Puppy
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As puppy parents, we sometimes wish they could speak our language for just a second - so we can tell them why we’re not being a buzzkill when we say our new slippers aren’t for chewing. But instead, our pups can only communicate through yaps, whines, growls and barking.
Despite the adorable face, barking isn’t always the most pleasant sound, especially when it’s around the house and seemingly non-stop. So amongst all of your planned puppy training, how do you go about tackling barking? With the help of puppy expert Vet Alex, we’ve covered everything you need to know about your puppy’s barking, and how you can go about managing it.
Barking, yapping, howling and whining is how your pup communicates with you, and is often brought on by a triggering event. The first step in tackling your puppy’s excessive barking is to pinpoint what exactly causes it. This way, you can address any issues, avoid them, or weave them into your training.
There are a few main reasons that may cause your puppy to bark. These include:
Whilst we can never be fluent in their little language, we can use the triggering event, and their reaction and behaviour to further understand where their barking’s coming from. Differentiating between different types of puppy barking will make it even easier when it comes to working out how to approach their training.
Types of barking your pup will display include:
There are plenty of events that take place in the home that can trigger a puppy’s barking, many of which call for training focus when changing a pup’s immediate reaction. It may be that they’re slightly skittish, scared or even over-excited.
Some notable events that may cause bouts of puppy barking include:
Barking is a normal part of puppy life and an instinct they can’t forget. However, excessive barking, particularly from stress, frustration and fear, can not only affect your pup’s well-being, but yours too!
That said, there are a few things you can consider in your puppy training that will help your pup decrease their barking. This includes reassurance, socialisation, desensitisation and letting them know that there’s no need to panic.
Puppies and dogs are a sucker for a routine, and it’s the unexpected events that may trigger barking. Be sure to set up a solid daily routine for your pup so they can quickly acclimatise and know what to expect in their day. This routine can be switched up from day to day, but as your pup gets older, they’ll realise that this isn’t anything to scream and shout about.
The same can be said for their nighttime routine which also can trigger lots of barks and whines. Be sure to read and grab all the advice you need about crate training from our article, ‘How to stop your puppy whining at night’.
Any puppy parent will agree that a tired puppy is a well-behaved one! Not only do puppies need lots of exercise to keep them healthy and entertained, but if they’re too pooped from running around after toys all day, they’ll often be too tired to bark incessantly at the postman. Prioritising their cardio will keep them happy and less inclined to slip into unwanted behaviour.
A lot of puppy experts will agree that mental enrichment is as tiring for the pup as if they went on a big walk. It helps aid their development, gets them thinking, and tires those little pups out.
Exercise and mental enrichment also act as great distractions, which helps with training and reducing unwanted barking.
Examples of mental enrichment for puppies include
For the best training treats for your pup, check out our puppy training treats, perfect for little puppy tummies and formulated to taste great. Packed with nutritious ingredients like beef, cranberries and apples, they’re the perfect high-reward treat to gain their focus.
For puppies 12 weeks and up, try out our full range of functional treats in our Meaty Treats Taster Pack! With treats that can help anxiety, support healthy skin and a glossy coat and help keep teeth spic and span, they use healthy ingredients to do good and provide a high-reward treat that’s perfect for training.
To learn how many treats you should be feeding your pup, check out our treat feeding guide.
Many events in the home can trigger excessive barking and unwanted stress for your pup. Some events you can control, and some you can work on with desensitisation training.
Desensitisation is when you expose your pup to what’s making them bark in a controlled and calm way - which makes them feel comfortable when it happens in the future.
If your pup’s trigger is the doorbell, for example, you could try pressing the doorbell yourself, and treating them once they’ve stopped barking and calmed down.
Despite having spent the first weeks of their life living around their doggy brothers and sisters, first introductions to other dogs can be a bit scary for your little pup!
This fear and anxiety may manifest itself as non-stop barking, but with the right training and approach, you can help the next meeting be a positive and successful one.
To help stop your puppy from incessantly barking at the sight of another dog, consider the following training techniques:
For a puppy, lots of barking is often the norm. They’re experiencing a lot for the first time, and sometimes even their reflection in a mirror could set them off. However, detecting the type of barking they’re doing will help you identify when it may be a cause for concern.
Excessive loud barking that is seemingly nonstop, as well as other behavioural symptoms including not reacting when called - might indicate there’s something wrong with your pup’s hearing, and they may need their ears looked over by a vet.
Lots of yelping and whining, especially when being touched in certain areas may indicate that something is causing them pain. If that’s the case, be sure to book them in at the vet for a check-up.
If you’re beginning your puppy training, you’ll need the best, high-reward treats to channel that focus. Look no further than our range of treats, perfect for puppy tummies! From our Puppy Jerky treats for young pups to our Meaty Treats Taster Pack suitable for pups 12 weeks’ and up, they arm you with the perfect training treat that puts your pup’s health and nutrition first.
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