A barking dog can be frustrating, a dog that barks excessively can be simply annoying. Especially to your neighbors. As a dog owner your neighbors expect you to know what to do. Well, what if you don't? Here is the information you've and your neighbors have been hoping for.

First, you have to know that some dogs were bred to be vocal. Like sporting dogs, such as beagles, and hounds. They were bred to hunt and bay when they are tracking what they are hunting after. Second, most of a dogs barking comes from a lack of neccesities. If your dog has a lack of water, food, or shelter if they are outside dogs, then they will bark to try and communicate this with you. Make sure all the needs are met, and that should help with much of the barking. Also, remember your dog will bark if they are lonely. Give your poor pouch a little love and see if that helps with the barking.

If your dog continues to bark, and spend a great deal outside, they may just be bored, and barking gives them something to do. Go outside and play with them. Help them get rid of that extra energy. You can also bring them inside, but you may want to wait until they have settled down and are no longer barking. They will learn to associate barking with attention, and coming into the house. Which will lead to more barking while they are outside.

Also, make sure that if you keep your dog outside for extended periods of time that you take the time to stop and really make sure that they are going to be okay when it comes to shelter and shade on hot days.

The last thing you should ever do is punish your dog for barking. This is their way of communicating with you, and being punished for it will only confuse the poor pup. Especially, if they are barking from loneliness or anxiety, this can cause the problem to get worse, hurt you and your dogs relationship.