Barking - Why Does My Small, Toy Breed Dog Bark So Much?

All dogs bark at one time or another. I’ve had a dozen or so dogs during my lifetime and I have heard all of them bark at various times. But for the last fifteen years I’ve owned small, toy breeds such as Maltese, Yorkshire Terriers, Chihuahuas, and Dachshunds and the barking is unbelievable! I decided to investigate why this occurs.

Dogs bark when they have something to tell us or when something is different in their surroundings and they need to evaluate the situation. Just like infants and toddlers, making noise gets attention from the creatures around you who are able to help. I currently have a male Maltese and a female Yorkshire Terrier at my house. I have taken a survey over the past two weeks and found that they are most likely to bark when:

they run out of drinking water and need for me to refill itthey are missing a favorite toy and want me to locate itthey hear an unusual sound and want me to know about itthey hear a vehicle that they are not familiar with, or that makes a loud annoying sound, such as the garbage truck or a furniture delivery truckthey hear an unfamiliar voicesomeone they do not know comes too close to themsomeone they do know tries to leave themAll of these examples are instances where they are uncomfortable with what is happening in their territory. They do not bark when the phone rings, the television or radio is playing, people they know come and go from the house, or when the dishwasher is on. They have become accustomed to these sounds and have no reason to be alarmed. My recommendation to teach you small, toy breed dogs to keep from barking so much is twofold. First, get them used to as many sounds as possible that are likely to be heard in your home on a regular basis, and second, do not subject your dog to sounds or events that you already know will be upsetting or unsettling to them.

Dogs truly are man’s best friend. If we treat them with respect and dignity they will give us years of faithful companionship.

Connie Ragen Green has been a dog lover for half a century and currently shares her home with three dogs, a cat, and a King snake. You can find out more about training your small dog by visiting YorkshireTerriersAreTheBest.com YorkshireTerriersAreTheBest.com

Tags: chihuahua, yorkshire terrier

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Tags: chihuahua, yorkshire terrier