It's time for bed. You've put away your phone, had a busy day, and are ready for some good night's sleep. You turn off the lights, snuggle into your cosy bed, and finally drift off.
But alas, your dog senses your need for rest and decides it’s the perfect time to bark, whine, and howl. If you "shush" your dog, you teach them that they get attention when they make noise. But if you ignore them, they’ll continue barking endlessly.
The solution lies in figuring out why they bark in the first place. Then we show you how to stop your dog barking at night with effective anti-bark collars and tools, or how to stop it without any tools!
Learn about why your dog might be barking at night, how to stop your dog from barking at night, and if you need any tools to stop the barking!
Why is My Dog Barking at Night?
1. Attention
Your dog might be an attention seeker - they may bark because they want food, a belly rub, or something else from you.
If your dog barks for attention, it’s likely why they continue to whine and bark at night.
With an attention-seeking dog, giving them no attention to their behaviour is the only way to stop it. That means not telling them to "shush" as well.
2. Fear
Remember how you were scared of the dark when you were a child? Your dog feels the same anxiety and may bark at any noise that feels scary or startling. It's an alarm for others and their way of saying, "Hey, something is happening, be aware".
3. Loneliness
Loneliness is different from attention-seeking; lonely dogs can never seem to settle down. The dog feels this way because they want to sleep with or near you; being separated goes against their pack animal instincts.
4. Boredom
Bored dogs are likely to make more noise. If there’s nothing for them to do, they feel their only option is to vocalise their feelings.
The best cure for bored dogs is lots of interactive, enriching toys that are also quiet for nighttime. Create your own enrichment toys.
A good, quiet enrichment toy is tying an old towel into a knot and shoving some treats into the knot. It will keep your dog busy without creating noise.
5. Noise Sensitive
Dogs hear better than we do, but that also means they can’t shut out noises and distractions as easily. Your home may be quiet to you, but it might be pretty loud for your dog. To help a noise-sensitive dog, block out some external noise with white noise. Keep the TV or radio on, or invest in a white noise machine.
6. There is Something Outside
Some dogs bark at triggers. For example, your dog may bark at night if it sees a cat. If there is no pattern to the barking, it may be worth filming your dog's sleeping area to ensure no stimulus triggers them to bark. Then you can focus on preventing these triggers from being near your dog. Now you understand why your dog might be barking at night, let’s dive into how to stop dog barking at night.
Here’s How to Stop Dog Barking at Night
There are techniques you can try to stop your dog from barking at night. If you don't want to use anti-bark collars, teach them that no matter how much they bark and whine, it won’t get your attention. This will be tough. To fix this, you have to ignore your dog, which means the barking will get worse before it gets better! You have to stay strong and not respond. That means no calling out, no yelling, and don’t let your dog out of their sleeping space. Another solution is tiring your dog out before bed. Take your dog for a late walk, play together, or play some tug of war. Physically wearing your dog out will hopefully make them sleep instead of bark. You can use other tools to stop your dog from barking at night, which might make you feel less guilty!
Tools to Stop My Dog Barking at Night
We recommend three excellent options to get your dog to stop barking at night. These devices aim to distract your dog from excessive barking. So you can focus on rewarding calmer behaviours at night.
Option 1: Ultrasonic Devices
Ultrasonic devices emit a high-pitched ultrasonic noise that only dogs can hear.
This device works similarly to a whistle for humans. When you hear a whistle, you stop and look in that direction - an ultrasonic device is like a whistle only for dogs. It is a safe and effective way to manage barking without attaching anything to your dog.
They also manage more than one dog; if one dog triggers others to bark, like a chain reaction, all your dogs can hear the ultrasonic noise.
You have to face the device towards your dog and turn it on. It will auto-detect barking and emit an ultrasonic noise upon detection.
It is worth noting that not all dogs respond to ultrasonic noises. Going back to the whistle analogy, if you’ve ever watched humans play sports, the stubborn ones ignore the whistle and continue playing.
Some dogs are the same; although they hear the noise, the determined ones won’t be deterred. If this might be your dog, options 2 and 3 may suit you better.
Option 2: Citronella Collars
Our citronella collar range is one of our best sellers - and it's clear why. They’re very effective at distracting your dog.
Place the citronella collar on the dog's neck with the receiver on the side. When your dog barks excessively, the collar emits a mist of non-toxic citronella spray towards your dog's muzzle. The spray's scent and sensation are unusual for your dog, making it effective.
The receiver isn't big enough to affect how your dog lies down or sleeps, ensuring a peaceful night's sleep.
Option 3: Bark Collars
A Bark Collar, also known as an 'e-collar', is another type of auto-bark detecting collar. Instead of emitting a mist of citronella spray, they emit another distraction.
Bark collars can come in different modes; sound, vibration, and static shock. These distractions are never painful. They simply aim to divert your dog's attention.
Many are intimidated by the static shock feature on a bark collar. However, the shock isn't painful. It’s similar to the 'zap' you get from rubbing your feet on a carpet and touching something else. This option might be necessary for stubborn dogs that ignore mild distractions.
If you’re concerned about the static shock, we recommend testing the collar on your palm.
Most of our bark collars allow you to choose the intensity of the distraction, so you can tailor it to your dog’s needs.
If you are exhausted and need a solution, there are ways to stop your dog barking at night quickly. Browse our range of anti-bark collars here, and if you’re struggling to decide, check out our buying guide or call our helpful customer service team.
