Barking is a normal canine behaviour for dogs. It’s how they communicate, not only to each other but also to tell you their needs. However, living in a suburban environment, a dog who barks can also cause tension among the neighbourhood. Why do dogs bark? Dogs can bark for a number of reasons, mainly due to boredom, excitement, anxiety or from a stimulus/trigger. Managing barking can be done by first identifying its cause. Look at when the barking occurs, what is happening in the environment at the time and the type of barking – is it constant or intermittent and can the dog be distracted