Dog barking sounds don’t mean a lot to many people. For the most part, they are simply acknowledged as a sort of vocal exercises done by dogs, and those who aren’t fond of these animals may even consider barking dogs a loud disturbance. However, they are much more than that. Dog barking sounds are actually a basic method of communication for dogs.



Apart from that, there hasn’t been a detailed explanation or better understanding as to why dogs bark and how they have managed to grow so different from their ancestor, the wolf. The latter also barks occasionally, but wolves in general much prefer howling as a way to communicate. This is a far cry from dogs, who appear to have a fondness for barking as often and as loudly as possible!

Yet dogs share this fondness for barking with wolf cubs. This fact—along with many other similar physical features they share with dogs, as well as habits like the tendency to be submissive—has led experts to theorize on neoteny. Neoteny is a condition wherein adults retain juvenile traits. Therefore, it is said that dogs and wild cubs share certain similar aspects of behavior.

Another possible explanation could be the phenomenon of domestication itself. When humans and dogs first got together in a symbiotic relationship of mutual benefit, the dog proved to be a most convenient and effective alarm system.

The barking warned them and prepared them against impending danger from predators, marauders, and other intruders. And so the barking was encouraged, even highly prized, which is why some breeds—like hunting dogs, for example—are significantly louder and more vocal than others.

When and why does a dog bark in the first place? This can include the expression of an emotion (loneliness, elation, excitement, stress, fear, etc.); when a dog is feeling hungry or neglected; when he hears other dogs barking or sees strange dogs approaching; when he hears strange sounds he is unaccustomed to; and sometimes, he barks just because he wants to.

Your pet may bark when you leave him home alone, especially if he suffers from separation anxiety, and he will bark his approval once he senses you approaching the front door after you’ve been gone the whole day.

Dogs generally practice two types of barking—the warning bark and the alarm bark.

The warning bark starts out as a rumbling, low-pitched growl (dog barking sounds that are playful in nature have a higher frequency), which gradually increases in volume and intensity as a full-blown howl, which is meant to show dominance and aggression. It is usually employed when in the presence of a perceived threat and a dog may feel the need to fight back and defend himself and his territory.

The second type, on the other hand, is not meant to be hostile. This is merely a dog’s way of calling his master’s attention, such as a ringing phone, a chiming doorbell, or a car pulling up in the driveway. And the dog won’t stop barking unless his master attends to these events.

You may find that your dog’s barking can grow increasingly annoying for you and you will want him to learn how to bark only when the situation calls for it. Give your puppy the proper training early on. Petting the dog or soothing him doesn’t help curb the barking; it may only reinforce the behavior. Instead, give him a reward him once he’s settled down and praise him for this. This is reassurance to him that he is doing the right thing by being quiet and will likely avoid barking too much as he does not wish to displease you.

So the next time you’re baffled about what your canine companion is trying to say, listen a little closer, observe how it’s behaving, and remember all that you’ve learned about dog barking sounds. This will help pave the way to a better relationship between you and your pet pooch.