Any person who loves animals is going to find that taking care of a pet is one of the greatest duties they will ever have, and they will want to take on.
On the other hand, being responsible for the behavior of your pet is a job that requires your whole attention 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and even sometimes throughout the night.
This second point is particularly relevant if you own a dog that likes to yap at inappropriate times, such as when you are trying to get some much-needed sleep.
Even while certain dogs are more prone to being naturally yappy than others, this behavior may still create problems with your neighbors and the other members of your family.
There are a few things you can do to learn how to stop your dog barking at night which will allow you and everyone else in the area to get some much-needed rest.
What Causes Dogs to Bark Late at Night?
Even though it may seem that way at times, dogs do not bark for no apparent reason. There are several possible explanations for why they are making noises throughout the night, including the following examples:
1. Separation Anxiety
This may be the factor that causes dogs to bark the most often throughout the night. Because dogs are pack animals, the majority of them do need companionship, whether that company comes in the form of a human or another dog.
Hearing a dog cry in the middle of the night may be quite disturbing. After they have gone to bed, a lot of people fear that their dog would be lonely and unhappy by themselves.
After all, you can’t tell your dog that you are just going upstairs or down the hallway when you lock him in the kitchen while you go to bed. And you also can’t tell him that you are only a few steps away.
Puppies undoubtedly struggle with feelings of isolation throughout the night. However, night time barking in senior dogs is less likely to be caused by loneliness than in younger dogs.
Your dog is aware of your presence or absence in the house at all times. He can detect your odor and is most likely able to hear you snoring.
People may often attribute night time howling or barking behaviors to the dog having a condition known as “separation anxiety.” This leads them to falsely believe that they are unable to leave the dog alone while they are sleeping.
However, night time is not the only time someone could have separation anxiety. A dog that has a difficult time being left alone is more likely to grow agitated and bark throughout the day when its family goes out without them.
It is thus very improbable that your dog’s night time barking is caused by separation anxiety if he or she is content to be left alone during the day.
If your dog does suffer from separation anxiety, you need to address this issue first. That is before attempting to find a solution to the problem of the dog barking throughout the night. You should seek the assistance of either your veterinarian or a skilled dog behaviorist.
Keep in mind that dogs in general are gregarious creatures, but Labrador retrievers tend to be more so than other breeds. If you are gone all day for work, your dog will likely experience feelings of boredom and loneliness at least a portion of the time.
It is important to think about whether or not it would be beneficial for the whole family if the dog slept in one of the bedrooms.
2. Attention
There is a distinction to be made between feeling lonely and actively seeking attention.
Attention seeking dogs will typically search for it at various times during the day (when you are eating, when they want to be caressed, etc.). And every time you give it to them in return by telling them “no” or “stop,” you are teaching them that they will receive it from you if they behave poorly.
Attention is sometimes required, but you need to determine whether or not it is really required for them or whether or not they are simply being impolite.
Dogs are widely acknowledged to be one of the most trainable animals. Despite the fact that their intelligence may often work against them in certain situations.
It’s possible that you’ll teach your dog to bark for attention if you reward it with treats, touch it, or play with it whenever it makes a sound.
Ignoring your dog when he barks is the most tried-and-true strategy for modifying his behavior. Particularly if the barking is an attempt to obtain attention or excitement.
When their dogs howl throughout the night, many owners make the following common mistakes:
a) Petting your dog
b) Reacting with calm voice
c) Providing goodies and toys
So, should you ignore my dog barking at night? If your dog is a night time barker, you should refrain from interacting with them since doing so will encourage them for their behavior.
This strategy requires time and patience. It may be difficult to ignore your barking dog at any time of the day, but it is particularly difficult to do so at night when you are attempting to get some sleep.
Invest in some earplugs, a powerful fan, or a white noise generator and give it your best go at drowning out the sound.
3. Boredom
It’s possible that they haven’t had enough exercise to be tired enough to sleep. Or that they’ve been left alone for an excessive amount of time throughout the day.
It’s possible that your dog is simply unable to go to sleep at night due to boredom. That is if she doesn’t receive enough activity during the day to wear her out, which would be on your end.
If your dog doesn’t receive a lot of activity, she’s more likely to have this condition. And no, letting her run around the yard doesn’t constitute as exercise for your dog.
