Are you at your wit's end listening to your dog barking? You're not alone in that struggle! Barking is one of those behaviors that can grind an owner's nerves. But to a canine? It's like music to their ears!
Dogs bark for many different reasons. Some are serious, and some barking fits are nothing more than a byproduct of sheer boredom. Either way, it's something dogs enjoy doing.
It's one of the primary ways that canines communicate. Even if you don't understand what they're trying to say, you get the point that they need something pretty quickly.
It's an effective way to get your attention, communicate a need, and more. But after hours of incessant barking, you might be wondering:
Do dogs ever get tired of barking?
The answer is a little complicated.
Addressing a Need
For the most part, dogs will stop barking when the behavior fulfills its purpose.
Think about it this way: When your dog barks in the middle of the night because they have to do its business outside, the only way it stops is when you come down to let them out, or they have an accident.
Another scenario might be when they want attention. Your dog might sit at your feet and bark up at you until you lose focus on your work and grant them the pleasure of affection!
Dogs will stop barking when you address the reason why it started in the first place. But does that mean they grow tired of barking? Not necessarily.
You see, when barking fulfills its purpose, it's like positive reinforcement for your dog. They see that barking got the desired results, so they'll likely do it again to replicate the results!
It's possible to train dogs not to bark. There are plenty of techniques to employ that can teach your dog when it's appropriate to bark and when it's not.
We always recommend working with a professional trainer if barking becomes a problem. But when you start training, you have to learn not to reward barking. That might require you to give your pup the cold shoulder!
Losing Energy
Barking uses up more energy than most realize. It takes a lot out of your dog to produce those sharp, guttural sounds.
After a while, barking can tucker your dog out. In that case, your dog literally gets tired of barking. But that doesn't mean that they won't start up again later!
You'll notice a change in your dog as it gets older. Canines naturally experience declining energy levels as they age. Senior dogs sleep far more than puppies and young adults.
With very little energy in supply, barking becomes less of a problem. On the contrary, puppies can be the worst offenders! They bark for hours on end before they deplete their energy supply and get tired.
A Self-Reinforcing Behavior
Dogs will stop barking when it serves their purpose, or you provide successful training and deliver a strong command.
Some will also grow physically tired of barking and stop momentarily. But none of that means that your dog genuinely grows tired of barking.
We hate to burst your bubble, but barking is a behavior that never truly goes away. Dogs will always want to part. They may stop for various reasons, but the urge is always there!
That's because barking is a self-reinforcing behavior. Simply put, it's rewarding all in itself!
A self-reinforcing behavior is one that dogs are hard-wired to enjoy. The simple act of doing it is enough of a reward in itself. Of course, other rewards might trump the high they feel from barking. What dog can resist a flavorful snack you offer during training?
However, barking will always be there. It joins other behaviors like chasing and chewing. Many dogs will always love to chase animals despite never actually catching anything because the act of doing it is so much fun.
The same goes for chewing. Your shoes don't have even a fraction of the flavor as treats, but the process of chewing is positive reinforcement enough.
Conclusion
Dogs will choose better reinforcing rewards when given the opportunity, but the love of barking remains. That's why it's so important to maintain positive reinforcement throughout your dog's life.
Once you take that out of the equation, your dog might realize how much they love barking and decide that they get more out of it from ignoring your commands!
It's also crucial to start training as much as possible. You want to nip that issue in the bud before it's reinforced enough to become a problem.
Your pup will never truly grow tired of barking, but good training gives them a chance to nab something even better, encouraging them to stop.
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