Do Dogs Get Physically Tired from Barking?

Your dog barks all the time, and you can’t help but wonder if sometimes he physically tires himself out from all the exertion. I’ll tell you in this article!

Do dogs get physically tired from barking? Dogs do not get physically tired from barking since the behavior is self-reinforcing. Exhaustion might make them slow their barking pace a little, but they’ll keep barking until you address the cause of the barking.

In this article, I’ll talk further about whether dogs get tired from barking and how long that would theoretically take. I’ll also discuss why your dog is barking so you can enjoy a quieter household!

Do Dogs Get Tired of Barking?

All dogs bark, whether that’s a loud, booming bark or a soft one. Some breeds are exceptionally vocal, and others bark on occasion, but any dog is susceptible to long barking jags.

If your dog barks to excess, you might have tried a little exercise. Rather than ask anything and everything of your dog trying to decode why they’re barking, you decided to let them tire themselves out.

Will it happen?

Not like you were hoping. Dogs don’t get tired of barking.

To a dog, barking is a self-reinforcing behavior. In other words, it’s genetically hard-wired into the dog’s DNA to do it, as doing it feels nice for the dog.

That said, in most cases, your dog is barking for a reason. Some dogs like the sound of their own voice, but for many more, it serves a purpose. It’s a form of communication.

I’ll talk more in the next section about why your dog may be barking, so be sure to check that out.

Once you know why your dog is barking and can address that issue (such as taking them out for a walk or feeding them), then the barking should stop.

Why Is My Dog Barking?

So now it’s time to get into the meat of the matter, and that’s why your four-legged friend has been barking all morning.

There are plenty of reasons, so let’s take a closer look now.

In Pain

A dog in pain is a heartbreaking sight, but you won’t have to wonder how your doggy’s feeling when he’ll bark to indicate it.

Perhaps your dog is playing with another pup in the house or at the dog park and he suddenly lets out a large yelp. His bark could trail or raise several pitches higher than usual.

Your dog is telling you that he’s hurting! 

Outside of rough play with another canine, whether that’s one you live with or not, dogs might bark painfully if they’re in a situation that they want to stop.

What if you’re sitting with your canine companion but they yelp or screech when you pet them? Unfortunately, your dog doesn’t want to be touched right now, and he’s letting you know.

Either they’re sick or they’re injured, and it could possibly be both. You need to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian immediately to determine what’s going on with your pooch.

Anxious or Fearful

Some people think that dogs only cower and whimper when they’re afraid, but that’s not necessarily true. They could bark as well.

The same goes for when they’re feeling anxious about a situation. This is known as defensive barking.

Your dog may growl as they bark, and their barks could be deeper than usual. You can sometimes even hear some urgency in your dog’s voice.

The dog’s body language will completely transform as well. Your canine companion won’t look confident as he barks fearfully or anxiously.

Instead, he’ll lower his head, raise his hackles, and tuck his tail in between his legs.

Usually, once the fear or anxiety-inducing stimulus (or stimuli) is gone, your pup should return back to normal relatively soon and stop barking.

Territorial

Some dogs have a territorial streak a mile wide while others are only somewhat territorial, but the drive is there, nevertheless.

Territorial barking sounds a lot like fear or anxiety barking. Your dog is trying to express to you that he’s wary about whoever is encroaching on his property. He’s also making it loud and clear that he doesn’t like it.

Your dog will not tuck his tail or lower his head when he’s barking territorially unless the stranger or the situation makes the dog feel anxious.

Boredom

Did you know that dogs can get bored? Indeed, they can!

When you play with your four-legged friend, you’re supposed to stimulate them mentally as much as you do physically. 

That often means changing up the toys you use or the route you walk to keep things interesting.

If your dog is very much tired of the same ole, same ole, prepare to get an earful. When you two are playing or on your daily walk, your dog can begin barking.

These aren’t incessant barks, but a single stray bark here and there. The volume and pitch aren’t as high because boredom barks aren’t as urgent.

This is your dog’s way of indicating to you that they need a change in their very stale routine.  

Although boredom barking may be low on your priority list of why your dog is barking, I would say this is very much worth paying attention to.

After all, a bored or dissatisfied dog is likelier to be destructive when left to its own devices. Your pup could begin ripping up your furniture, your shoes, or even your walls just to air some frustration.

Hungry and/or Wants Attention

Here’s the type of barking that most dog owners are the most familiar with.

When your dog wants food, he may go close to his empty bowl or his usual feeding spot and bark at you.

If you see him do this by the door, then that’s clear your dog wants a walk. In other cases still, the barking may not happen at any one particular location.

