Every dog who barks has a reason for it. Why the dog is barking depends heavily on who your dog is as well as the context and the environment. Causes for barking at what appears to be “nothing” include:
- Sounds that are not audible to humans
- Smells that their sensitive noses detect but humans can’t
- Boredom and attention seeking
- Pain
- Something they want
- Anxiety
Determining the cause of barking depends on the individual context. I always talk to my dogs to tell them what was going on, and you should, too. Expert Kathy Callahan, a Whole Dog Journal contributor, explains this beautifully in her article, “How to Talk to Your Dog,” clearly demonstrating how important this can be.
For example, I have categories for my dogs and dismiss them with an “I’ve got this” tone of voice. Years ago, I attended a seminar by noted dog trainer Pam Dennison. She taught us to name people seen by the dogs, like saying, “It’s just Uncle Fred” and sounding dismissive. It works wonderfully with my crew.
My categories include:
- It means just that. It means, “You’re fine. It’s nothing.”
- This is someone we will greet/who comes into the house.
- A person we see regularly but don’t greet.
- People we see in the neighborhood who are working, like mowing.
- Vehicles with sirens.
- A passing vehicle.
- Any delivery person.
- Not here. A sound that’s far away and safe.
This is a growing list of categories that I use to communicate with my dog.
Why Is My Dog Barking All of a Sudden?
Your dog has sensed something that our human senses cannot pick up on. It’s not nothing; it is an alert thing. When it happens, it happens. Some categories of things that cause your dog to appear to bark at nothing include:
Sounds: Your hearing will never be as astute as your dog’s. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of going to the door/window that your dog is focusing on. That sound may become vaguely audible to you or you might see a chirping squirrel that your dog can hear but you cannot. Dismiss this with, “It’s nothing.”
Smells: Scent is another thing that can fall into my “it’s nothing” category, if I cannot detect the source. It’s worked well thus far with my super sensitive adolescent livestock guarding dog. The trick is to sound confident that you have things handled and dismiss the thing with your voice. Follow that with some soft verbal reinforcement when your dog accepts your decision.
Boredom: It’s important to know how much enrichment, both physical and mental, that your dog needs every given day. All dogs are different. Age, activity level, intelligence, health, and fitness status need to be taken into consideration. Truly, all dogs need both mental and physical enrichment. The higher energy the dog, the more mental enrichment they need. Keep that in mind when determining the cause of the barking. Your dog may be bored and need to go for a walk.
Pain: If the barking is new, especially with no identifiable cause, consider pain. It’s never a bad idea to rule out a medical issue. Pain causes so much mental anguish in any sentient being.
Desire: Is their toy stuck, do they want to play, are they hungry, do they want to be closer to you? Look around and see what the context is. We humans spend so much time zoning out with electronics these days, we often miss things that are right there, like our dog needing help fetching his toy under the couch.
Anxiety: This is another potential cause where the context needs to be thoroughly looked at. Is your dog only barking at night? The dark can cause anxiety in some dogs, especially those who may be losing their sight or feeling vulnerable in some way. Sudden barking, especially at night, may also mean that they sense something going on outside that you haven’t.
Note: Barking at night or barking for no reason can also be a sign of canine cognitive dysfunction in your dog, including the same sundowner’s syndrome that people get.
So, before you exclaim, “Why is my dog barking at nothing?” put your detective hat on and find the something. Then, start working on an “It’s nothing” cue that tells your dog you’ve investigated the problem, telling your dog everything is just fine.
