Help! Why Is My Golden Retriever Barking All The Time?

If you’ve recently become victim to your golden retriever barking, then this is the most important page you’re ever going to read.

Now, it’s no secret that dogs bark. It’s ultimately how they communicate, so the idea that you should aim to stop your dog barking completely isn’t the point of this post.

The point, however, is to encourage the right kind of barking while at the same time eliminating the obsession to bark when the occasion doesn’t call for it.

Which begs the question, what’s the quickest and easiest way to get this done?

Well, the first step to stopping any type of unwanted barking is to figure out why it’s happening in the first place.

Because if you can correctly pinpoint what’s causing your dogs need to obsessively bark. You’ll be much better equipped to put effective measures in place to address it.

But in addition to this, it’s also important to understand how teaching your dog to be calm and in control of their emotions can provide massive benefits in curbing this behavior as well.

This is why before you do anything else, I’d highly recommend taking a look at the 5 step-by-step calming exercises from Dan Abdelnoor over at the Online Dog Trainer. (see video below)

In a nutshell, these specific exercises have changed the lives of thousands of dog owners who have faced a multitude of behavioral issues like aggression, leash pulling, and yes, even barking.

And I guarantee that if you watch the video, implement the exercises, and stay consistent. You’ll see a huge difference in your Golden Retrievers ability to refrain from barking in situations that would normally trigger it.

Anyway, here’s the link to take a look: 5 Step-By-Step Calming Exercises To Stop Your Golden Retriever’s Obsessive, Annoying Barking Habit…

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Why Is My Golden Retriever Barking?

Again, understanding why your Golden Retriever loves nothing more than to give you an earful is ground zero when it comes to solving the issue once and for all.

So to give you a few ideas on why it’s happening, consider the following…

They’re Raising The Alarm/Alert Barking

Being the naturally alert creatures they are, dogs love to be the first to tell everyone in the neighborhood what’s going on.

And while some breeds can be a lot more obsessed over sounding the alarm than others. The truth is that no dog is immune to the occasional barking fit if they deem it to be necessary.

Why do they do it? …the list goes on.

But the primary difference between an alarm barker and a dog that’s barking for other reasons is that a dog that raises the alarm has seen something of interest. And they feel it’s their sworn duty to let you know about it ASAP.

While this can be useful in certain situations (for instance, an intruder lurking in the shadows of your garden). It’s not as welcome at 3am in the morning when your dog has spotted the neighbors cat creeping along the fence.

Territorial/Possessive Barking

As the name suggests, territorial or possessive barking is just that, a clear warning to either get off your dog’s turf (territorial)…

…Or to get away from something that your dog feels is rightfully theirs. (possessive)

To being honest, this type of barking does share some similarities with sounding the alarm, as previously discussed. The only difference here is that the barking can be reduced to specific locations or items both in and around the home.

For instance, over time, you may notice your dog become extremely protective around the food bowl or a toy they’ve taken a particular shine to.

Now provided you keep your distance, things will generally be fine.

But if you even think about taking what your dog is hell-bent on guarding, then you’re going to have problems.

Fear Barking

You might be surprised to hear that dogs are just as likely to bark in situations they feel threatened by compared to anything else.

It doesn’t happen all the time, but if your dog feels there is no other way out of a situation they deem to be scary. Their last line of defense is usually to go for broke and bark as if their life depends on it.

This behavior stems back thousands of years and is typically known as your dog’s ‘fight or flight response.’

It’s also something that Dan covers extensively over at the Online Dog Trainer when he takes you through the 5 step-by-step calming exercises discussed earlier.

So if you haven’t done so already, watch the video to the very end to see how you can quickly get to grips with dealing with this behavior.

Barking Due To Anxiety

Dogs get anxious a lot more than we care to realize. And while you wouldn’t typically think an anxious dog would be prone to barking, I’m here to tell you that the exact opposite is true.

This type of barking mainly displays itself in dogs with severe separation anxiety. So if you find your dog barks incessantly the moment you leave, only to hush up the moment you return. You could very well be dealing with an anxious dog.

One of the tell signs of a dog that barks out of separation anxiety is their body language upon your return.

If your dog acts as though nothing has happened, then they were very likely just vying for attention.

However, if your dog displays real signs of distress like shaking, destructive behavior, or worse still, submissive urination. Then I’d be willing to bet you’re dealing with a clear-cut case of separation anxiety.

Attention/Boredom Barking

We all get bored from time to time, and dogs are no different. The trick to dealing with boredom however, is to first understand your dog’s physical and mental needs.

Golden retrievers, in particular, are ‘very active breeds.’ And they’ll ideally need a minimum of 2 hours of exercise a day to keep them happy and content.

