Raising Puppies

Some puppies like to talk more than others. You may not mind them barking for a bit when someone rings the doorbell or if someone comes into the yard, but too much barking can be a real problem. It's also a very common cause of neighbor complaints.

Some breeds are more prone to barking than others. Shetland Sheepdogs, Miniature Schnauzers, Samoyeds, terriers, and hounds tend to be more talkative. If you have one of these puppies, remember, she was your choice. You may not have known about this issue before you picked her out, but it's not her fault that her breed is chatty. This doesn't mean that you have to put up with excessive barking, though. You may need to stock up on extra patience for a breed with this tendency, because her genes will be telling her to talk while your training will be encouraging her to be quiet.

Puppies bark for several reasons:

They're bored. They may have 100 toys available, but puppies can still be bored. It's like having satellite or cable television there's hundreds of channels, but you still flip from channel to channel, trying to find something good to watch.
They're protective. Some breeds are more likely to bark at people or animals approaching their "territory" than others.
They're afraid. Some puppies can be startled by sounds or sights, and they're telling you that they're afraid by barking.
They're announcing something. It could be a car going by, kids playing in the cul-de-sac, or a raindrop hitting a blade of grass. Some puppies feel a need to narrate things that they notice.
They're trying to tell you something. All barking is communication. You may never figure out why your dog is barking, but she is definitely trying to say something to you.