Labradoodles are a very popular breed of dog for many first-time dog owners. This can be put down to their cute looks, silky smooth coats, and loving personalities.
This breed of dog is known for its relatively calm temperament and friendliness. But do Labradoodles bark excessively?
The answer to whether Labradoodles bark excessively is neither yes or no, because while Labradoodles do tend to be very vocal and communicative, they do this in more than just barking. When a Labradoodle barks a lot, there is usually a reason.
Let’s look more into these wonderful dogs and their barking habits.
A Brief History Of Labradoodles
The first Labradoodle was bred in 1989 in Australia as a guide dog for a blind Hawaiian woman. Unfortunately, since the woman’s husband suffered from allergies, she couldn’t have a traditional guide dog.
And thus the idea of crossing a Poodle with a Labrador came to fruition. The former was known for its hypoallergenic coat while the latter was known for its ease of training and guiding capabilities.
Nowadays, the Labradoodle has remained so popular thanks to its teddy bear looks and reliable temperament. These companion dogs make excellent members of the family, and some have even been known to excel as therapy dogs.
Since it has genetics from two of the best loved dog breeds in the world, it’s no wonder that the Labradoodle is still such a widely popularized breed.
Labradoodle Barking Habits
No matter what dog you choose to introduce to your family, you will probably be worrying about their barking habits.
We’ve all been there – a neighbor’s dog is continuously barking throughout the middle of the night, keeping you awake for far longer than you wanted to be. No one wants to be the owner of that dog.
Some dog breeds are known for barking excessively. These dogs will bark at everything and anything, from a knock at the door to a tree swaying in the breeze. This can be a nightmare for owners and neighbors, and the dog will need some serious training to stop their excessive barking.
Luckily, Labradoodles do not bark excessively. They are communicative and vocal, but that doesn’t mean that they bark too much. They are often regarded as mild-barkers, only barking when there is a reason for them to be vocal.
Common Reasons Labradoodles Bark
There are many reasons why all dogs bark, and the reasons why they bark might be different for each individual dog. However, the most common reason why Labradoodles bark is because they want to tell you something.
In fact, some vets would be more concerned with dogs that don’t bark, rather than dogs that do.
A bark is how your dog communicates with you and other dogs – it is their equivalent of talking. So, if your Labradoodle is barking every now and then, there is nothing to worry about.
The problem lies in when your Labradoodle begins yapping incessantly. You’ll need to decipher what is causing the barking to understand what you need to do to stop it.
Let’s look at some of the most common reasons why Labradoodles bark.
Yapping To Get Your Attention
No one likes being ignored, and dogs are the exact same. If they feel like they haven’t got enough of your attention, they might start yapping to get it.
This can be annoying for you, but it is easily rectified – just give them some attention and lots of snuggles.
Other signs that your Labradoodle wants more attention is biting the furniture or chewing your belongings. These are all signs that they want you to play with them some more and are missing their human connection.
If your dog is constantly feeling neglected and they bark at you, you might give them immediate attention and ask them what’s wrong. Here your dog will learn that when they bark, they get your attention.
Thus begins the cycle of yapping for attention.
Excitement Barking!
Some Labradoodles like to bark when they’re happy! If your dog gets super excited, they might want to be vocal about it and start yapping. While this is a good thing in theory, it can be annoying or triggering to owners.
Don’t worry, though. Your dog should stop barking as soon as they begin to calm down. Just give them a moment to get excited over whatever it is and then begin to calm them down with gentle strokes.
Barking During The Early Hours
Some dog owners find that their dogs are much more vocal in the nighttime. This is not commonly the case for Labradoodles, so you won’t often have to worry about your Labradoodles being a nighttime barker.
However, if they do start barking in the middle of the night, there might be some specific triggers for it as listed below. We have also written an entire blog on reasons why your dog may bark at night, so if you are finding your Labradoodle constantly barking at night, give this article a read!
Boredom
If you’ve ever been around bored kids, you’ll know how important it is to keep them entertained at all times. The same can be said for dogs. Some dogs might not understand that once the clock strikes 9pm, it’s wind down time for everyone in the house.
With no one to interact with and boredom quickly creeping in, your Labradoodle might start barking for no reason.
They might not be tired enough from the day to sleep soundly at night. Make sure that you’re giving them enough exercise each day so that they want to sleep at night instead of bark.
You could also make sure your labradoodle has lots of toys to play with:
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Medical Issues
Older Labradoodles might be suffering from medical concerns that could keep them up at night. Elderly dogs can get confused in the darkness, scaring them and making them bark.
Along with failing eyesight, this can make your Labradoodle feel vulnerable and scared, leading to excessive barking at night.
