Do Poodles bark a lot?

Many Poodles, regardless of them being standard, miniature and toy Poodles have a unique set of personalities. While they are intelligent dogs, they're also full of high energy. 

Due to their high energy, a common concern for many potential dog owners is if Poodles bark excessively. This is because many people have children or live close to their neighbors.

If this applies to you, the last thing you need as potential pet parents is to receive noise complaints and keep people up at night. However, small dogs like the toy poodle and miniature Poodle can often get a bad reputation due to their barking habit.

There are many reasons why Poodles aren't quiet, but that's not something that can be managed without sufficient training.

To know more about some Poodles bark incessantly than other pets, keep reading.

Why do Poodles bark? 

If you plan on being a Poodle owner, you'll find that these companion dogs are not the quietest canines nor the loudest. Often a Poodle barking tends to be moderate, and only their pitch tends to get louder if there's been a certain trigger.

Most of the time, Standard Poodles are the Poodle that tends to bark the loudest due to their size. Many people feel that these dog breeds bark due to aggressive characteristics. The truth is this popular dog is not an aggressive dog breed; these dogs bark due to the following:

Separation anxiety

Poodle owners will find that these dogs love to please. We mean by this, they love human company right from a young age and do not do well being left on their own. Often, if these dogs are left on their own for a long time, they will begin barking due to experiencing separation anxiety.

Noise

Poodles can start barking due to loud noise inside and outside their home. Like many dogs, a Poodle may undergo incessant barking from triggers like fireworks, bangs, and other dogs.

Strangers

While Poodles are high-energy dogs, they're not the best at being guard dogs even though they're alert.

Poodles can be sensitive to the noise of footsteps of people walking they don't recognize and may start barking. Part of the reason they bark is to alert you of the potential threat they can hear coming.

Excitement 

If you've been out of the house for several hours or away on vacation, a Poodle might bark out of excitement when they see you.

Moreover, if you find yourself playing with a Poodle, they might bark because they're enjoying themselves and having fun.

How to train a Poodle not to bark?

If you want to teach your Poodle not to bark, you can try a few different methods, which are:

Ignore the barking 

At first, one of the easiest steps you can try and implement is ignoring a Poodle's barking.

Most of the time, when they bark, they do it as a sign to command your attention, so you shouldn't give in. If you choose to give in to this dog, they will only be encouraged to bark more.

Positive reinforcement 

After a Poodle has stopped barking, try to reward them with a treat or toy. If you repeatedly do this, it will help them expect a treat over time and associate not barking as good behavior.

Remove any external triggers

You do quite a few things to stop Poodles barking, but one effective way to try is to remove any external triggers in their environment.

For example, wherever you are, try limiting their exposure to loud noise, strangers, and more that can trigger their barking. If you find you can't get your Poodle to stop barking, try to provide them with a safe space to feel comfortable.

Socialize them

Regardless of you having a Poodle or other dog, it's your duty as a pet owner to make sure your dog is socialized from an early age.

Once your Poodle has been given their full set of vaccinations, take them out and about to become acquainted with other humans and dogs.

The more familiar these energetic dogs become, the more likely they will be calm around others and less likely to bark.

Give toys to your Poodle

Poodle barks sometimes out of boredom. To stop a bored Poodle, you can give them toys to help provide them with mental exercise and stimulation when you're away.

Kong toys and chew toys can help provide them with physical and mental stimulation when you're gone.

Exercise 

If you're a new pet owner, one of the best things you can do when a dog barks is to provide them with sufficient exercise.

When a Poodle gets enough exercise, they can become fatigued and therefore are less likely to bark from boredom, fear, or aggression. Therefore try taking your Poodle on regular walks, runs, swims and provide them with lots of playtime.

Final thoughts

Overall just like other different dogs, Poodles love to bark from various things such as strangers, loud noises, separation anxiety, excitement, fear, and much more.

To reduce barking in these smaller dogs, you should provide positive reinforcement, socialize them, remove external triggers and ignore the barking.