Help, My Neighbors Are Complaining About My Dog's Barking!

How Can I Stop My Dog From Barking When Left Alone?

"I have four Golden Retrievers. The third youngest just randomly started barking—only when left alone at home. My husband and I were not even aware of this until our neighbours spoke to us about it.

We were baffled as she had never barked before. This started when she was 9 months old. The others do not bark, only her. We thought it was because she could hear the neighbours, so we turn the TV up when we go out, but that doesn't seem to stop her.

Sometimes, she barks a little, and sometimes, it's continuous all day (this is what they say).

As soon as we get home, she stops and doesn't bark anymore. She doesn't set the others off. If the postman comes, she barks and then stops, but sometimes she will bark non-stop at nothing.

I don't know what to do and my neighbours are getting tired of it. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance."—Harlie

Dealing With Disturbance

Hi Harlie, thank you for reaching out in regards to your dog's barking behavior when left alone in the house. I am sure you are concerned about your neighbor's complaints and are feeling overwhelmed.

On the positive side, it's good that your Golden Retriever's barking doesn't seem to trigger the other dogs to bark as well. This makes the situation a little more manageable for both you and your neighbors.

Having multiple dogs barking all at once would certainly escalate the situation and potentially cause more significant disturbance.

Since the barking mostly happens only when you and your husband are away, it sounds like you may be dealing with some type of separation-related problem; however, in these cases, it's important to carefully evaluate the situation so as to exclude other forms of barking.

Why Is My Dog Barking When Left Alone?

Dealing with a dog's barking when left alone presents a significant challenge, mostly because we are not there to pinpoint the exact cause, and it's impossible to redirect this behavior from a distance when we are miles away from home.

To compound things, there are many different types of dog barks. Indeed, dogs may bark because they hear noises, because they want attention, because they are bored or anxious, or because they hear other dogs barking, to list just a few possible causes.

However, the good news is that if your dog's barking seems to happen mostly when left alone, then it is possible to narrow down some possibilities. Following are some of them:

A Matter of Insecurity

Your dog may be fairly quiet when you are at home, but things may change when you leave her alone. This makes perfect sense from an evolutionary standpoint.

Dogs are social animals that thrive when they are around us. When we leave them alone, though, they may switch over to "watchdog mode," becoming hypervigilant and extra sensitive at detecting sudden environmental contrasts and threats in their surroundings.

Studies have found that a secure base effect is established when dogs are around human caretakers, in a similar fashion as it happens with children and their parents. Dogs simply feel more safe and secure and eager to explore their surroundings when in the company of their owners.

Without a familiar person around, dog brains may switch to a more vigilant state, and this may lead to excessive barking.

Unmet Needs

Sometimes, barking when left alone may take place as a result of unmet needs. The dog basically barks to vent feelings of boredom and frustration.

Young dogs are particularly prone to this form of barking, especially if they aren't exercised enough and/or fail to receive sufficient mental stimulation.

Boredom barking is typically monotone and repetitive, often lasting for hours.

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Territoriality/Frustration

If your dog is able to see triggers from out of a window or door, then her barking may stem from territorial tendencies or your dog may be frustrated because she sees people or other animals and she can't reach them.

The barking can also stem from hearing sounds. While by keeping the T.V. on, we can buffer to some extent external sounds, we must consider that dogs have a much more sensitive sense of hearing (especially compared to ours) and they may still detect them, or they may be stimulated by something visually going on.

Separation-Related Problems

Separation-related problems often occur when dogs have been used to seeing their family around and then for one reason or another (school starts, one family member starts to work), they are then abruptly left alone.

A surge of separation-related problems have been seen after the Covid19 pandemic, with many owners going back to work in offices after spending a lot of time at home.

Regardless of the case, dogs affected by separation-related problems are truly suffering, and their barking is one of the most prominent manifestations.

How Much Barking Is Too Much?

What to Do If the Neighbors Are Complaining?

A very important first step is confirming the accuracy of a neighbor's observations. Sometimes, individuals may perceive a dog's barking as constant when, in fact, it's only occasional and for brief periods of time.

How can we verify the situation, though, if we are not home? Technology can offer the solution we need.

Record Your Dog's Behavior

A very important step (that I recommend all dog owners do) is recording the dog's behavior during their absence. This helps paint a clearer picture of how much the dogs are actually barking when they are left at home alone.