In addition to this, you’d be doing yourself and your Goldie a huge favor by giving them some mentally stimulating activities to keep their brain engaged.

Programs like Brain Training For Dogs are the perfect opportunity to see how smart your dog can really be.

And who knows, maybe in time you’ll be a proud owner of a Retriever who matches the intelligence of Einstein.

How To Stop A Golden Retriever Barking

While there are many ways to stop a Golden Retriever barking, some methods are a lot more beneficial than others.

Far too many times have I seen an owner simply yell at their dog in an attempt to keep the peace.

The result? …a dog who thinks that shouting is an effective way to communicate. And will continue to bark regardless.

So what’s the best way to go about quieting an obsessive barking dog?

Let’s find out…

Start With Some Exercises

There’s an age-old saying that goes a little something like this…

“A Tired Dog Is A Happy Dog”

Basically, dogs need exercises and lots of it for them to be able to wind down.

And without it, they’re likely to find another outlet (in this case, barking) to get rid of any pent-up energy they haven’t already removed through physical and mental exercises.

Golden Retrievers need at least 2-hours of physical exercise a day along with a few mentally challenging games to keep their mind sharp.

And it’s ultimately your responsibility as their owner to provide them with this outlet to keep them in check.

Again, the Brain Training For Dogs Program has some great ideas for mentally stimulating games you can teach your Goldie.

But in addition to this, a game of fetch, interactive toys, or even a playful game of tug of war could be all that’s needed to keep barking at bay.

Remove The Motivation To Bark

Have you ever been in the middle of something really important, only to lose focus the moment someone interrupts?

Well, it’s the same for dogs.

While they might be A-Ok taking a quick snooze on the couch. The sight of the mailman approach could be all that’s needed to send your dog into a barking frenzy.

The fix? …remove the motivation to bark.

For instance, if your Golden Retriever is especially prone to barking at the mailman, close the curtains and limit their view.

If they happen to bark at the neighbor’s cat at 3am, consider moving their sleeping area to a different room to remove the distraction.

It sounds ridiculously simple, I know, but more often than not, this is all that’s needed to dial down your dog’s motivation to bark.

See, despite what you might think, dogs that bark for these specific reasons don’t do it because they enjoy it. They do it because they sense a potential threat. And when this happens, they’ll do everything in their power to make it go away.

But remove their visibility of the threat, and your Goldie will genuinely be a lot happier.

Ignore the behavior

They say ignorance is bliss and when it comes to barking. And sometimes it can be.

Now, just to give you a little heads up, this particular technique doesn’t work in every barking scenario. And you’ll be waiting a lifetime if you think your dog will stop barking if you ignore them each and every time.

But in certain situations where attention barking is concerned (i.e. your dog’s persistent barking is directed towards you). It can be amazing what this method can do in such a short space of time.

So here’s what you need to do…

Next time your Goldie starts barking obsessively, simply turn your back on them and ignore the behavior.

Don’t even react. Just keep your back turned until your dog gets the message and keeps quiet.

If this doesn’t initially work, then you can take things one step further by leaving the room completely and waiting it out until your dog stops barking.

When they do, immediately return to the room and gauge their reaction.

If the barking starts again, repeat the previous step until your dog has stopped barking, and again, re-enter the room.

Here’s the trick… Once you’re Goldie has remained quiet for at least ten seconds, reward them with positive praise, attention, and maybe a few treats to top things off.

The idea here is to get your dog to learn to associate NOT barking with getting rewarded. And in doing so, they’ll be less inclined to bark in similar situations.

Just be aware that it can take several attempts at this for your dog to start getting the message.

But keep at it, and you’ll be surprised at how well it can work.

Encourage A Little Calm

I know we’ve previously talked about the power of calm energy a little earlier in this post. But I feel it’s important to restate this fact nonetheless.

Teaching your Goldie how to remain calm and in control of their emotions is the single best thing you can do to stop unwanted barking.

Again, the 5 step-by-step calming exercises I highlighted earlier are a sure-fire way to get the ball rolling here, so if you haven’t checked them out yet, now would be the time to take a look.

In addition to this, it’s important to understand how your own behavior can sometimes affect how your dog reacts in certain situations.

Golden Retrievers are highly intelligent, and they tend to pick up on the behavior of those around them. So if you’ll tend to lose your temper and/or shout a lot. Then in they’ll eventually start to follow suit and bark as a result.

Wrapping Things Up

At the end of the day, getting your Golden Retriever to stop barking in the wrong circumstances can be challenging. But it’s by no means impossible given the time, patience, and the right plan of action.

Just remember that figuring out why your Goldie is barking will always be the first step to understanding how to effectively deal with it.

Combine this with the advice highlighted above. And they’ll eventually get the message and learn to limit their barking to when it’s needed the most.