Puppy barks at me | 12 causes [2024] –

If your puppy barks at you, it's usually because he wants attention, needs to go outside, wants to warn you, or is bored. Under certain circumstances, it can also indicate unwanted training errors, fear or even pain.

In 9 out of 10 cases, barking means that your four-legged friend wants something from you. To stop barking, the following procedure has proven to be effective:

1) Understand the cause
2) Fix the trigger
3) Enjoy the peace and quiet

In almost all cases, “Help, my puppy keeps barking at me!” indicates that the owner does not yet fully understand the dog’s communication.

For this reason, below you will learn about the 12 most common triggers and how you can fix them. For more detailed information, I recommend our free ebook.

There you will not only learn the most common causes of unwanted barking, but also how you can solve the problem step by step.

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#1 Wants attention

Puppies are not too different from toddlers in the first few weeks and months. Only instead of screaming for attention, they bark instead.

Because of taming, attention is now one of the basic needs of every dog. In the wild they get these from their pack.

In domestic life you are responsible for it. Otherwise, depression and behavioral problems can occur. So food and water alone are not enough. [1]

The solution here is to pay more attention to the puppy on a regular basis. This includes petting, walking, feeding, speaking and even making eye contact.

#2 I'm happy

Dogs need a routine just like people do. For example, our dog “Alex” becomes visibly restless shortly before he goes for a walk.

If we wait just a few minutes too long, he will start barking or even jump up on us. This type of barking is a strong anticipation and, in my opinion, totally cute.

If your puppy suddenly barks at you, it can only be an expression of happiness and contentment. You can recognize this by a wagging tail.

Young four-legged friends often jump around wildly or lose a little pee for joy. The solution here is to stay calm and not get the dog excited.

#3 Must go

Did you know that the average person knows over 40,000 words? Dogs, on the other hand, only have 5 primary sounds: barking, yelping, whining, howling and whining.

Humans can therefore express themselves much more precisely than dogs. This also explains why the same bark can sometimes have a completely opposite meaning.

In puppies, depending on the breed, the bladder is hardly larger than a small plum. It is therefore difficult to hold urine for longer than 3 hours.

After a few weeks of training, most four-legged friends already understand that peeing indoors is taboo. For this reason, they often alert you by barking.

#4 Hear something

Did you know that dogs have 18 muscles in their ears alone to align them frontally to the sound source? In addition, their auricle is sometimes up to 5 times larger.

These two factors explain why four-legged friends can hear an average of 4 times further into the distance than humans. You can also hear ultrasonic frequencies. [2]

So if your puppy barks at you, it may be due to a noise that you can't hear. How you should interpret this depends primarily on race.

Guard dogs bark primarily because they are territorial and want to warn you. Hunting dogs and sheepdogs, on the other hand, often because of their hunting and herding instincts.

#5 Has longings

In addition to a lack of attention, hunger, thirst and sex drive can also be the cause of barking. Let's go through these points together.

If you are hungry, it is usually because the food was forgotten or the amount of food is simply not enough. It's similar when you feel very thirsty.

We have had great experiences with this automatic feeder when it comes to eating. This means your four-legged friend gets smaller portions of food several times a day.

The sex drive in puppies is usually still very low. Only when the child reaches sexual maturity does the production of sex hormones increase significantly.

#6 Warns you

Germany is one of the few countries where dogs are kept primarily as family members. In most other regions it is different.

For example, some breeds are still bred specifically to guard property and warn of potential dangers.

The constant barking of a dog is usually a sign that your four-legged friend wants to protect you. Unfortunately, this instinct is difficult to train out.

“Help, my puppy is barking at me,” is what you hear mainly from owners who have chosen the breed based on its appearance rather than its character traits.

#7 Was trained incorrectly

When training puppies, the same basic rule always applies: they repeat the behavior that you reward and avoid the things that you punish.

Unintentional training errors usually occur when this rule is accidentally ignored. Unfortunately, in practice this happens quicker than you think. [3]

For example, if your puppy barks at you and you then give him more attention or even treats, he will repeat the behavior over and over again.

Here I can recommend Johanna Esser’s online dog school. Not only is unwanted barking treated intensively, but you also save a lot of money.

#8 Is bored

Boredom can manifest itself in very different ways in dogs. When their master is away, they usually start destroying things.

You can tell when you come home and suddenly there's a tattered shoe lying in the hallway or even your own basket had to take it.

When their owners are present, puppies are more likely to express their boredom verbally. If your four-legged friend barks at you, then he may just be lacking something to do.

Lots of toys or even a play partner are ideal here. Such a ball throwing machine for the house is also a great and super effective method.

#9 Smells something

In humans, the eyes are the primary sensory organs with which we perceive most of our surroundings. In dogs it is their nose – their sense of smell.

Ready for some incredible stats? Depending on the breed, dogs have up to 60 times more olfactory receptors and therefore smell up to 100,000 times better than we do. [4]

In good conditions, sniffer dogs can even smell up to 20 kilometers away. Unimaginable. I know. But that explains a lot. [5]

Barking in puppies can just mean that they have noticed a smell in the distance. Maybe a cat? Or even a marten?

#10 Is afraid

If your puppy barks at you and tucks his tail at the same time, this usually indicates severe stress or fear. This particularly affects sensitive breeds.

In addition, everything seems new, exciting and unfamiliar to young dogs. This also explains why the first New Year's Eve is probably the worst day in a four-legged friend's life.

Especially if your puppy barks at you at night, it can be due to fear. More specifically, this is usually a form of separation anxiety that is triggered by loneliness.

In this case, it is advisable to position the basket near the bedroom. If your four-legged friend gets scared during the day, you need to find out the trigger.

#11 Has excess energy

When they are young, dogs resemble a bundle of energy with fur. The specific race is irrelevant. However, it is often even more pronounced in sheepdogs and hunting dogs.

The problem? If the four-legged friends cannot physically release their energy, they become restless or even verbal. This phenomenon has long been known. [6]

It is not for nothing that there is an expression that a dog that is busy is also a calm dog. And yet this can be a bit difficult when living in the city.

Here you should make sure that your apartment is big enough for your puppy. Ideally, of course, would be a large garden or close proximity to a park.

#12 Is in pain

In rare cases, a “Help, my puppy is barking at me” can simply be a cry for help with puppies. However, it's not really typical.

To communicate pain, four-legged friends usually use yelps and whines. However, if your dog barks at everything, it could be due to pain.

Typically, puppies become very sensitive to touch or even react aggressively to physical contact. This can provide clues to the relevant location.

If you suspect this, I recommend visiting the vet. Because dogs are known for always suppressing existing pain. Silent suffering is therefore very common. [7]

Helpful tools

Some dog owners immediately resort to an electric shock collar when they bark constantly. In my opinion, this is not only animal cruelty, but completely unnecessary.

There are already great products on the market that can gently train your dog to stop barking:

Anti-bark device: At the push of a button, emits ultrasonic frequencies that trigger immediate curiosity and interest in the dog.
Dog Clicker: Makes a clicking sound at the push of a button, which distracts puppies and makes them look at you.

I can also recommend our free e-book against constant barking. There you will receive concrete practical tips.