This is particularly frequent in dog breeds known for their high level of activity, such as Border Collies and Huskies.
If your dog doesn’t have much to do all day and simply lounges about the home, you’re far more likely to have problems with boredom in your pet dog.
Your furry friend needs more physical activity and mental stimulation other than just barking. You might try to engage in some competitive activities with her on a daily basis and include some activities that prevent boredom into your workday.
You might also consider hiring a dog walker in order to receive some additional assistance with burning off that excess energy.
4. Noises
Because dogs, in comparison to us, have an exceptionally heightened sense of hearing, it might be challenging for them to ‘shut off’ the surrounding sounds in preparation for going to sleep.
If your dog barks at every noise at night then it’s possible that your dog is too attentive to the noises occuring outdoors. What is that rumbling those sounds coming from the bushes? Who is there standing on the other side of the street?
If you don’t want these hypervigilant dogs to become even more anxious, make sure you don’t shout at them when they become startled by loud sounds.
Dogs with this trait have a propensity to startle themselves up many times during the night. Because dogs have a more acute sense of hearing than we do, it’s possible that you won’t even be able to determine what it is that’s bothering your canine companion.
There is a possibility that these dogs will exhibit a mix of the “alert barks”“.
The fundamental issue with your dog is that he has shaky nerves. You will want to engage in a range of activities in order to assist in calming down your puppy.
If you are able to determine the cause of your puppy’s anxiety, you will be able to concentrate on desensitizing her to the frightening sound.
In this training, you will educate your dog that whatever it is that she is fearful of (for example, automobiles speeding by) will truly cause chicken to fall from the sky (in other words, you will give your dog an excessive amount of goodies)!
5. Making an Alarm
Dogs are the kind of creatures that are motivated to watch over their masters and their family. They could start barking if they hear anything that makes them feel threatened. Either to attempt to drive away whatever it is that they fear or to alert you to its presence.
Regardless of their size, the majority of dog breeds were first developed with the purpose of alerting their human companions to the presence of a prospective intruder or other kind of disturbance on or near the land.
This is the reason why your dog makes that annoying noise every time someone passes by your home or a vehicle goes down your neighborhood.
Your pet dog may also make night time noises if she is aware that a nocturnal animal, such as a possum or a racoon, is present in the yard.
You will need to provide your dog with high-value goodies, such as chicken or another kind of special food. And give her the time she needs to master the new behavior before your dog will stop barking.
When your dog wakes you up throughout the night with her barking, wait until she is quiet (which she usually does in between her barks), then say “thank you” and give her a reward. (If you’d rather not say “thank you,” you’re free to substitute any other verbal signal of your choosing.)
When you do this in a regular manner, your dog will eventually learn to associate the period of quietness with the receipt of the reward.
Also, she will begin to keep her silence of her own will. Praise and reward your dog with a goodie whenever you detect a sound or movement that would have previously caused her to bark.
6. Lack of Physical Activity
Dogs have a great deal of pent-up energy that has to be expended, and the easiest method to accomplish this goal is to get them to exercise.
However, if they don’t receive enough throughout the day, it might cause them to get agitated. Which in turn could cause them to bark in an effort to catch your attention as well as to get rid of some of the excess energy they are feeling.
7. Lack of Direct Supervision
When left alone, dogs have a tendency to make noise by barking. The same applies if you leave your dog outdoors overnight.
Even in a yard with a fence, the night is full of weird and intriguing noises. Some of which your dog may be intrigued about, some of which it may be terrified of, or it may just want to make sure you are aware of.
If you want to stop your dog from barking at night, you should accompany your dog whenever he goes outdoors. Until he is able to acquire the appropriate behavior on his own.
Put your dog on a leash and accompany him outdoors rather than opening the door and allowing him to run free. Your dog will be much happier. You will not lose control of the situation if you proceed in this manner.
Be careful to offer your dog positive reinforcement and tasty food whenever he looks at you or maintains his composure (just as you would do inside the home!).
He will eventually learn that being attentive to you and keeping a low profile in public spaces will earn him positive reinforcement.
8. Discomfort
It’s possible that your dog companion is shivering, unable to turn around, or experiencing some other kind of physical discomfort. If your dog sleeps outside or in a crate, you should be extra concerned about this potential issue.
