Barking is Not Just an Irritating Noise Your Dog Happens to Make
Ireland is full of dogs. Whether you live in a housing estate in Dublin, a village in Kildare, or out in the countryside in Carlow, chances are you’ll hear a dog barking at some point in the day. It’s one of the most common sounds in our environment and yet, it’s often misunderstood.
The truth is, a lot of dogs bark. And that’s okay.
Barking is normal. It’s an essential form of vocal communication for dogs. It allows them to express a wide range of emotions excitement, frustration, anxiety, curiosity, or even a simple need like “I want to go outside.”
Just like we chat, talk, whisper, or laugh to get our message across to other humans, dogs use barking in the context of the world around them. Vocalisation is a complex behaviour, and because of the way we’ve selectively bred different breeds for different purposes, it can be difficult to interpret exactly what a dog means when they bark.
But what we do understand is this 👉🏻 barking is how dogs communicate with us, with other animals, and with the environment around them. So if they are barking, we need to listen, right?
When Does Barking Become a Problem?
When I get a phone call from someone or I arrive at a consultation and they tell me, “My dog is barking”, I have to be honest… my first thought is, “So you have a dog.”
And I don’t mean that in a cruel or dismissive way. It’s just that barking is part and parcel of living with dogs. They vocalise. It’s how they express themselves, and barking is a perfectly normal part of that communication.
But sometimes, barking starts to feel like it’s a little bit too much. If it’s constant, if it repeats across different environments, if it’s happening at odd times, or if it feels completely unrelenting then yes, it’s time to look a little closer.
And I want to be clear, if your dog is barking and it’s affecting your home, your sleep, your neighbours, or just your peace of mind you’re not alone, and I want to support you. Because sometimes, barking isn’t just a behaviour. It’s a signal. A clue that something deeper is going on. It’s when barking shifts from normal communication to something more emotionally driven more worried that we need to take it seriously.
Barking becomes a problem when it’s excessive, out of context, or driven by stress. Because we understand that barking is a form of communication between our dogs, us, and the environment around them, we need to pay attention when something feels “off.” If the context seems strange, if the barking is relentless, or if it’s clearly coming from a place of emotional discomfort, that’s when we need to listen closely.
It might look like:
Barking that goes on for long periods, and doesn’t stop.
Barking that happens frequently throughout the day without an obvious cause, i.e. out of the blue
Barking at things that don’t make sense to us like wind, shadows, birds flying by, or simply being left alone.
All of these are moments where your dog is saying: “Something doesn’t feel right.” And it’s up to us to hear that. This kind of barking isn’t just your dog “being a dog.” It’s communication, we have to rememmber that us humans make lots of sounds that mean lots of things. Dogs make very few in comparison.
They may be anxious, bored, overwhelmed, confused, or even in pain. There may be an underlying medical issue. Chronic and acute pain are different, and I’ve written more about that in a separate blog if you want to explore it further (Charlies Story ).
Barking is a way of saying, “I don’t feel okay.”
And no. Your dog isn’t just being bold, naughty, or difficult. Let me put it this way, if I was sitting in front of you saying, “Hey, I don’t feel good right now,” and you ignored me and I said it again, louder, “No, really I’m not okay” and you still ignored me… and I kept repeating it… would I be difficult? Or would I just be unheard?
That’s what many of our dogs are going through. They’re trying to tell us something important. And it’s up to us, with our big human brains, to figure out what that is and to help them feel safe, supported, and better.
Are Their Needs Being Met?
Before we label barking as a problem behaviour before we become full-on helicopter parents (my husband is absolutely one of those, by the way…) and before we start worrying about underlying medical issues or that our dog is just overexcited and needs a full training programme, let’s take a massive step back.
Deep Breath Let’s pause. Breathe. And ask a couple of really important questions.
We understand barking is a natural behaviour a vocalisation tool that’s part of how dogs communicate, then we need to look at the world from a dog’s point of view and ask ourselves: Are my dog’s needs being met?
As a human, I have needs. I need sleep. I need food. I need social time. I want to sit and have dinner with my family, read a book, drink some water, go for a walk. But dogs? Dogs have different needs.
- They need to chew.
- They need to sniff and investigate the world.
- They need time to decompress, play, move, and feel safe.
(And no I don’t personally need to chew things or sniff every blade of grass on a walk, but my dog might.)