These attention-seeking barks are long and continual. Your dog will bark once and stretch it out, pausing a little to catch their breath.

While they bark, it’s not uncommon for the dog to still wag its tail.

You don’t want to ignore your dog’s request, but you don’t want to give in to his barking every time either, especially if he begins barking for something he doesn’t need, like treats.

Giving him what he wants to stop the barking creates a dangerous precedent. In your dog’s head, he creates a connection that when he barks, he gets treats.

What do you think happens? That’s right, your dog barks even more often!  

Excitement

When you open the front door after a long day of work, does your dog always greet you excitedly? Maybe you get that kind of strong reaction when you go to take your pup for a walk?

These happy, excited barks may include yowling and yipping as well as barking sounds. The pitch of the barks can be mid-range but is usually a lot higher.

Excitement barks will naturally peter out once the moment has passed, but it’s still always a great thing to come home to!

How Long Can a Dog Bark Before It Tires Itself Out?

Considering that barking is a self-reinforcing behavior in canines, a dog can keep it up for quite a while. But exactly how long is quite a while?

As long as it takes, really. Ideally, that’s until you realize that your dog needs you do something for it and then you do it.

Mentally, your dog can become fatigued and frustrated as they bark, but they won’t stop. If anything, their frustration could renew their vigor to continue barking.

Physically, your dog can grow tired, but their barking might only slow. Perhaps they bring the pitch down a few notches, but they won’t stop.

If you’re hoping your dog is going to bark itself into exhaustion, you’re going to be in for a long day or night.

Please remember that your dog is communicating to you through barking. It can’t speak, so barking is one of its best ways to communicate with you.

Can You Stop Your Dog from Barking So Much?

Asking a dog to stop barking entirely would be the equivalent of requesting that you don’t speak nor express yourself verbally in any other way.

Of course, as a person, you could send a text to someone and still convey most of what you want. Dogs cannot, so they’re going to rely on verbal communication.

Understanding why your dog barks will go a long way towards allowing you to curb it. The following tips can help as well.

Never Yell

Dogs are descendants of wolves, and wolves are pack animals. 

Your dog perceives you as one of its pack, which is something you have to keep in mind when you respond to your pup’s barks.

Your first instinct is going to be to yell, right?

When you begin shouting at your dog to keep it quiet, guess what this looks like to your dog? You’ve raised your voice like he has, so it seems like you’re joining in on his barking.

All that shouting and yelling does is encourage your dog to begin barking louder!

Even if you’re very annoyed, you want to keep a firm but calm tone as you speak.

Teach Them

You can also train your dog to be quieter, but it can take a while.

The next time your dog begins barking his head off, say “quiet.” Remember, you want to be firm and calm as you speak.

You may have to repeat yourself a few times the first time around, but eventually, your dog will pause his barking. 

It’s then that you want to verbally reward him and give him some treats.

Then, the next time your dog barks, repeat this exercise. Your dog will eventually get the picture, that when they stop barking, they’re rewarded for it.

Don’t Wait

If your dog is only barking a little now and it’s already too much for you, address the problem right away.

Otherwise, it can snowball into a much larger issue where your dog barks nonstop all the time.

I want to reiterate that barking is a self-reinforcing behavior, so dogs like doing it. The sooner you can nip the problem in the bud, the better.

Keep Calm Surroundings

If you know that your dog always goes nuts when he spots the mailperson, then close the curtains so your dog can no longer see when the mail delivery truck comes ambling down the street.

Likewise, if loud sounds spook your dog, then turn on the TV or play some soft music so these sounds aren’t as apparent.  

Socialize

When your dog is a puppy, you’re supposed to take them to see a variety of places and people to help them adjust. 

You’re showing your dog that the world is full of all sorts of things and that there’s little need to be afraid.

Some people adopt older dogs who have clearly not been socialized, or at least not been socialized well.

You can socialize an older canine. It’s not as easy, but it’s worth doing.

Socialization involves incremental exposure to certain situations or people. You’d start with two minutes of exposure, then five minutes, then 10 minutes, and so on and so forth.

Once your dog is more socialized to the other members of your household, both human and animal, you might not hear him bark as much.

Exercise

You can always deplete your dog’s energy so he doesn’t feel inclined to bark by engaging in some vigorous play.

I would only recommend this solution if your dog barks when left alone at home. If your pup is barking out of fear, anxiety, or any of the other reasons I spotlighted, then you need to address the root cause.

See Your Vet

Finally, I would suggest scheduling a trip to your dog’s vet. You would hate to find out that all this time, your dog was barking so much because he was hurting. Get him seen and evaluated.

If there’s nothing wrong, then great! You know your dog’s barking isn’t as serious.