During the night, your dog may make whimpering sounds or seem as if they do not want to go to their resting location. This may also manifest itself as a seasonal condition owing to the cold or as joint discomfort throughout the winter.
You may alter the resting environment of your dog by bringing her inside, providing her with a larger kennel, or providing her with additional cushioning.
If your dog sleeps outdoors, you might consider purchasing a heated dog bed or a dog home that can withstand the cold weather.
This is how to stop your dog barking at night inside. In the event that this does not help and you continue to believe that your dog is barking because she is unhappy, see your dog’s veterinarian for more assistance.
9. Poor Crate Training
Although crate training might be a genuine nuisance at times, hurrying through the process can have catastrophic repercussions. Your dog may have created bad associations with her cage.
Your dog spends the night in its cage, and the majority of its night time barking occurs shortly after it is let out. If your dog is allowed to sleep outside of the crate, the level of barking will be significantly reduced.
You should think about letting your puppy sleep outside of the crate. If it helps to resolve the issue, that’s fantastic!
If you truly want your puppy to sleep peacefully in the crate all night long, you need to go back to the very fundamentals of crate training. And focus on generating a lot of good associations for him to have with the crate.
This video shares with you some tips to give you ideas on how to deal with your puppy’s barking at night.
Find the Source of the Issue and Address it Effectively
There’s a good chance that your dog doesn’t keep you up all night with her annoying barking because she is a bully.
She is not attempting to be spiteful to your new neighbors. And she is not likely barking because she is upset with you since she ate her meal late the night before. Your dog is most likely barking because she is anxious, but it might also be because she is bored.
Remember this while you go through the many causes of your dog’s barking so that you don’t end up becoming upset with her!
If you’re unsure about why your dog’s barking, it will be very difficult for you to fix the issue of excessive barking.
The fact of the matter is that every dog is unique, and a “solution” that works for one dog may actually make the problem for another dog considerably worse.
When you are attempting to find out why your dog is barking, the first thing you should do is make a note of the following factors:
1. What noise does your dog make when it barks? The emotions that your dog is experiencing might be reflected in his or her bark in a variety of ways.
2. Pay close attention, in particular, to the barks that say “I’m Bored and Lonely,” the many different types of alert barking, and also the barks that say “I Want What You Have Got.”
They’re the most typical patterns of dog barking that you will hear coming from dogs who keep you awake at night.
3. Where does your dog sleep? There are a few potential explanations for your dog’s howling in the wee hours of the morning. It depends on whether she is confined to her crate, sleeps outside, or sleeps alone.
Dogs which sleep alone are more prone to be watchful and lonely than other types of dogs. If you are expecting to calm your dog down by isolating her, you may be causing the situation to be much more difficult for yourself.
4. What causes the barking to begin and stop at random intervals? Even while it may seem like it does, there’s a good chance that your dog doesn’t really bark the whole night.
Does she sometimes startle you with a barrage of barks to frighten you awake? Is the pace of the barking consistent throughout the night? Or does your dog tend to make a lot of noise whether it’s early morning or late evening?
Easy Guidelines on How to Stop Your Puppy Barking at Night
Training is an effective method for stopping your dog from barking. And there are a few easy guidelines that you and the rest of your family should keep in mind while working with them to teach them.
The first piece of advice is that you must resist the need to shout at them no matter how strong the urge may be.
This can give the impression that you are barking along with them, which would indicate that you are paying attention to them. Another easy guideline is to make an effort to have a pleasant and optimistic attitude during the training.
The last requirement is to maintain a steady pace throughout the workout. Because teaching them many ways of training to stop their barking might cause them to get confused, this is the stage at which the whole family has to become engaged.
How to Stop Your Dog Barking at Night Outside
You have to determine what is causing them to make such a loud noise. If they are lonely, you may have to let them sleep in the home with you, but if that is not an option for you, having another dog can help keep them company.
On the other hand, if the presence of another dog (or any other stimulus) is what causes them to bark, then you will need to train them not to bark when they see their trigger in order to prevent them from barking.
You may enlist a friend’s assistance and use the following technique to educate your dog that the stimulus is positive and does not pose a danger. But that it may result in the dog receiving a reward.
You should ask your buddy to move their dog somewhere where it won’t be seen by your pet.