So when we talk about “meeting our dog’s needs,” we’re not talking about what we think they should be doing. We’re talking about what they need as dogs. That means switching into a dog mindset and reframing our thinking. A huge amount of barking stems from unmet needs. It’s not about disobedience or bad habits. Your dog isn’t being “naughty.” Often, they’re just trying to cope the only way they know how.
And it’s our job to break that down, get curious, and support them in a way that makes sense to them not just to us.
Physical Needs
Is your dog getting enough appropriate exercise for their breed, age, and health? Now, this is really important because I want you to think of age like a bell curve.
At the very start of that curve the bottom your dog is 1 to 8 months old. They don’t need a lot of exercise at this stage in fact, they really don’t. Puppies can be over-exercised easily, and it can impact their development.
As they grow into adolescence and reach their physical prime, that bell curve starts to rise and they’ll need a healthy, balanced amount of movement. Then, as they get older, the curve drops again. Senior dogs should have their exercise scaled back, and we need to be mindful of joint health, fatigue, and chronic pain as we age.
And speaking of chroinic pain did you know that osteoarthritis (OA) is now being diagnosed in dogs as young as six months? We’re seeing more and more young dogs presenting with musculoskeletal issues, so even if you think your puppy should be full of beans, they may be dealing with discomfort that needs attention.
Just because we have a dog doesn’t mean they need two hours of walking a day, or that we should be throwing a ball endlessly or sending them around agility courses. Exercise should be appropriate for the dog in front of you.
Mental Stimulation
Dogs are thinkers. They’re also predators and that means they’re wired to sniff, hunt, chase, dissect, and problem-solve.
All of these behaviours come from something called the predatory motor pattern and if we don’t meet that need through puzzle toys, scent games, enrichment activities, and exploration, we’re setting them up to feel bored, restless, and yes… frustrated.
And what does frustration often lead to? Barking.
Social Connection
There’s a lot of debate about whether dogs are social creatures. Here’s the truth: some are, and some aren’t just like ppl. Some dogs love meeting every dog at the park. Some have a few chosen friends. Some prefer to avoid other dogs altogether.
It’s your job to figure out what your dog needs. Do they want to be with humans most of the time? Do they have a dog friend, a cat friend, a goat friend they like to hang out with? Or are they more of a solo operator?
There’s no one-size-fits-all. What matters is that their need for social connection whatever form that takes is respected.
Predictability and Safety
Dogs thrive on routine. They like knowing when dinner’s coming. They like knowing what happens when the lead comes out. They like a sense of order. Why? Because they learn through associative learning. Predictability helps reduce stress. It creates a sense of safety. And when dogs feel safe, they bark less.
When life feels chaotic or unpredictable, stress goes up. And that stress? It often finds its way out through barking.
Could It Be Medical?
This is the part that often gets missed but it’s one of the most important. Sometimes, barking isn’t behavioural at all. It’s medical.
Before we start tweaking routines or building behaviour plans, we have to ask: Could there be something physically wrong with your dog?
Pain, chronic pain and discomfort are significant drivers of barking, and the research is backing up what many of us in clinical practice have known for years. In that Dogs in pain behave differently and often, they become more vocal, reactive, or irritable as a result.
It’s particularly relevant in dogs showing reactive barking lunging or barking at other dogs, vehicles, people, or seemingly “random” triggers. In my own experience, and that of many colleagues, there is always an underlying medical issue involved. Every single time when I hear “It appeared out of the blue” it’s medical.
Dogs learn through association.
If a dog experiences pain during or shortly after seeing a van, another dog, or a person, they may start to associate that trigger with discomfort. Over time, this turns into an automatic, emotional response barking, lunging, or avoidance because that thing now predicts pain.
They’re not being difficult. They’re trying to protect themselves. This kind of learning where something neutral becomes threatening because it’s been paired with pain is called associative learning, and it’s a huge factor in behavioural cases.
Here are just a few examples of how medical issues can affect barking, and ones I have seen over the years:
A dog with hip dysplasia or arthritis may bark reactively at fast-moving dogs or people because it hurts to move quickly or be bumped/knocked off balance.
Dogs with gut inflammation or GI (gastrointestinal) pain may show heightened sensitivity and irritability, especially in busy environments.
A dog with cognitive dysfunction may bark at night due to confusion or anxiety.
Dogs with hearing or vision loss may bark more because they’re startled or unsure of what’s happening around them.
