One of the main vocalizations dogs use to communicate is barking, dog sounds that are a normal, natural form of dog language that can mean any number of things.

Dog barks can help us know what our dogs are feeling and thinking, and if we're paying attention, we can learn how to help our dogs before common barks escalate into excessive barking behaviors.

So how can we understand what our dogs are saying with their various barks? And what can we do to anticipate our dogs' needs to prevent patterns of barking behavior that aren't helpful or good for anyone - especially our dogs?

That's why we've brought together certified positive reinforcement trainers/Dogly Training Advocates in the Barking Channel to guide you through it all, starting with these first 3 guides focusing on understanding your dog's barks to help you know how to support your dog - and avoid excessive barking.

Here's a quick overview of the 3 guides to understanding barking:

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Understanding Dog Barking Guide 1: Why Dogs Bark & What to Do About It

To begin to understand your dogs's barking, it's helpful to start with the fundamental question: Why do dogs bark anyway?

And then, what's motivating my dog's particular brand of barking?

Then we can get to some answers to support your dog and alleviate the cause of the barking. In this guide, positive reinforcement trainer and Dogly Advocate Tiffany Baker takes you through four frequent causes and types of barking - and how you can work with your dog and your environment to reduce or eliminate unnecessary or excessive barking.

What you'll learn in this guide on dog barking:

4 Common reasons dogs bark:

1. Alert or alarm barking
2. Fear barking
3. Frustration barking
4. Attention barking (aka demand barking)

For each of these different types of dog barks, Tiffany tells you what these dog barks mean and translates what your dog is trying to tell you when your dog barks and why - then what you can do about alleviating the cause.

How to reduce and stop barking:

1) First, for reducing barking, are your dog's needs for physical and mental stimulation being met?

Tiffany shares 4 things to try with your dog in the full guide here to engage and relax your dog, from "ditching the bowl" (and replacing with a puzzle bowl) to long lead walks that allow your dog freedom to explore and smell all the smells.

2) Next, to stop barking - manipulate the environment

You'll learn 4 tips on how to manipulate your environment - managing the noises, views, and spaces in your home - to eliminate causes of your dog's barking when possible to help prevent a barking pattern from taking root.

If you're ready to get started now, you can find the full guide here. Next, for some training exercises to help alleviate dog barking...

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Understanding Dog Barking Guide 2: 4 Training Tips to Stop Your Dog From Barking

We often talk about setting your dog up for success in positive reinforcement training, and improving your dog's barking behaviors is a great opportunity to put that into action for your dog and you.

How exactly do you set your dog up to be successful at not barking? Force-free trainer and Dogly Advocate Tiffany Baker gives you 5 things to try with your dog to help stop barking before it starts and builds.

What you'll learn in this guide on dog barking:

5 Things to do to set up your dog NOT to bark

1. Use the ever-versatile "treat scatter" - especially useful for alert barkers as an acknowledgment and "thank you" for their service in warning you about whatever scary thing they've spotted. Tiffany explains how to set up treat scatter stations throughout your home, and when and how to do treat scattering effectively.
2. Teach your dog "place" or "go to mat" if it's not already a skill you and your dog know - Tiffany includes a step-by-step how-to to learn "place." (You can also find an in-depth series on teaching "go to mat" or "place" here in the Manners Channel.) You'll learn how to use your dog's "place" skill as a homebase for desensitization and alternate behavior training using the doorbell as a trigger example in this step-by-step exercise.
3. Especially for your attention or demand barker but helpful for all dogs - always have enrichment toys/games handy (treat-dispensing toys/puzzles, food-stuffable chew toys) for those times you can't pay attention to your dog - when you're on a conference call, fixing dinner, etc. Set your dog up in advance to be engaged and preempt the need for barking.
4. Make sure your dog is getting the mental stimulation and physical exercise he or she needs every day. The right amount of mental and physical engagement can go a long way toward keeping barking dogs - actually all dogs - calm and even in spirit, removing the need for barking before it starts or escalates.
5. Reward calm behaviors! Anytime you catch your dog in the act of being calm and quiet, especially when there are potential triggers around, reward generously. The more you reinforce the calm behaviors you want to see, the more they'll happen.

You can jump into the full guide here for all the step-by-step details on how to use these training tips to improve your dog's barking behaviors.

And next up, dive into decoding how dogs sound with every kind of dog bark and growl, what the different types of dog barks mean, and what you can do about it all...

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Understanding Dog Barking Guide 3: How To Decode Your Dog's Barking & What to Do

Dogs communicate all sorts of things with their barks. It's their natural language - along with body language. Understanding both so you can anticipate your dog's needs and support your dog is the fundamental secret to avoiding excessive barking.

In this guide, positive reinforcement trainer and Dogly Advocate Ruby Leslie takes you through the specifics and action plans for each of the bark types you're likely to encounter with your dog.

What you'll learn in this guide on dog barking:

How to use the three aspects of barks to diagnose your dog's bark - and know what to do next

1. The pitch of the sound of bark (high or low pitch sound, growl/grumble)
2. The bark frequency and spacing (Is it a long, drawn-out bark, rapid strings of single barks, a stutter bark, a series of whines...?)
3. Duration of the sound (nonstop barking, momentary barks, long, sustained barking similar to when dogs howl, recurring barking with pauses...)

You'll also learn...

• Examples of specific types of barks and how they sound, using the 3 indicators to decipher them
• How to decode 8 of the most common barks and what they mean - from an alert bark to a fear bark and growls and howls in between
• How to work step by step with your dog to alleviate each of the most frequently occurring barks

This is just a quick look at what you need to know to learn your dog's barking language. To get all the specifics on what you can do to understand your dog and how you can support your pup and avoid unnecessary barking, dive into the full guide here.

Next up in the Barking Channel on Dogly

Once you have a better understanding of what barking is all about, learn more on what to do if your dog has specific, excessive barking behaviors like excitement barking, alert barking, or fear barking in the many other guides in the Barking Channel here on Dogly.

If you have any questions about your own barking dog, just ask in our Community Discussion. And continue in our Barking Channel where you'll learn everything you and your dog need to know about barking from our community of Dogly Training Advocates.

Or if you ever need more personalized dog training guidance, please reach out and we can connect you with a trusted Dogly Training Advocate.