Dogs can bark for many reasons throughout the day, but the one that troubles dog owners the most is the barking at night. This is a common problem faced by many dog owners. Also, one needs to eliminate this behavioural issue in dogs to keep a strong bond with them.
In this blog, you will see the reasons behind the excessive barking of dogs at night and also learn 7 simple tips to get rid of this problem. So let us get started,
Why Do Dogs Bark at Night?
First and foremost, you need to know how your dog picked up this highly bothering habit. Here are some of the reasons why dogs bark excessively at night,
- Boredom or attention-seeking behaviour
- To alert the family about a possible external threat
- Fear and anxiety
- Loneliness or separation anxiety
- Reacting to another dog creature
- Reinforcement by owners
Out of these, reinforcement by owners is the most common reason that happens with many dogs. It means if you are trying to calm your dog when they are barking, you are telling him that barking and whining will make you run towards them. Once your dog learns it, it is a bit challenging to get rid of it.
7 Tips to Make Your Dog Stop Barking at Night
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Get a White Noise Machine
If your dog is barking in response to other dogs and noises, a white noise machine will help block out other noises. The device consists of settings that include different calming sounds which are ideal for dogs with anxiety or fear of loud noises. Besides, white noise machines are also helpful for humans who have difficulty sleeping at night. So, it is a win-win situation for both.
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Provide Exercise & Enrichment
Dogs who bark excessively at night are often full of energy. This is why providing them with physical exercise and mental enrichment can make them sleep faster. You can consider walking them at night, and offer some engaging interactive dog toys, especially the plush toys that promote good chewing behaviour in them. Chewing helps release endorphins, a hormone that keeps the dogs relaxed.
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Ignore Your Dog When They Bark
Ignoring your dog is how you will convince them that barking and whining won’t bring you to them. Don’t go to them. Don’t even say soothing words or holler at them. If you console your dog even once, they will believe that barking works. Even if you are not attending to them, they will keep barking, thinking that the next bark will work.
Take this reason away from them and will eventually stop barking, as there will be no motivation to do so.
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Consider Trying Calming Aids
One of the reasons why dogs indulge in excessive barking is anxiety. This is why you should consult with your vet about giving them natural dog anxiety tablets, which help a lot in soothing their stress and anxiety. These tablets consist of natural ingredients that promote relaxation in dogs without causing drowsiness in them. Calming tablets are also useful for stressful situations such as thunderstorms, fireworks, travel or separation anxiety.
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Sleep Next to the Dog
Loneliness is another reason why a dog barks excessively. This is why you should consider sleeping next to your dog, although for a temporary period. You can gradually move your dogs out of the room, once they slowly adapt to being alone. Also, several studies suggest that sleeping with your dogs will give you a night of good sleep.
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Skip the Use of Anti-Bark Device
Anti-bark devices are often used for giving negative reinforcement to a dog that tends to bark a lot. They come in types like shock collars, spray collars, and ultrasonic collars which aren’t recommended for them at all. This is because these devices only worsen the problem of those dogs that bark out of fear.
Remember that eliminating the barking in dogs isn’t what is needed. It is a major mode of communication for dogs. Instead, you need to train them to prevent barking in unnecessary situations.
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Be Patient & Take Regular Naps
Remember that stopping your dog from barking will take a while. It is also likely that your dogs start barking more when you are teaching them not to do it. This also means you are going to have a few sleepless nights. You can help yourself by using earplugs. Also allow yourself to nap more, as it will compensate for the lack of sleep at night.
All in All,
If you have a dog that barks excessively at night, you might have probably figured out the reason from this blog. Hopefully, these 7 tips will help you to soothe the problem of unwanted barking in dogs and boost your night’s sleep as well.
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