Dogs Can See in Low Light
In addition, dogs can see in low light far better than humans. What looks like a pitch-black backyard to you is full of shapes and movement to your dog. That’s because dogs have a tapetum lucidum, a reflective layer behind their retina (the light sensing surface at the back of the eyeball). The tapetum lucidum bounces light back through the retina for a second pass increasing the amount of light the retina receives even in darker conditions.
Dogs also have far more rods in their retinas than humans do. Those are the light detecting cells that operate in low light. All those rods allow dogs to see well even without a lot of available light. Thanks to the abundance of rods and the tapetum lucidum, dogs can see with only one quarter of the light humans need. So, when your dog is barking at something in the dark, they may see something lurking that you can’t.
And of course, dogs have an amazing sense of smell. Where humans rely on vision as our primary sense for experiencing the world, dogs depend on scent. Some breeds like the Bloodhound are noses on legs. Dogs have such incredible sniffers thanks to their anatomy. First, they have far more olfactory sensory neurons than humans. Second, they have a much larger surface in the nose devoted to detecting odors. They also have a proportionately larger area of their brain devoted to interpreting smell. And finally, they have a special olfactory organ called the vomeronasal organ or Jacobson’s organ that detects pheromones, chemical signals animals use to communicate.
All this adds up to a world of scent beyond our comprehension. Dogs can even smell diseases like cancer that we need complex machinery to detect. So, while you’re looking around to find what your dog is barking at, your dog might have been smelling around. And who knows what faint scents have alerted your dog to danger, prey, or fun.
Now that you know your dog is barking at something, you still need to silence the problem. There are many ways to stop nuisance barking, but don’t yell at your dog in an attempt to stop the noise. From your dog’s point of view, you will be barking too. Remember they don’t speak human languages, so they don’t understand what you’re saying. They will just know you’re upset and assume it’s due to the same thing that got them barking in the first place. And as barking is contagious, you may have the opposite effect on your dog’s behavior.
One way to manage this type of barking is to acknowledge it. After all, your dog might be alerting you to what they perceive as danger. A fox or coyote in the backyard is certainly bark worthy from your dog’s point of view. A calm “thank you” or “I know” shows your dog the warning has been heard and you have things under control. For some dogs, that’s all it takes to settle them down.
Clubs Offering:
Every dog owner has experienced it. You sit down to relax for the evening, when out of the blue, your dog starts to bark. You don’t see or hear anything, so is your dog barking at nothing? Are there spirits in the room or does your dog just want to hear their own voice? Although it may seem like your dog can see ghosts, there’s a logical reason for the commotion.
Just because you can’t hear or see anything in the environment to explain your dog’s barking, that doesn’t mean there isn’t something going on. Dogs don’t experience the world the same way humans do. Their senses like vision, hearing, and smell are tuned to different things. That means they can sense things outside your perception, and many of those things can trigger barking.
For example, thanks to their predatory heritage, dogs can hear higher-pitched sounds than humans. Sounds like squeaking mice. And at higher frequencies, dogs can hear extremely soft sounds, sounds far quieter than human ears can detect. That means there is a whole realm of sound flooding your dog’s eardrums that you aren’t even aware of. So, when it seems like your dog is barking at nothing, it could actually be a response to noises you can’t hear.
Common reasons dogs bark
Whether it’s a truck driving down the road or a dog barking way off in the distance, your dog will usually respond by barking.
There are usually two reasons your dog will bark at other dogs or animals: to create distance and keep their territory safe or decrease distance to socialize.
Barking increases the distance your dog perceives as their territory. This why they’ll almost always bark at wild animals like squirrels, birds, or bunnies. If your dog is social, however, they may be barking to draw the animal closer. Tip: By socializing your dog at a young age, you can help prevent aggressive, territorial behavior.
We all have that one dog in our neighborhoods that barks incessantly. Could it be lonely? The answer is yes! Dogs will bark when they are lonely or seeking attention. If your dog makes perfect eye contact with you while they bark, they’re requesting your attention.
