Why do dogs bark? They do it for many reasons but the most common one is for communication.
It can also be a sign of dominance, an aggressive warning, a way of getting attention or protecting his territory.
However, excessive barking is a dog problem.
A dog sees your home as his pack's territory.
He will protect this area by alerting the rest of the group that there are strangers coming and possible danger.
You want him to let you know about unwanted visitors but constant barking at people and other dogs is a nuisance, both for yourself and your neighbours.
Shouting at your dog to stop him barking can actually encourage him to continue, as it gets your attention, even if it is negative attention.
Never, ever hit or beat your dog.
Cruelty is never the answer.
Besides, he might stop barking out of fear when you are there, but will begin barking again when you are not around.
Do not get angry with your dog, praise and reward him when he stops barking and remains quiet, give him lots of exercise, make sure he has water and shelter when he is left alone, leave a variety of toys to stop him getting bored and keep up his obedience training.
Teach him the "quiet" command.
Dog Barking Sounds.
Dogs get bored if they are left alone for long periods of time so they bark to relieve the boredom.
This type of barking is repeated over and over with little change in volume or tone.
When a dog is happy the pitch of the barking is higher and joyful.
A happy, barking dog will usually wag his tail, have his rear end in the air and front elbows down in a playful body posture.
When a dog gives a warning bark the tone is lower and husky which makes the dog sound mean.
The dog will have a tense posture, hair raised on his back, ears pointing back or forward and a stiff, switching tail.
If a dog needs to go outside to relieve himself or it's feeding time, he might give a sharp, short bark.
Illness and senility can be the cause of barking in older dogs.
An elderly dog can get disorientated and confused or he could be in pain.
This barking is usually a low whining sound.
Take him to your vet for a check up.
Listen closely and you can hear the different barks.
Some people actually train a dog to bark.
Security or guard dogs like Rottweilers, German Shepherds and Doberman's are trained to bark.
It is their job to alert us when there are intruders.
Hunting dogs like Bloodhounds and Beagles bark or "bay" to let their owners know they have found something.
A breed of dog originating from Africa, known as a Basenji has no bark but makes a sound known as a "baroo".
It is also known as the "Barkless Dog".
Understanding why your dog is barking and the different dog sounds he is making, can help you recognise the problem and make it easier to solve it.