If you walk through any area late at night, you’ll hear the sounds of dogs barking. The nighttime barking is a regular aspect of the night. What is it that makes dogs so vocal late at night? What is the reason your dog is barking at night when the sun sets up at the point of keeping both you and your neighbours up?
Causes of Barking
There isn’t a single answer for why dogs bark in the evening. It all depends on the dog’s personality and the conditions in his surroundings. Many dogs who are loud at night do so even when out in the open, meaning that the reasons for the behaviour are connected to outdoor activities. There are several suggestions for understanding the phenomenon that causes barking at night.
Noises.
The hearing of dogs is excellent, much better than ours. They hear sounds that aren’t visible to us. Thus, although you may not notice anything in the backyard late at night, your dog could. Should your dog be susceptible to noise and prone to reacting to odd-sounding noises by barking, distant noises will likely trigger him.
Wildlife.
The majority of dogs are fascinated by wild animals. Whether they’re a raccoon, squirrel or deer. Even though you won’t be able to observe or hear wildlife in your home in the evening, your dog will. Jill Goldman, PhD, an experienced applied animal behaviourist in Laguna Beach, California, provided her insights on dogs and wild creatures. “Dogs will bark at sounds and movement in the night, and raccoons and coyotes are often the culprits.”
Other breeds of dogs.
Socially facilitated barking, or “group barking,” is when a dog listens to another dog barking and then does the same. Because dogs are social animals, they can be susceptible to the behaviour of their companions. If you see a dog barking, there must be some reason. Therefore, your dog and everyone else within the vicinity can be heard chiming in. Jill Goldman adds, “There are coyotes in my neighborhood, and every so often, one visits our street at night. The neighborhood dogs will alarm bark, which will trigger social facilitated barking, and of course, territorial barking to any foreign visitor. Depending upon how many dogs are outside and in ear shot, a group barking bout may ensue.”
Boredom.
They are quickly bored when they have nothing to do, and they will create fun for themselves. The constant barking they hear, joking with other dogs for an organized barking group or simply barking to release energy is a reason for the nighttime barking.
Loneliness.
They are highly social, but they may feel lonely when left alone at night. They can be heard howling to express their sadness, but they may also be able to bark continuously to attempt to collect humans’ attention.
Solutions for Barking
If your pet barks in the evening, do something to end the behaviour. If your dog has been in the dark and barks, keeping him indoors is the best answer to this issue. The time he is outside can expose him to noises that can cause him to panic and cause him to be bored or agitated.
If your dog is indoors but reacts to other dogs barking outdoors, consider putting a white noise machine in the room where he sleeps to help drown out the noise. You might also put on the TV or radio if it won’t keep you up.
Another option to deter nighttime barking is to exercise your pet prior to bedtime. An enjoyable game of fetch or a walk will exhaust him and keep him from becoming interested in trying to get the moon’s attention.
Bark collars and ultrasonic bark-deterrents are also a great way to instruct your dog to remain quiet. They can be used inside if the dog hears a sound or feels like barking. It is also possible to use them outdoors when your dog barks whenever the object moves or for no reason. Discover what method of controlling bark will work perfectly for both you and your pet.