When does crate training help with barking?
Before we can determine if crating will help your dog to stop barking, we will examine why dogs bark in the first place.
Generally, barking is a way of communication. It is unreasonable to expect a dog to never bark. While some breeds such as the Basenji are known for rarely barking, most dogs and mixes bark frequently. Some breeds are known for their tendency to be very vocal, such as Shelties or Pyrenean Shepherds.
Dogs bark:
- When something startles them
- When they want to alert their family
- When they are stressed or scared
- When they are excited
- When they want something (such as their dinner or to go for a walk)
- When they play
- When they have to go outside to potty
- When they are bored and do not get their exercise needs met
- When they are frustrated
- When they hear a sound that they associated barking with (such as the doorbell for many dogs)
As you can see – the reasons for baring can be manyfold! And the solution will be as well. Crating a dog who wants to go outside to potty will not make him bark any less – he needs to go out and take care of his business.
Crate training will help with barking in most situations in which a dog barks due to excitement, stress or reactivity.
If your dog for example barks every afternoon when he sees the UPS truck arrive, crating him beforehand in a room from which he cannot see or hear the truck will keep him quiet.
If your dog barks when he is in the yard, calling him inside and crating him can interrupt his barking.