog’s excessive barking. Events like the 4th of July and New Years when fireworks are blasted off for a week straight can be extremely stressful for pets. The heightened anxiety that dogs feel causes them to exhibit different behaviors. Excessive barking is one of those behaviors. Natural calming products like the PupGrade Health and Mood Enhancer is a great tool for promoting calm behaviors.
Does your dog bark at “nothing”? Have you found any tricks that helped? Let us know!
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