Dogs are pack animals, so in single dog households, you are their pack. If they’re lonely, they will bark to decrease the space between them and you. If barking doesn’t do the trick, they can revert to destructive behavior such as chewing up your couch, peeing or pooping in the house, or pacing.
Tip: If you work a lot or are away from your dog for long periods of time, separation anxiety can be a challenge for your dog. Talk to your vet or an animal behaviorist to learn how to ease your pup’s nerves.
A dog in pain can exhibit excessive barking. Your dog may be in distress and is trying to let you know, especially if you are not within their immediate area. Dogs in pain will usually wander aimlessly or pace around the house for unexplained reasons.
Older dogs will aimlessly pace and bark incessantly if they become disoriented. A visit with your veterinarian may help you find a solution for this barking behavior.
A dog that is fearful will bark to create distance from the perceived threat. You can spot a fearful dog by their body language. Their ears will be back with their tail tucked between their legs.
Most barking problems can be easily solved with canine behavior training you can either do by yourself or with a dog trainer. Once you know the reason for your dog’s barking, it’s much easier to minimize it.
Pet Pro Tip: Any responsible pet owner should seriously consider pet insurance. Properly understanding how pet insurance works and what pet insurance covers can help you make an informed decision about your pet’s health needs and plan your finances accordingly!
Why Do DOGS BARK at NOTHING? ️❗ (+ Solutions)
No one should expect a dog to never bark. Thatâs as unreasonable as expecting a child to never talk. But some dogs bark excessively. If thatâs a problem in your home, the first step is figuring out what causes your dog to bark too much. Once you know why they are barking, you can start to treat their barking problem.
Barking is one type of vocal communication that dogs use, and it can mean different things depending on the situation. Here are some reasons why dogs bark:
Territorial/Protective: When a person or an animal comes into an area your dog considers their territory, that often triggers excessive barking. As the threat gets closer, the barking often gets louder. Your dog will look alert and even aggressive during this type of barking.
Alarm/Fear: Some dogs bark at any noise or object that catches their attention or startles them. This can happen anywhere, not just in their home territory. Their ears will be back and tail tucked when they are in a state of fear.Â
Boredom/Loneliness: Dogs are pack animals. Dogs left alone for long periods, whether in the house or in the yard, can become bored or sad and often will bark because they are unhappy.
Greeting/Play: Dogs often bark when greeting people or other animals. Itâs usually a happy bark, accompanied with tail wags and sometimes jumping.
Attention Seeking: Dogs often bark when they want something, such as going outside, playing, or getting a treat.
Separation Anxiety/Compulsive Barking: Dogs with separation anxiety often bark excessively when left alone. They also usually exhibit other symptoms as well, such as pacing, destructiveness, depression, and inappropriate elimination. Compulsive barkers seem to bark just to hear the sound of their voices. They also often make repetitive movements as well, such as running in circles or along a fence.
Getting your dog to bark less will take time, work, practice, and consistency. It wonât happen overnight, but with proper techniques and time, you can see progress.
Here are a few tips to remember as you start your efforts to control your dogâs barking.
When your dog is barking, say âQuietâ in a calm, firm voice. Wait until they stop barking, even if itâs just to take a breath, then praise them and give them a treat. Just be careful to never reward them while they are barking. Eventually they will figure out that if they stop barking at the word âquietâ they get a treat (and make it a delicious treat, such as chicken, to make it worth more than the barking.)
Alternatively, you can teach your dog to âspeak; once they are doing that reliably, signal them to stop barking with a different command, such as âquietâ, while holding your finger to your lips (dogs often pick up body signals faster than voice commands.) Practice these commands when they are calm, and in time they should learn to stop barking at your command, even when they want to bark at something.