Even with my own dogs, I have been doing this throughout the years and it has always been very insightful. As they started aging, I noticed that they got a little worse in their barking/whining, but fortunately never to the levels of them being distressed.

Therefore, positioning a camera or smartphone in an area that is out of your dogs' reach and that shows a good portion of the home, particularly in the direction of the exit door from which you leave, can be very insightful.

Record for a minimum of half hour and then watch the video carefully. What does your dog do exactly during this timeframe?

• How long does the barking last?
• Does your dog eventually settle?
• Are your other dogs impacted by the barking?
• Is he/she urinating or defecating in the home?
• Is he/she engaging in any destructive behaviors? If so, what is he/she destroying?
• Have you noticed any drooling, shaking, pacing?

Details from such recordings can be very insightful, not only for the purpose of gathering evidence of the extent of the problem, but also for gaining an insight into the dog's emotional response to being left alone.

Recordings can also play a pivotal role in determining whether the dog you suspect is barking is truly the main barker or whether your other dogs may be joining in.

Show the Video to a Pro

The next step is to have a professional take a look at the video for his/her personalized insights. This will turn helpful so as to properly address the problem.

You can show the video to a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, certified applied animal behaviorist, dog trainer/behavior consultant or a vet specializing in separation-related disorders so as to determine what may be going on. Based on the findings, you may need a different approach.

Recording Provides Evidence of When Dogs Bark and for How Long

General Tips to Reduce a Dog's Barking When Left Alone

Since dogs may bark for various reasons when left alone, it's important to properly address the root cause. The following are some general tips based on the most common causes of barking.

Reduce the Intensity of Stimuli

As mentioned, dogs tend to feel more insecure and therefore are prone to becoming more reactive when they are away from their owners. If we are able to identify exactly what is triggering our dogs to react, that gives us the power to take steps to prevent the barking from happening in the first place.

A recording can once again turn insightful. If the dog is spending a lot of time barking at triggers seen out of the window, then it may help to invest in privacy window films so as to reduce this form of barking.

Another option is to erect a tall baby gate or indoor pet fence that blocks the dog from approaching the window/front door area.

If the dog is reacting to noises, buffering them can help. The use of thick, heavy curtains can also drown out noises from busy roads. A white noise machine or device playing music can help.

Did you know? The type of music played can make a difference. In a study at Queen's University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, heavy metal music was found to agitate shelter dogs, increasing their barking.

Classical music, on the other hand, helped settle the dogs and got them ready for a nap. While classical music didn't seem to bother dogs, a study by the Scottish SPCA and the University of Glasgow found that dogs responded positively to reggae and soft rock by inducing a calmer state.

While the T.V. can act as a safety signal and make dogs less reactive to sounds, some dogs may actually bark more if exposed to programs where there are dogs barking, doorbell sounds and other startling noises.

Your recording should reveal whether your dog is barking in response to something on the TV.

Provide Exercise Prior to Leaving

As mentioned, some dogs may bark when they are bored, under-stimulated and under-exercised. In these cases, it may help to take the dogs on a nice long walk prior to being left alone and letting them explore and sniff. This is also a great time to ensure they have eliminated (peed and pooped) so that they are officially "empty" prior to being left alone.

If a walk is not feasible, hiring a dog walker to walk the dogs is another option. The walk can be scheduled first thing in the morning, or the dog walker may be scheduled to swing in the middle of the work hours as a pleasant distraction.

Provide Mental Stimulation

Keeping the dogs mentally stimulated when left alone will keep the dogs busy, while providing them with an alternate behavior to engage in lieu of barking. Here are ways to keep dogs mentally stimulated while at work: 9 ways to keep your dog entertained while at work.

It’s a good idea to take advantage of a dog's meals and offer them when the dog is left alone so that the dog has something to do. I like to use Kongs stuffed with kibble mixed with some canned dog food and then frozen ahead of time for when the dog must be left alone. Many interesting Kong recipes can be found on the Kong Website.

If your dogs are kept together when you're at work, you want to keep them separated when there is food or toys involved so as to prevent potential fights.

Address Any Separation-Related Distress

If signs of separation distress are found on the recording, it's important to address that anxiety.

