Dogs have a lot to say, and they do it by barking. They bark to go out, come in, to tell you a stranger's in your yard, and at people, cars, and other animals.

Too much barking or barking at inappropriate times can be a problem. You want to be respectful of your neighbors as well as local laws, so you need to get your dog's barking under control.

Reasons for barking

You may need to do some clever detective work to determine why your dog barks, especially if it occurs when you're not home.

Ask your neighbors what they see and hear. Go around the block and watch and listen, or start a tape recorder or video camera when you leave for work. You should be able to find out which of the common problems discussed below is the cause of your dog's barking.

• Attention/Demand (Wants to eat, go outside or wants your undivided attention.)
• Boredom/Frustration (Left outside day and night, crated or confined to one room all the time)
• Fear (Afraid of objects, people, places, other animals, or loud noises such as thunder and fireworks.) Your dog's posture can tell you if he's barking out of fear. Typically his ears are back, and his tail is held low.
• Territorial/Protective (Barking in the presence of "intruders," which may include people and other dogs in adjacent yards.) If your dog is being territorial, his posture appears threatening with his tail held high and his ears up and forward.
• Play/Excitement (Playing, greeting people)
• Health (Age: he may have Canine Cognitive Dysfunction; or deafness—barks possibly because he's unable to hear himself bark.)

Dogs with health issues

Some dogs bark because of age-related dementia or deafness. Be patient with your dog. Keep his environment simple and orderly; don't make frequent changes. Talk to your vet about medications that may help the dementia. Teach your deaf dog the "quiet" command using hand signals or a flash of light or a vibrating collar (NOT a shock collar) as the cue instead of saying the word "quiet."

If you have multiple dogs

If you share your home and your life with more than one dog, you know how they can set each other off. The doorbell rings and deafening, out-of-control barking ensues. You must train each dog individually before you can work with them as a group. It takes a little more effort to settle your pack of wild hounds, but you'll be rewarded with a group of well-mannered dogs. And your friends and relatives will no longer dread coming to your house!