At first, when your dog barked in your face, you may have thought it was cute. The only problem now is that it happens so often that you’re over it. So, now you want to know the answer to the question: why does my dog bark in my face? Keep reading to find out the reasons a dog barking in face happens and how to make it stop.
Why Does My Dog Bark in My Face?
A dog that barks in someone’s face wants something. It could be attention, comfort, a treat, a walk, or playtime. Giving your dog what you believe he/she wants usually stops a dog from barking in your face.
Common Reasons for Dog Barking in Face
Digging deeper into the reasons for dog barking in face will help you identify why yours is doing it.
Attention
If you’re busy watching your favorite Netflix show and your dog is bored, your dog may start to whimper. If that doesn’t get your attention, constant barking is the next step.
Dogs know that demand barking works because they try it one time and receive the response they want. How many times do you try to figure out what your dog wants when he/she is barking in your face?
Excited
When a dog gets excited, he/she will bark in your face to communicate that it’s time to join in on the excitement. The dog barking in face may be accompanied by jumping, running, and throwing a favorite toy up in the air.
You will know this is the reason for your dog barking in your face if you start to get excited with your dog and he/she stops barking.
Wanting a Treat or Walk
Again, demand barking happens because it works. When a dog barks, a dog owner often wonders what the cause is and when the dog runs to the treat cupboard or hook where the leash is hung, it’s not a mystery that he/she wants a treat or walk.
A barking dog is a needy dog. Excessive barking can become highly frustrating for dog owners and neighbors. That’s why it’s important that your dog get adequate exercise and mental stimulation to ensure the barking problem doesn’t continue.
Protecting Territory
Alarm barking can be great when there’s a true threat, but unfortunately, many times there isn’t a true reason for it. An anxious dog can become territorial whenever people (new or familiar) come around.
A dog barking in face is simply just a way that some dogs need to get the message across that there are people to be aware of that may try to cause harm.
Aggression or Reactive
Along with territorial barking, dogs that are aggressive or reactive can bark in people’s faces. Sometimes, it’s to alert there is something wrong and other times it’s to threaten the person that is causing the anxiety.
It is very important to make sure a dog’s barking isn’t an alert that aggressive behavior is coming next. You can tell if your dog is about to attack by paying attention to his/her body language. Since many dogs bark before they are about to bite, it’s a good idea to identify what’s behind your dog’s behavior so you can keep everyone safe.
Learn More: Does CBD Help with Dog Aggression?
Dementia
Older dogs can bark in people’s faces because they have a hard time understanding what is happening around them. They may do it for comfort as well.
It’s a good idea to consider your dog’s brain and the possibility of dementia if barking issues begin after 10 years old. Reach out to your veterinarian to discuss if dementia may be a possibility. Some of the signs of it along with barking are:
- Anxiety
- No longer responding to name
- Irritability
- Decreased desire to play
- Disorientation
- Confusion
- Change in sleep-wake cycles
- Incontinence
- Trouble eating and drinking
- Repetitive and restless movements
How to Stop Dog Barking in Face
The best way to stop dog barking in face is by identifying the behavioral problem and then working on the reasons for the barking.
Some dogs bark because of stressors, so removing the stress can stop the barking. Other dogs, bark because of inner turmoil that can be resolved by training. Unfortunately, training could take a long time, so there are other ways to stop the barking while working on the barking behavior.
The following are some of the best ways to stop dog barking in face.
Adequate Exercise
Dogs have a lot of energy, even small dogs. Take your pup for 15 minutes or more walk each day. A dog park is a great place for a dog to get some exercise, so if you have one near your house, take advantage of it.
Reward Quiet Behavior
Positive reinforcement is the best way to train a dog. Whenever your dog doesn’t bark at something that he/she usually barks at, reward the quiet behavior.
Use the Quiet Command
Teaching the quiet command can do wonders for barking, especially demand barkers.
You don’t need to use that word exactly. Any verbal cue will work. Just be sure to use eye contact.
Bark Collars
Bark collars aren’t as bad as some people think. They are very effective at reducing barking because they either set off an alert or vibration, which isn’t pleasant to dogs every time barking happens.
You can learn more about barking collars by learning about the below ones:
Dog Ownership Guide believes Happy Dogs ~ Happy Owners. For dogs that may not be scared while barking, but rather happy or excited, it might be a good idea to get some earplugs. Shouting oftentimes doesn’t work.
There are barking collars, which may help if your property doesn’t exactly enjoy your pup’s symphony. Below are some dog products if you’re interested.
This is a SUPER humane bark collar. All it does is beep and vibrate when your dog barks. There are 7 levels of intensity but even the highest level isn’t enough to hurt your pooch. It just gets your dog’s attention and with some training on what it means it goes off, and your dog will learn to suppress his desire to bark all the time.
Muzzles for Barking
Muzzles for barking are another dog product that should be considered to stop barking behavior. While you don’t want to decrease the quality of your dog’s life with it, it can be useful during times when barking isn’t appropriate.
Many dog owners use muzzles for dog barking at night. Always make sure the muzzle fits your dog correctly and that it is not used all the time. A few hours is okay, but all the time is abusive – even for reactive dogs.
CBD for Dog Barking
CBD is safe and effective for dog barking. CBD has calming effects when a dog’s bark behavior is due to anxiety, hyperactivity, or aggression in the case of reactive dogs.
Learn more about CBD for dogs by reading:
Will CBD Help My Dog Stop Barking?
Mental Stimulation
Excessive barking due to boredom can be easily resolved with toys that provide mental stimulation. The following chew toys can stimulate mental activity to help with boredom.
You can also find some good things to give your pup for more stimulation in our Shop.
Dog Training for Behavioral Problems
Behavioral problems such as demand barking and territorial barking can be resolved with dog training. By teaching a barking dog that it isn’t good to bark at people or other animals, territorial barking can become a thing of the past. With the demand barking, dog training can be used to teach other ways to request something other than barking in the face.
Contact a professional dog trainer for more information on how to train your dog with behavioral problems.
Have a New Dog?
If you’ve recently added a new dog to your household, you may be thinking of rehoming your dog because of the constant barking. Please understand that moving to a new house and living with new people.
It can take a long time for your dog’s barking to slow down but it will get better, especially with some of the methods mentioned above.
Tackling Dog Barking in Face
Now you know the reasons why your dog is barking in your face and what to do about it so it stops. If you have any other barking issues, consider reading these articles:
Chihuahua Aggressive to Other Dogs