Separation-related distress is often treated by using a multi-modal approach encompassing management, desensitization and counterconditioning, along with training dogs to become more independent.

Challenging cases may require calming aids such as pheromone sprays or diffusers, calming supplements or prescription medications from a vet. Consult with your vet for advice.

Here are some general tips to reduce separation anxiety in dogs: 20 ways to reduce separation anxiety in dogs.

Following are several books offering tips and in-depth protocols for separation anxiety:

• Treating Separation Anxiety Next Generation Treatment by Malena DeMartini. This is a book I often recommend because the author has been working exclusively with separation anxiety cases for many years.
• I’ll Be Home Soon by Patricia McConnell
• Don’t Leave Me! Step-by-Step Help for Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety by Nicole Wilde.

Take Advantage of Technology

Nowadays, with several technological advances, not only is it possible to remotely monitor our dogs in real time, but we can also redirect a dog's barking.

For example, we can talk to our dogs, give a verbal cue (that was previously practiced at home to a fluent level), and in some cases, even toss treats to our dogs by simply pushing a button (as it happens with the Furbo camera).

While some dogs calm down upon hearing their owner's voices, some others may get more anxious or frustrated when they hear their owners but cannot see them, and some others may even learn to bark in hopes of getting their owner's attention, so these are some caveats to consider.

Look for Help

If despite your effort, your dog keeps on barking, you will need to take some further steps to reduce the barking and this means it's likely time to seek help.

You can take your dog to doggy daycare, have a pet sitter or dog walker swing by, or see if there are any neighbors or friends willing to watch your dog or bring your dog to their home.

If there are signs of separation-related distress, you may need to consult with a dog behavior professional for an evaluation and treatment plan.

Monitor Your Dog's Progress

As you implement strategies to reduce the barking, it's important to keep on recording your dog during absences so as to check for signs of progress or setbacks.

If there are setbacks, it's important to do some troubleshooting and go back to the drawing board so as to take precautionary steps to prevent future mishaps.

Should I Use a Bark Collar?

Although a bark collar delivering shock may be tempting, the use of such a tool risks backfiring.

"Before anyone considers the use of any device to stop barking or vocalizing, it is essential to understand that barking, whining, and howling provide information," explains board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Karen Overall, in the book Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats.

Furthermore, in an article on DVM360, Overall explains how punishing an anxious dog with an aversive stimulus, like the use of a barking collar that delivers a shock upon barking, will only ultimately make a dog's anxiety worse simply because, from an anxious dog's point of view, you have added another unpredictable stimulus to his world.

Board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Ballantyne agrees. In an article on VetMed, Ballantyne explains how citronella collars and shock collars, at best, only temporarily interrupt the behavior and fail to teach the dog what to do. They can also carry risks for many negative side effects, such as increased fear, anxiety and aggression.

"When applied consistently, positive reinforcement and environmental adaptations to mitigate response to the stimuli are the best remedies for behavioral barking problems," she claims.

Dogs bark for rational reasons. Understanding these reasons is far more important and a far superior approach to attempting to suppress the bark.

— Dr. Karen Overall, Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats -

Courtesy Goes a Long Way!

It's always a good approach to apologize to the neighbors about the nuisance barking and inform them that you’re actively working on the problem to address the barking.

You can leave them your contact info so that they can get in touch with you at any time to inform you if your dog's barking gets out of hand.

Their feedback can also serve as an important indicator of your dog's emotional response when left alone. Seeking solutions to reduce your dog's barking not only benefits your neighbors but also enhances the quality of life for your beloved Golden Retriever.

I hope this helps; best wishes!

References

• Training dogs with help of the shock collar: Short and long term behavioural effects (PDF) – Matthijs B. H. Schilder, Joanne A. M. van der Borg
• Karen Overall, VMD, PhD, DACVB, CAAB, Manuel of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats (Elsevier, 2013), p. 746-748
• University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Decoding Your Dog’s Excessive Barking
• A. Bowman, F.J. Dowell, N.P. Evans, The effect of different genres of music on the stress levels of kennelled dogs’, Physiology & Behavior, Volume 171, 2017

If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting), please consult with a dog behavior professional for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos, and general information provided online are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this service, you are waiving any liability claims or other types of claims related to any of your dogs' behaviors against you or others.

© 2024 Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA, Dip.CBST