Separation Anxiety
When a dog is not yet used to their new surroundings, they might get separation anxiety while away from you. Labradoodles are very sociable dogs and therefore might be more prone to this than others. If your dog is missing you, they’ll bark for your attention.
Disturbances
If you cannot find any other issues causing the nighttime barking, you might want to consider external disturbances that are coming from outside. Do you live in an area known for its raccoons, hedgehogs or cats? Is someone letting off fireworks or loud bangs?
Your dog might even begin barking at people loitering outside of your house in the middle of the night. Always check to see if there is a legitimate reason your Labradoodle is barking at nighttime before brushing it off as an annoyance.
Weather Warnings
Labradoodles hate thunderstorms and lightning. If there are any signs that a storm is on its way, your dog might begin to freak out. They’ll be scared of the storm, so make sure you give them extra attention and get them through the worst of it without being too harsh about their barking.
Protection Mode
Another common reason why Labradoodles like to bark so much is because they are protecting their owners. These dogs are fiercely loyal to their owners (although they’re not aggressive), so if they feel a threat coming on, then they will begin to bark as a warning.
Some owners have reported their Labradoodles barking at unfamiliar faces as they walk past people on the street. The volume of unknown faces might spook your dog, but they should get used to this the more you take them out into the world.
How To Prevent Labradoodles Barking Excessively
f your Labradoodle is only barking every so often when something triggers a response, the best thing to do is to let them be. They are meant to bark, after all!
The issue lies when your dog begins to bark excessively and unreasonably. This behavior will need to be trained out of them to give you, your neighbors, and your dog a happier life!
There are plenty of things you can do to prevent your dog from barking excessively, so it might require some trial and error before you get to the bottom of what is causing the insatiable barking.
Here are some things that you can try to reduce your dog’s constant barking:
Keep the toybox updated with lots of fun and stimulating toys so that they are always entertained.
Leave some music on while you’re gone so that they’re not alone in silence.
- Keep a light on so they’re not worried in the dark.
- Show your dog how to get to a window to look outside and stimulate itself.
- Socialize your puppy from a young age.
- Use positive reinforcement to commend good behavior.
- Expose your dog to loud noises gradually so that they can get used to them without being startled. Recordings of thunderstorms are good on YouTube, gradually increasing the volume as your dog gets more comfortable.
- Create a safe space, such as a dog crate, for your Labradoodle to go when they want to be alone.
- Make time to sit with your dog and make sure that they are content and happy.
Tips And Tricks To Stop A Labradoodle From Barking
One of the most important tips we have when it comes to your dog and their barking habits is to never shout or show aggression towards them.
Barking is simply a way of communicating with you, so why should it be met with anger?
Showing anger to your dog’s barking can lead to aggressive behavior from them over time. This is absolutely not what you want, and will be even harder to train out of them.
Always keep a schedule with your Labradoodle, giving them a safe routine free of too many surprises. Make sure that your routine offers plenty of enrichment and stimulation for them, which will help them act calmer when left alone.
If your dog is barking for attention, don’t give them any until they are calmer and quiet. If you give your dog attention when they are barking for it, it will create a negative association that barking means attention. They will continue barking because they know it gets them what they want.
Always make sure that your Labradoodle has a safe environment that offers few triggers for barking. If you think that their current environment holds too many triggers, try and move them somewhere else.
For example, if there are lots of cars and wildlife around the front of your house where your dog often is, try moving them around the back of the house instead.
Train your dog to know ‘quiet’ and ‘bark’ commands. This will show you that your dog does know what these words mean and gives you a higher chance of the commands being successful when you want your dog to stop barking.
Do Labradoodles bark more than Goldendoodles?
No, Goldendoodles tend to be the more vocal of these two breeds. This is due to the fact that Labradoodes are generally calmer than Goldendoodles, with slightly lower energy levels. Labradoodles are more trusting with strangers, so they bark less when they see an unfamiliar face.
Goldendoodles are even known for sometimes barking excessively, which might make them the less preferred choice if you live in a built-up neighborhood. However, Labradoodles are the more loyal of these two breeds, so they might bark more when trying to protect their owners.
Summary
Overall, Labradoodles do not bark excessively. They are considered a mid-barking dog and will only bark when they want to communicate something with you, or something has triggered them.
Labradoodles are loyal and playful, so they’ll often bark when they see new people, get excited, sense danger, are scared, and more.
Barking is a form of communication for dogs, so you should not expect your dog to never bark. You might be more concerned if your dog wasn’t barking at all!
To help prevent your dog from barking too much, make sure that they are in a safe environment without too many triggers. You can also train them to ‘bark’ and be ‘quiet’ so that you can stop their barking on command.
The most important thing to remember is to never get angry with a barking Labradoodle.
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