Dog barking at night is not something to worry about as it is a common situation known to all veteran dog owners. But at the same time, it is not like you can ask your dog to stop barking, and your dog will stop doing it right away.
Instead, you need to figure out first the reason behind the barking at night and then do something about it. To that end, we will explain the top three reasons why dogs bark at night.
1. Your dog is bored at night.
When humans are left with nothing to do, they get bored and frustrated. Leaving a dog alone for long periods, especially with nothing to do, usually results in barking.
How to tell if a dog is bored?
If the dog has no toys to play with or something else to keep it distracted, then consider those pretty strong hints that your dog is bored.
What to do about that?
It’s simple, buy dog toys. If possible, obtain interactive toys that will keep your dog engaged and entertained. Furthermore, whenever you can, spend some time playing with your dog.
2. Your dog is feeling lonely.
Similar to boredom, loneliness remains one of the top triggers in dogs barking at night. It is in the dog’s nature to be part of a pack. It is within their nature to be surrounded by other dogs, and they are comfortable with that. When a dog is brought into a home and needs to spend long periods alone, that might trigger separation anxiety and loneliness.
How to tell if a dog is feeling lonely?
If the dog sleeps in another room or outside on their own, then your first assumption should be that the dog is feeling lonely, and that’s why it barks. To be sure that it is the loneliness that causes the barking, take your dog to sleep in the same room as you, even if it is for one night.
What to do about that?
Unless there is no way to sleep in the same room, you might consider getting another dog to keep it company.
3. Your dog doesn’t get enough exercise throughout the day.
If the dog spends most of the time alone at home and has only a few hours of freedom, then it’s no wonder that it’s restless at night and barks.
How to tell if your dog doesn’t get enough exercise throughout the day?
As an owner, you need to know how much exercise your dog needs. Some breeds have more energy than others and require plenty of time exercising. On the other hand, certain breeds are fine with short walks. In any case, if you don’t know what the bare minimum is, talk to your vet, a dog trainer, or other dog owners. They should be able to help you with how much exercise your dog needs.
What to do about that?
Once you learn how much exercise your dog needs, make sure that it exercises. If you can’t spend that much time with your dog, then you might consider sending it to a dog daycare where it will spend a lot of time running around with other dogs.
