No doubt, pet owners have a lot of responsibilities to carry out on their dogs. This includes knowing how to calm a barking dog at night.
Even so, one of the most frustrating is having to get up in the middle of the night to find your dog barking. If your dog keeps barking at night, then it is only a matter of time before your neighbors start complaining.
In this article, we are going to be giving you the need tips to quiet a barking dog at night. But first, let’s even get to know why dogs bark at night.
Why is my dog barking at night all of a sudden?
After a long day at work, the only thing on your mind is catching a much-desired sleep. And then all of a sudden your dog starts to bark at night. It could be really frustrating, and you are wondering why your dog keeps barking at night. These and more are some of the reasons why your dog barks at night all of a sudden.
- Separation anxiety
- External noise sensitivity
- Pent up energy
- Fear or alert
- Seeking attention
Separation Anxiety
It’s nighttime, and everyone around the house is getting prepared to retire to bed. Your dog becomes distressed. Being alone without you or any member of the family is a difficult situation for him to handle. He wants to be able to reach you when he needs you.
While he may be absolutely fine during the day, the case is different at night. And soon as he can’t find you in sight, he resorts to woofing.
External Noise Sensitivity
Dogs bark at every noise at night. They have acute hearing, and cannot easily shut out extremal noise like humans. This causes them to bark in response.
While the neighborhood could be silent to you as a human, your dog can pick sounds from a far distance. Sounds such as sirens from the next street, or neighbors coming back from work at night.
The rustling of leaves and even bark from other dogs in the neighborhood could make them bark. So if your little friend keeps barking at night, they might be hearing something.
Pent Up Energy
If your dog stays home alone during the day while everyone is out, it is understandable when they keep barking at night. You’ve had your fun (or not) for the day, but your canine friend has been indoors the whole day. They have pent-up energy, and this makes them restless at night. They need an outlet for all that energy, but if they can’t get it, they release them through barking at night.
Fear or Alert
As humans, when we see something that scares us, sometimes we scream. There is not much difference in dogs; when dogs see a thing that makes them fear, they bark in response.
Another reason why your dog may be barking is to sound an alarm about an imminent danger.
To keep you informed that something is coming. You might just want to take a look to ensure that not only is he okay, but also that you’re okay.
Seeking Attention
You just put your dog in his crate, but after some time in the middle of the night, he starts to bark. He just needs your attention. He wants to play.
Your little friend does not understand that it is nighttime and he’s expected to stay quiet. What should you do in this case? Should you ignore a barking dog at night?
Well, as unfriendly as it may sound, it is best to ignore your dog’s woofing at night, when you are sure he wants attention. When he notices that he’s not getting the attention he’s seeking, he’ll stop barking eventually.
How to calm a barking dog at night
Now let’s discuss these tips quieting a barking dog at night. Consider the following:
Command
As a dog owner, there should be some level of communication between you and your dog. They should be able to understand what you mean when you use certain commands. Commands such as “be quiet” could do the magic.
However, you may have to train them to understand that the words mean they should stop barking. You can achieve this faster by offering him a treat as soon as you command him to be quiet. Also, shower him with praises.
Next time when you say “be quiet” he stops barking because he knows he’ll get yummies from you. Now, gradually lengthen the period between when you command him and when you present him his treat.
Very soon, you may not have to give him treats anymore. As soon as you command him to be quiet, he goes quiet, treats or not
Exercise
When your dog has pent-up energy and stays barking all night; apparently, using that as an outlet, exercise would come on handy. Getting enough exercise not only keeps your dog healthy but also helps them relax at night.
You can engage your dog in a 2-hour exercise in the evenings. Play catch, run around, anything.
Asides from helping him release built-up energy, this is also sort of like giving him all the attention he needs so he doesn’t go woofing at night.
Alternatively, you can take a long walk in your neighborhood in the evenings. When you return, your dog would be tired and would need some rest.
Find a Calming Night Routine
Do you like to take your bath before bedtime because it helps you relax and sleep well? Well, it might be a good idea to introduce such calming night routine to your dog.
Incorporate shampoos with calming scents that will reduce your dog’s stress and anxiety. PH-balanced and calming shampoos are a plus because they can help repel bugs and relieve pains; just what they need to get a good night’s rest.
Try Calming Aids
Dog calming aids help your dog relax and pull through separation anxiety all night.
If your dog keeps barking at night, you might want to try out some calming aids to him quiet all through the night.
Chew toys packed with organic lavender and essential oil blends are safe and convenient dog aids. The sweet accent helps your dog relax and prevent anxiety which causes him to bark in the middle of the night.
Health Check
Your dog’s barking could be due to a health condition you are completely unaware of. This is why you should contact your vet when all else isn’t yielding the desired result. Your vet will let you know if your pet has any underlining health issues, and what treatment will be required.
FAQs
Should you ignore a barking dog at night?
If you are certain that your dog wants your attention in the middle of the night, it is best to ignore him. Over time, he’ll learn to stay quiet because he knows he’s never getting any attention from you. Although, you do not have to let it get to this stage as regular exercise will put this behavior in check.
Will a barking dog eventually stop?
Unless you attend to your dog if the situation demands, your canine friend may keep barking all through the night. As frustrating as it may sound, you might have to attend to him. If for anything, to let you have a good sleep, you need that.
Can you call the cops if a dog is barking all night?
You can call the police if your neighbor’s dog won’t stop barking at night and keeping you awake, but never dial 911 to report a barking dog. Use the police department’s non-emergency line, instead. However, calling the police should be your last resort as it could escalate an already unpleasant situation. You can talk to your neighbor about the discomfort their dog is causing rather than go straight to the law.
Conclusion
Having to be kept awake all night by a barking dog is the last thing you want to deal with after a tiring day at work. And that is why we suggest that you try out these tips. Hopefully, your dog stops barking at night. Some of the tips may take time, but the investment would be worth it.
