# Will my puppy eventually bark?



## jboboxer (Jul 9, 2009)

I have a 5 month old female boxer that really never barks. She will bark sometimes for me to let her back in the house if I left her out too long and she wants back in, but I'm talking about barking when somebody is coming to the door?

Right now if she thinks she hears somebody she will start to listen as if she's concern, but I've never heard her bark. If somebody rings the doorbell she will wag her tail and run to the door. 

I don't want an annoying barker, but I'm pretty surprised she's not barking yet. Some people are telling me it's because she's only 5 months old and others are telling me if she hasn't started barking now when the door bell rings you'll have to teach her. I'm not sure what to think?


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## DogPaw (Jan 11, 2009)

Be careful what you wish for.  Some dogs aren't big barkers. And some take longer to bark. I wouldn't worry about it. I had a Border Collie, of all breeds, that didn't start barking until she was well over 5 months.


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## MafiaPrincess (Jul 1, 2009)

I'd echo careful what you wish for. Smudge was uber quiet. Never barked. Mom kept asking if he was broken. Year and a half or so he started to go off at noises. When he goes off he just keeps going... And he sounds like a far bigger dog when doing it.


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## jboboxer (Jul 9, 2009)

Ok I should have written that's what the 3rd thing I keep hearing, becareful what you wish for, because some people seem to have annoying barkers. I'm not looking for one extreme or the other.
I'm looking for what I grew up with and that's a dog that simply barks when the door bell rings or when they think they hear somebody and that's it.


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## Shaina (Oct 28, 2007)

For what it's worth my Kim barked three times in her life before she was a year old. Each time she looked almost surprised at the sound that came out of her, lol.

Now she barks regularly but only under limited circumstances. She'll bark when someone is coming up to the house (not walking by but actually stopping) and she'll occasionally woof if she gets so excited and happy she just can't contain herself...usually when we go somewhere she really loves like the obedience club -- just right when we walk through the door -- or when I first get home from work and start playing.

I think she just kinda matured into her bark, if that makes sense. I never encouraged or discouraged it.


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## moluno (Apr 29, 2009)

I think she's still young enough that her guarding instinct hasn't kicked in, and really she may never be the kind of dog that barks EVERY time someone is at the door. My past boxer never barked when people came over during the DAY, but if someone came to the door when it was dark out, she'd turn it on and give a warning. 

Juno's 6 months old and doesn't bark. She stands there wiggling around waiting for some loving. Personally I don't care if she turns out to be a quiet dog, but she's still a puppy so who knows if she'll start guarding. 

Lucy was a quiet dog as a puppy. It was cute when she'd bark. Now she doesn't shut up and she barks at everything that moves, so there's plenty of time for your pup to start barking.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

She's 5 months old...it takes time.

My GSD didn't start barking at the door until he was well over a year old. Even now mostly what I get is pricked ears and forward carriage of his body and he's 5.


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## LuvMyAngels (May 24, 2009)

Enjoy the quiet  My 7 1/2 month old Saint is only vocal during play. He has barked outside only a few times, once alerting me to an opossum in the neighbors yard, otherwise its been all play. He has his own way of letting me know someone is at the door...he'll walk over to the door holding himself very alert, people on the other side are always surprised to see Buster (Im 5'3", his head is at my waist).


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## chriley58 (Mar 9, 2009)

I have a one year old border collie mix, she doesn't bark. She doesn't bark during play, she will make some growly sounds, she doesn't bark when the other two are barking up a storm at a knock at the door. We have had her since February so she's had plenty of time to settle in. If the other two bark at something, she will just sit down and calmly sit there watching. It's actually kind of nice! I echo the be careful what you wish for sentiments. I won't be teaching Bella any "speak" commands and will be enjoying her silence.


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## Javier (Aug 4, 2009)

Let me be the one to worry about the exact opposite problem, my black lab (4.5 months old) is among the most quiet dogs I have ever seen. I would love for him to keep being this way, but I have to be realistic about. 

Is there any effective technique to get him not to bark? Specially when the other dogs in the neighborhood are barking for no valid reason?


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## apoirier594 (Aug 30, 2009)

yes, enjoy it while it last, ours never barked until he was 8 months old, now barks all the time


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## jboboxer (Jul 9, 2009)

Mine will bark if my wife goes out the front door and she misses her or if she's outside to long and wants back in. But it's one or two barks. If we put her in the crate while I mow the lawn she'll bark most of the time as well. But I can go a week or so without hearing any barking.

I can imagine no barking is better than annoying barking. My mother's dog barks so much that they decided to actually disable the door bell, which I think is kind of crazy.

But they have also taught the dog the trick to "speak", which I'm not sure ads to her wanting to bark all the time. I've been teaching my puppy over half a dozen tricks, but I'm not sure I want to teach her how to speak and give her a treat, because as others have suggested I have to be careful what I wish for.


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## bondra76 (Feb 8, 2009)

My dog hates water, and I've used that when she barks. Now it doesn't happen at all.

Sometimes I wish I did actually have a dog that barked a little at least. But she won't do it at all unless there's something drastic (like thunder etc.)


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## lshean (Jan 6, 2009)

A non barker is a good thing. Mine is the same way and when she does bark I know I had better look to see why.


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## MaddieTheDog (Jun 3, 2009)

We got Maddie at 5 months and she was not a barker. It took her maybe 3-4 months to bark. She's still not a big barker and will be quiet when told (with a few extra gruffs in there to get the last word) fortunately.


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## emily445455 (Apr 8, 2008)

My Belle rarely barked until recently (she's almost 2), it's really annoying. Definitly be careful what you wish for!!!!!!!!!!!!


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