If you’re fed up with your Border Collie barking all day and you’d give anything for a little bit of hush, then this is the article for you.
Like all dogs, Border Collie’s bark as a way of communicating. The problem however is that unlike some of their quieter counterparts, Border Collie’s don’t stop with an occasional ‘hello’ or ‘how are you?’
This is a breed with a whole lot to say. Whether they’re feeling playful or bored, stressed or lonely, anxious or excited, you can bet you’re going to hear about it.
And you don’t need me to tell you how frustrating that can be. Even if the barking doesn’t bother you, it’s probably doing you no favors with your neighbors.
So what can you do?
Well, the first step to stopping nuisance barking is to understand it. As your dog is unlikely to spell out what’s going on, you’ll need to learn a bit of Canine instead.
Fortunately, it’s not the hardest of languages to understand. And by monitoring the circumstances around your dog’s howling, you should soon be able to work out what’s turning them into a barking machine.
In some cases, they might just be barking for sport. They’ve got nothing in particular to say, but short of having anything else to do, they let out a few barks for kicks and giggles.
In other cases, the behavior might be rooted in fear, stress, territorialism, or something equally significant.
Ultimately, you’re not going to be able to eliminate all forms of barking.
And neither should you try – after all, how else will your dog communicate with you if not by barking?
You can, however, do wonders at keeping the barking under control.
The first step? …teaching your Border Collie how to control their emotions.
This is why before we delve any further into the whys and hows of barking, I’d highly recommend taking a moment to watch the short video below from Dan Abdelnoor over at The Online Dog Trainer.
During the video, Dan reveals the missing piece of the puzzle that will quickly help your dog master their emotions – a key ingredient in bringing problematic barking into line.
Once you introduce the training into your regime, you should notice a marked improvement in your dog’s behavior relatively quickly.
Here’s the link to take a look: Click Here To Discover How To Finally Solve Your Border Collies, Frustrating, Annoying Barking Habit Using A Simple, Highly Effective Training Technique That Takes Just Minutes A Day To Apply… Even If You’ve Tried & Failed Before!
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Why Do Border Collies Bark?
Why do border collies bark? …Why does night follow day? Ultimately, barking is 100% normal. It’s natural, it’s normal, and most of the time, it’s nothing at all to worry about.
But when it’s constant (as it quite often is with Border Collies), it signifies that something else may be going on.
Working out exactly why your dog is barking might sound tricky. After all, how can you be expected to know what’s going on in a dog’s head? But it’s actually easier than you might think.
Consider the overall picture. Think about what’s happening around your dog when the barking starts. Then take a look at some of these common reasons for barking.
Do any fit the profile?
Boredom
Border Collies were bred as working dogs. They’re used to having a job to do.
If they aren’t kept busy with plenty of mental and physical activities, they can get bored and frustrated. And when that happens, it’s only a matter of time before they realize that barking is a very useful way of releasing some steam.
Sounding the Alert
Border Collies make excellent guard dogs. If they notice anything unusual, they’ll bark to alert you to the possible threat.
While alert barking might be useful when you live in the middle of nowhere, it can quickly lose its appeal if you live in a crowded neighborhood.
Loneliness
Border Collies are social butterflies. They love nothing more than companionship.
Deprive them of company and attention for too long, and they’ll use those big brains of theirs to figure out a solution.
Barking may not always get them positive attention, but even negative attention is better than none at all.
Natural Instinct
Never underestimate just how deep natural instincts can run.
Border Collies were bred with the specific intent of herding sheep. It’s why they’re so intelligent, athletic, and, yep, vocal.
Whereas other herding dogs were bred to herd livestock away from the handler, Border Collies were bred to do the opposite. Their function was to gather the livestock and herd it towards the handler.
Most of the time, they did their job by staring down the livestock in a less than friendly way. If that failed, they’d resort to slightly more forceful tactics, including nipping and barking.
The sheep may have gone, but those age-old habits have stuck around.
Territorial Traits
Back in the day, Border Collies were kings of all they surveyed. In their heads, they still think everything around them belongs to them.
If an ‘intruder’ enters their territory without their permission, they’ll bark and even nip at their heels to see them off.
While that may be a great way of dealing with actual intruders, it’s not the best way to welcome visitors or the mailman.
Fear
Border Collies might be bold and fearless in their work. But like all dogs, they’re susceptible to developing fears and anxieties in certain situations.
If a Border Collie develops a fear, then any exposure to their trigger can lead to them feeling threatened or under attack.
Usually, they’ll try and run away from whatever’s frightening them. If they can’t, they’ll resort to barking, snapping, and other aggressive displays in an attempt to make the thing go away.
