Skip to main content

Barking dogs

Advice for dog owners

There are many reasons why dogs bark including:

  • loneliness (dogs are naturally gregarious animals and can become distressed when left alone)
  • boredom and frustration
  • attention seeking
  • defending territory
  • medical problems

Some simple measures that can help a dog adjust to being alone are: 

  • leave a radio on at low volume
  • leave the dog where it will not be disturbed by outside activities
  • leave a light on at night
  • arrange for someone to visit the dog if you are going to be away for a long period

Some dogs become totally dependant on their owners and find separation difficult. These dogs can become destructive, foul in the house or become noisy. To help a dog adjust to separation you can: 

  • shut the dog in a separate room or outside for short periods while you are in the house, this will help the dog accept separation when you need to be away
  • all family members should take turns to feed the dog
  • do not make a fuss when coming or going from the house
  • dogs should always have their own bed and should not sleep with their owner

Consult your vet and make sure your dog is not ill. The vet maybe able to suggest some other remedies or perhaps give you the name and address of an animal behaviourist who is an expert and may be able to suggest some ways to help.

If you have a problem with noise from a neighbour's dog try to speak to them first. If this does not help you can report the problem to us. Please see our guidance here. You will be asked to keep a record of the noise so that we can see how severe the problem is. We will investigate to see whether a statutory nuisance exists.