Start giving your dog treats as they start coming closer to your dog (to stop them from barking and because they appreciate goodies). This is so that you may build a connection between the stimulus and the food.
When the other person and their dog are no longer in view, you should resume distributing goodies to your dog.
Repeat this process several times over the course of a few days or even weeks. Until your dog understands that remaining quiet in response to a stimulus will result in the delivery of tasty goodies.
This implies that even if they get a whiff of another dog in the middle of the night, they won’t bother barking at it.
• Commands
They may be taught to stop barking by following certain orders, such as “silent.” This may be accomplished by carrying a treat with you and, as soon as they begin to bark, telling them to “quiet” but refusing to give them the reward.
After they have ceased their behavior, you should offer them the reward and a lot of praise. Repeat this a few times to lengthen the period of time that they must remain silent before receiving the reward.
Another directive that may be given is “go to your spot,” which may be in conflict with their tendency to bark. This may be accomplished by teaching them the command while simultaneously distracting them with a reward.
After they have gained an understanding of what “go to your spot” implies, you are able to proceed to the next phase. When they leave your apartment and proceed to theirs, you go and open any door.
As soon as they leave their location to check on what’s going on, you immediately lock the door. It’s possible that you’ll have to take away their treat and start again.
You continue to do this until they have learned to not move from their spot whenever anything takes place. After they have gained this knowledge, you will praise and reward them with more sweets.
When they are barking at night, using these instructions may be helpful. Because you can tell them to “quiet” and they should immediately stop, or you can tell them to “go to your spot” and they should go to their bed and go to sleep.
• Tough Love
On the other hand, if the directives do not work, you may want to attempt an approach that involves more “tough love.”
This amounts to ignoring them each time they make a noise. You do not engage in conversation with them, touch them, or provide them with any other kind of attention. As soon as they are quiet again, be sure to provide them some affection.
You may have to continue doing this for a while in order to lengthen the amount of time that must pass before you pay attention to them after they have been silent. It’s possible that this will be more difficult for you than it is for them.
• Exercise
It is possible that you may need to increase the amount of activity that your dog gets on a daily basis in order to wear them out. This will depend on the breed and age of your dog.
This might be accomplished by going on a lengthy stroll just before going to bed or by playing a lengthy game of catch.
It is also a technique to offer them attention. Which will hopefully prevent them from barking at night in an attempt to attract attention to themselves.
It is possible to put an end to a dog’s night time barking, but doing so could require a lot of patience, understanding, and a lot of goodies. Nevertheless, it is feasible.
Final Thoughts
No need to worry if you haven’t yet figured out why and how to stop your dog from barking at night, as there is good news.
Let us go through the elimination process in order to help you find out how to stop your dog barking at night if you’re having a hard time figuring it out.
These suggestions are not presented in any particular strategic order. Thus, you should go through them in any sequence that makes the most sense to you.
More exercise for your pup. I cannot stress this point enough. The vast majority of behavioral issues that I encounter in companion dogs are preventable. Or, at the very least, treatable via greater physical activity.
You may find our recommendations for late-night barkers listed under the heading “Boredom.” above this sentence.
Make sure she has a more comfortable place to sleep. The fact that they are uncomfortable causes many dogs to howl throughout the night. Bring her inside your house, or into your room. Then replace her kennel with a larger one, or provide her with a more comfortable bed.
If it is necessary for your dog to remain outside, you should experiment with various methods that do not need the use of electricity. So as to warm your dog’s outdoor housing.
Utilize items that are relaxing. There is a low probability that issues can be resolved with the use of relaxing items such as CBD, Thundershirts, Adaptil, and white noise generators. However, they might be helpful, so don’t be afraid to give them a go!
Engage the services of a trainer. We are aware of the high cost that might be associated with trainers. If you are really stuck, though, the next step that you should take is to seek one-on-one assistance from a trainer.
They will assist you in accurately identifying the issue and finding a solution that is suitable for all parties involved.
We recommend making gradual adjustments to your dog’s surroundings, starting with one element at a time. You will then be able to determine which of the changes truly made a difference!
However, if your situation is really hopeless, you should not be afraid to test out a number of various solutions concurrently. You simply won’t be able to tell which ones are really useful and which ones are a waste of your time.
How did you train your puppy to remain calm and quiet throughout the night? We are curious about this!
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