Related Post: Why Is My Puppy Barking At Me? – How To Quiet A Noisy Pup
How to Stop a Border Collie Barking
Border Collies are prodigious barkers. No matter how much you try, you’ll never get them to adopt a vow of silence. But that’s ok.
Occasional, friendly barking is fine. It’s the constant, demanding barking that’s the issue. And fortunately, there’s plenty you can do to bring that kind of barking under control.
The first step? Introducing a little calm into proceedings. An overexcited or tense dog isn’t a dog that’s going to respond or even listen to your instructions. A calm, controlled dog is one that will.
By applying the training Dan recommends over at The Online Dog Trainer, you’ll quickly learn how you can demonstrate your leadership skills by teaching your dog how to bring their emotions under control.
The end result will be a dog that’s ready and willing to approach life with a calmer, more controlled perspective.
What does that mean?
It means less excitable barking and a willingness to give these great techniques their full attention.
Ignore It
It may sound an impossible thing to do, but the best response to your dog’s demand barking is to ignore it.
Whether your dog is barking to get your attention or to let you know they’d like a snack, rewarding the behavior by responding to it will simply encourage them to do it again.
Border Collies are bright, after all. If they know barking gets them attention, why would they ever stop?
To teach them their old tricks don’t work anymore, practice turning your back and walking away whenever they bark inappropriately.
With time and consistency, they’ll soon learn that barking doesn’t get results. Once that happens, they’ll stop relying on it quite so much.
Give Them Something to Do
Border Collies are working dogs. They’re used to having something to do and draw confidence from doing a job well.
Deny them the opportunity to put those big brains of theirs to work, and you’ll soon be looking at a bored, frustrated dog.
And if there’s one thing all bored, frustrated dogs have in common, it’s their tendency to bark.
Barking might not be the most constructive use of their time, but it does at least give them something to do.
To end boredom barking, find new ways to keep your dog busy.
Sign them up for an agility class, teach them obedience, and train them in some new tricks.
You could even give them a dedicated task to do each day, such as fetching your slippers in the evening or retrieving the newspaper from the doorstep in the morning.
Interactive games and food dispensing toys can also go a long way to keeping them stimulated and engaged.
Teach Them The Quiet Command
A smart breed like the Border Collie responds well to obedience training. Use your dog’s natural intelligence to your advantage by teaching them the ‘Quiet’ command.
Next time they start barking, wait for them to draw a breath. Once they stop howling, say ‘Quiet’ and reward them with a tasty treat.
If you keep repeating the process several times a day, your Border Collie will quickly learn what ‘Quiet’ means.
Remember to only reward your dog during their quiet moments: rewarding them while they’re still barking will just reinforce the behavior.
Add Some Exercise
A sedentary walk around the block once a day won’t meet your dog’s activity needs. If you want to draw a line under boredom barking, you’ll need to give them plenty of opportunities to burn off some steam.
Aim to introduce another walk into their routine. If you’re away from home for most of the day, consider asking a friend or dog walker to pop by midday to take them for a run at the park.
Remember – exercise doesn’t always need to be structured. A game of frisbee or a session of tug of war are both great outlets for excess energy. Who knows, you might even have as much fun as them.
Close Your Curtains
Border Collies make excellent guard dogs. While that can come in handy, it can also be flat-out annoying.
If your pooch spends most of their day patrolling the yard or alerting you each time a leaf blows past the window, do the obvious. Remove their triggers.
Close your curtains or invest in an opaque film that blocks their view. Seal off your yard with a solid wood fence.
Once you’ve removed the triggers, your dog will be able to relax and go about its business without constantly sounding the alert.
Leave the TV On
If your dog barks out of loneliness while you’re away from home, find ways to comfort them. Something as simple as leaving the TV or radio on can go a long way to soothing their frazzled nerves.
It won’t convince them you’re around (Border Collies are far too bright for that), but the familiar sounds can help reassure them.
You might even want to try a two-way camera that’ll let you keep an eye on your dog while you’re away.
If you notice your dog is becoming agitated or fretful, you can use the camera to talk to them and soothe them. Some options will even let you dispense treats.
Dial Down the Excitement
If your dog has trouble keeping their emotions in check, you can kiss goodbye to a quiet life.
Whether your dog barks out of excitement or out of anxiety, Dan’s Online Dog Trainer Program can help them regain control and take ownership of their emotions.
Restful music, relaxing aromatherapy, and calming pheromones can also work wonders for soothing frazzled nerves.
Final Thoughts
Border Collies might be some of the world’s biggest barkers, but they also happen to be one of the smartest breeds around.
Use those smarts to your advantage. Teach them basic obedience, give them a job to do, and engage them with plenty of mental and physical activity.
With positive reinforcement, proper training, and a consistent approach, you should soon be able to bring that problematic barking under control.
