Why do dogs bark at airplanes? Here’s What to Do Next

Why Does My Dog Bark at Airplanes?

Your dog barks at airplanes because they make them very scared and anxious. Dogs have significantly better hearing than we do, so the loud noises planes can cause when they fly past are even louder for your dog. And even if the plane isn’t making any noise, they’re large and confusing.

It’s also possible your dog is barking at airplanes because they’re feeling territorial, which is rooted in dominance. This causes your dog to feel the need to protect their home, themselves, and you from this large, flying intruder. They don’t understand that barking at planes is futile and won’t do anything.

It could even be a combination of both, with your dog feeling worried about their ability to protect you from this confusing object in the sky. But regardless of the exact reason why, if your dog barks at planes and then ignores your commands to stop, you have a serious problem on your hands that needs to be addressed before things grow and escalate any further.

To stop your dog from barking at airplanes and all of these related behaviors by addressing your dog’s issues at their root, go back to the first section now.

How do I stop my dog barking when flying?

Based on that, here are some tips on what to do if dog barks on plane.

  • Train your dog to get used to the carrier before the flight. …
  • Buy a calming collar or anxiety thundershirt. …
  • Consider sedatives after consultation with a vet. …
  • Tire your dog out before the flight. …
  • Try to book a window seat.
  • Buy Anxiety Thundershirt or A (Bark/Calming/Shock) Collar for Your Dog

    Thundershirts, also known as anxiety wraps, have great reviews for calming dogs, and they are said to work with 80% of anxious dogs. You can get them on Amazon and use them to calm down your dog and stop barking.

    If yours is an untrained little dog, you can try using a pheromone collar or a pheromone spray available on Amazon. Research says it can keep your dog calm, so it does not grunt after take off.

    There are some other collars, such as shock and bark collars. These are training collars which you can use to reduce barking. It would be best to use this only when you have no other option.

    Check this link out to identify the ten best collars with reviews for your dog. Also if you don’t know how to use this device for barking, check this guide.

    Dog on Plane extended

    In the video below, filmed by TPG reporter Madison Blancaflor while on the ground in Charlotte waiting to take off to LaGuardia on an American Airlines Airbus A321, you can hear an unusual barking noise.

    You may have heard this noise, too, while sitting on the plane at the gate. It definitely sounds like an unhappy barking dog from the floor under your seat. But take heart: It’s not an unhappy dog at all, or a dentist performing work in the baggage hold.

    Oh, and your plane has to be an Airbus A318, A319, A320, A321, or A330. (Boeing aircraft don’t bark).

    What’s up with all that? We asked Chris Brady, a long-time Boeing 737 and A320 pilot in Europe, who runs the popular Boeing 737 Technical Site and Facebook page.