Once you know why your dog is barking, you can start working on ways to decrease their annoying habit:Â Â
Territorial/Protective/Alarm/Fear: Because this type of barking is often motivated by fear or a perceived threat to their territory or people, it can be lessened by limiting what your dog sees. If they are in a fenced yard, use solid wood instead of chain fencing. Indoors, limit access to windows and doors or cover them with an opaque film.
Boredom/Loneliness: If your dog barks excessively while youâre gone, you need to provide more activities or companionship to keep them from being lonely or bored.
Bringing an outdoor dog inside will lessen the noise impact on neighbors, and provide extra security for your home. Itâs also safer, because dogs left alone outside can face theft, escapes, poisoning, harassment, and other dangers.
But dogs can still bark inside if bored. So if your dog barks while youâre at work all day, get someone to walk your dog or play with them for at least an hour a day.
Providing something for your dog to do during the day also can help. Try leaving out a couple of food-dispensing toys, which come in different shapes and sizes. These can keep them busy for several hours, then theyâll probably take a nap.
Dogs that bark all night should be brought indoors. Dogs quickly learn to sleep quietly inside, and are added protection for your family.
You also can drop your pet off at doggie daycare two or three days a week, or take up agility, obedience, or another active form of dog training.
Greeting/Play: To stop a dog from going into a barking frenzy every time you come home or the doorbell rings, youâll need to teach them other behaviors. One way is to train your dog to go to a spot and stay there when the door opens. Itâs best if they can see the door, but not be too close to it. Pick a spot and practice getting your dog to go there and stay, but donât touch the door yet. Use lots of treats and praise, making it a game.
Once your pet is doing this reliably, start opening the door while they are in their spot.
Once you can open the door and your dog will stay in their spot, have someone actually come in the door. Of course your dog will break from the spot at first, but with time and practice, theyâll learn to stay in their spot when the door opens and guests come in.
Never reward your dog for barking at you when you come home. Do not pet them or even make eye contact until your dog stops barking and sits quietly. Then acknowledge and praise them.
Attention seeking: Never reward barking. If your dog barks when they want water, and you fill the dish, youâve taught them to bark to get what they want. If they bark to go outside, itâs the same. So teach them to ring a bell you tied to the door handle to go out. Bang the water dish before filling it, and maybe theyâll start pushing it with their nose to make the same noise. Find ways for your dog to communicate without barking.
If they bark and you see their dish is empty, wait a few minutes, go do something else, then fill it, so they wonât know their barking was effective.
Remember not to scold your pet. For a dog, thatâs still considered attention. The key is to ignore your dog and what they want, until they stop barking.
Separation Anxiety/Compulsive Barking: Separation anxiety and compulsive barking are both difficult to treat and should be handled with the help of a veterinary behaviorist or a certified applied animal behaviorist. Dogs with these problems often need drug therapy to help them cope while learning new, more acceptable behaviors.
There are a number of products on the market that promise to stop barking quickly. Collars that go on your dog can deliver audible or ultrasonic corrections to your dog, but they arenât effective on all dogs. Citronella-spraying collars often work, but some dogs learn they can run them out of spray and then bark at will.
Shock collars, which deliver a painful jolt to your pet, can cause pets harm and may make dogs aggressive, especially if they associate the person or animal they are barking at with the pain.
Other off-collar devices can work well if your dog barks in a set area. Bark-activated water sprayers or noisemakers switch on when they pick up barking, shooting water at your pet or emitting an irritating sound. These can sometimes break a dog of barking in a given area, but they work best if you are home to reward your pet when they stop barking. That helps reinforce what you want your dog to do.
*Debarking is very controversial and is considered inhumane by many. It does not address the underlying cause of the barking. It is a surgical procedure in which the folds of tissue on either side of a dogâs larynx, or voice box, are removed, leaving dogs with a raspy bark instead of a full bark. Complications are common and can be life threatening, including breathing difficulties, higher incidents of choking, and ongoing pain. Dogs also have been known to regain their voices after the surgery. The procedure does not stop the barking, it only makes it sound different.