The research is clear here, regardless of that anyone tells you, pain, discomfort or chroinic pain contributes to changes in emotion and cognition and that absolutely affects behaviour. Think about it, have you ever suffered from a blister? Do you walk differently when it’s sore? Reclutant to go for a walk? Change your shoes or socks? Walk a bit funny? That’s all behaviour.
Ok… But What If It’s Medical? I don’t want my dog to be in pain…
There are people who have picked up the phone to call me and book in for a consultation, and even based on that first conversation just the information they’ve shared I’ve said, “This sounds medical. I need you to go to your vet first.” That’s how important it is to rule out pain or illness, I wont train a dog or horse through pain.
And if you ever speak to a behaviourist who doesn’t ask about clinical history, or who dives straight into training without understanding your dog’s health background run. Avoid them like the plague. Because skipping that step can do more harm than good.
I’ve had clients who never even made it to their consultation. They went to the vet, as advised, and came back saying: “You were right. We found something. We started treatment. The behaviour stopped.” And you know what? That’s the best outcome I could hope for. That dog got the support they needed and they didn’t need training. They got the support they needed.
So if something feels off, or the barking doesn’t make sense, trust your gut. Call your vet. Rule out the medical. It’s the most important first step you can take.
How to Help Your Dog
So now that we’ve looked at what barking is, when it becomes a problem, how unmet needs can play a role, and ruled out medical issues let’s talk about what you can actually do.
Now we know your dog isn’t barking to annoy you. There’s a reason. It’s not fun for them, and it’s not because they’re “bold,” or trying to be “the boss.” That’s outdated thinking and we know better now.
It’s about communication. Once we understand that, we’ve got a really solid platform to start helping them.
All vocalisation just like in people is about communication. So if our dog is trying to tell us something, we need to figure out what that is so we can help.
1. Identify the Trigger
What’s setting the barking off? Is it people passing the house? Being left alone? Excitement before a walk? Sounds outside at night?
Look for patterns the time of day, environment, or context that brings it on. Write a list. Do a little tracker. If you have a whiteboard, use it. Or just WhatsApp it to your partner. One of these things doesn’t look like the other and you might spot a pattern you didn’t see before.
You need to be your own detective.
2. Check Their Needs
Absolutely. Go back to basics. Are they getting the right kind of exercise? Are they mentally stimulated? Are they well rested? Do they feel safe?
Think about your dog’s natural ethogram what they’re bred for, what they love, how they interact with the world. Are their needs being met not from a human point of view, but from a dog’s?
3. Create Calm, Predictable Routines
Dogs love predictability. Routines reduce stress. Whether it’s feeding times, walk times, or what happens when the doorbell rings, building predictable patterns helps your dog feel safe and that reduces the need for barking.
4. Reinforce Calm Behaviour
Even shouting “NO!” is attention and if your dog is looking for social interaction, you’ve just reinforced the very thing you want to stop.
Yes, it’s frustrating for us. But it can be rewarding for the dog.
Instead, reinforce the quiet. Praise and reward when they’re calm. Teach alternative behaviours like “go to mat,” “settle,” or “watch me.” Focus on what you want them to do, not just what you want them to stop.
5. Reduce Exposure to Triggers
You’re not “giving in” by using management tools. Use window film. Create quiet zones. Use white noise. Adjust walk times. Set them up for success, not failure.
6. Be Consistent
Everyone in the house needs to be on the same page. Mixed messages = more confusion = more barking.
7. Get Professional Help
If you’ve tried all of the above and things still feel off, don’t wait until it gets worse. Bring in a qualified, force-free behaviourist who will look at the whole picture including medical, emotional, environmental, and learning history.
Because barking is not a training problem. It’s a communication problem. And often, it’s a welfare issue.
Need Help? Call a Behaviourist
If your dog is barking and it’s starting to feel overwhelming, you don’t have to figure it out on your own.
Whether the barking is down to unmet needs, anxiety, pain, frustration, or confusion it’s a sign your dog needs support. And so do you.
A qualified, force-free Clinical Animal Behaviourist won’t just tell you to “train it out.” They’ll take the time to look at your dog’s whole world their history, health, environment, emotions, and learning and help you build a plan that’s kind, evidence-based, and tailored to your dog.
And remember even people like me who do this work every day reach out to colleagues when things get tough. Because behaviour work isn’t about perfection. It’s about compassion, problem-solving, and teamwork.
So if you’re reading this and thinking “This feels like me. This feels like my dog.” Reach out. Book a call. Let’s talk it through.
Your dog is communicating. Let’s listen and help them feel better.
