Why is dog barking at nothing

This bark is loud and in your face. I am now mad and need to be heard! Allowing your dog to bark to demand your actions will only increase the barking behavior. It is harder but better to train them. Our expert ULPS training team can help. Some dogs bark as a way to soothe themselves. You may hear your pup bark a very high pitch sound which may be accompanied by whining. It may be accompanied by walking in circles or pacing. In this case, it is okay to comfort him. This is also the one that is likely to confuse us the most, and make us think our dogs are barking at nothing.

Your dog is probably hearing or smelling an animal walking around…but stay alert just in case. As soon as she is quiet, even momentarily, give her a treat. Your dog may be barking at a squirrel or bird out the window, or even a beam of light moving across the floor or walls of the room. Bored dogs often find their own way to do something important, and that might be alerting you to every little change in the environment.

Some dogs will even bark at a chair that has been moved a few inches from its usual position. Your dog may also be reacting to other dogs in the neighborhood that are barking. While some dogs are simply more sensitive and reactive than others, there are certainly things that you can do to help your little drama queen stop making a big deal out of everything. If you realize that your dog is focusing on an everyday or arbitrary stimulus and that this is why she is barking randomly, there is a good chance that your dog needs more mental stimulus.

Such dogs are also likely to benefit from plenty of physical exercise, since a tired dog is less likely to care whether the sun is moving across the wall or not. It is especially clear if she stops or intensifies barking when you look at her. If your dog is staring at your face while barking, however, the chances are extremely good that she wants your attention. If you pick up a toy or leash and your dog does a happy dance, you will know what she was asking for.

Your dog may also be telling you that she needs to go out or that dinner time is near. No matter what your dog is trying to say, it is important that you pay attention to her communication. Dogs are generally pretty willing to go with the flow, so if your dog is demanding something, chances are it is something that she really feels she needs.

You can teach your dog to wait until you are ready to give her what she needs, but be aware that if your dog is already asking and you make her wait longer, the likelihood that she will get into some trouble increases. Your bored dog might destroy something or develop bad habits without the attention she needs. Give your dog the mental and physical exercise that she needs in order to prevent the boredom and frustration that might lead to barking to get your attention, as well as behavioral problems.

If your dog needs more exercise than you can handle, especially in very hot or cold weather, you can consider getting her a treadmill to wear off excess energy without consuming too much of your time. Most dogs learn to love running on a treadmill and even ask for it with plenty of positive reinforcement. High drive dogs that demand a lot of your attention benefit from advanced obedience training, agility training, and other disciplines that exhaust their considerable mental and physical resources.

Increase the time your dog waits for the reward until you can ask her to wait for some time. Dogs have long been said to have senses that exceed our own in more ways than hearing and smell.

Perhaps your house really is haunted. Aside from calling a ghost detection company, there are things that you can do to train your dog not to bark at whatever she is barking at. Even if your dog still believes that she has reason to bark, she can learn to resist the urge for a tasty treat or favorite toy. You can teach your dog not to bark no matter what is causing the behavior.

I took my puppy from a dog foster home about a year ago. I love him to bits; he has a great personality, and I feel that he loves our family so much. Maybe you have some advice? Could be there are critters in your home, which are common this time of the year. Dogs can sense them, while we often don't. I don't see any face in the picture, where is it? So that dog is actually barking at something? I know that dogs have super-sensitive hearing powers, much much more sensitive to humans', that's why whenever they hear just a distant rustling from outside they bark and bark -- good for guarding your property, needless to say.

That's why when my dog hears loud sounds like booming sounds from a firecracker she runs aimlessly and howls pitifully. In the end she hides under a table or even inside my bathroom. For us humans it's just a normal volume but to a dog it's an aural torture.

That is so cute. I know a little dog that used to do stupid funny stuff but we never thought to put a curtain up. Thanks for the idea. I used to own a Chow that would bark incessantly at the TV when it was turned off. It took me a while to realize he was actually barking at his reflection. He was NOT a smart dog. We eventually had to resort to putting a curtain across the TV when not in use.

A very useful hub. My Dog will sometimes just seemingly bark at nothing, but as you say there our hearing is poor compared to a dog's. So its something worth bearing in mind. Thanks and Voted up etc. My pooch is forever barking. He is either hungry, wants to play, sees someone walking by, sees another dog, or wants loose because he smells a female dog in heat? Just because there aren't any female dogs in the vicinity does not mean that he cannot smell her pheromones.

A male dog can scent a female in heat within a 5 mile radius. Drake gets all jittery and bouncy when there is one around.

Yes, that's a possibility as well. I've even noticed them barking when they hear noises especially fireworks. We may not be able to hear the ones at a distance but they can. Also dogs have better vision then us. They can see things at a greater distance that we can't see with our limited range.

So, Fido might be barking at a rodent in bush 50 yards away! My male at times while I am watching a horror movie does this sudden bark that sounds like "Boo!

Great hub. My dog does bark at the neighbors, and sometimes it takes me a while to figure out which neighbor is out and about at the time. He has a very loud bark and it does startle me when he starts. Thanks for this wonderful hub, it's got some great information and I'm surely going to pass it on to my neighbor.

I didn't realize the hearing sense of the dog, though I know it's definitely better than mine. Funny how it can be nice and quiet in the house and I'm concentrating on something, then wham, the barking begins and can give me a jump from the sudden bark! I imagine my dog thinks it's funny, but she gets me every time, and sometimes it's all the dogs at once. But they are barking at something, which I sure didn't hear-I was enjoying the peace and quiet-then I let them out and sometimes they continue and sometimes they run out and stop with a quizzical look on their face.

Never a dull moment. Health Problems. Freshwater Pets. Freshwater Aquariums. Saltwater Pets. Saltwater Aquariums. Exotic Pets. Guinea Pigs. Pet Ownership. Animal Welfare. Farm Animals as Pets. Welcome to PetHelpful. Related Articles. By justmesuzanne.