Why does a dog bark at cars

Have you ever witnessed a dog barking in front of you at a passing car? I’m sure it is. However, do you know what makes quadrupeds react this way to cars? There can be several reasons for this behaviour by a dog. One of them may be the fear of something unknown.

A dog may bark at a car in fear of what he is unfamiliar with. That is usually the case with dogs who rarely can be near cars. The hunting instinct can also speak through the dog. He treats the car as his potential prey, which he barks at and intends to hunt.

What will you learn from this article?

• A dog may bark at a car out of fear of the unknown
• The dog treats the car as his potential victim, which he barks at and wants to catch up with
• By barking and running after the car, the dog discharges the excess energy dormant in him

The dog barks at cars

A dog barking at cars is a problem I didn’t know existed until I took my dog ​​on vacation out of town. We live in a big city every day. The presence of driving cars is a constant part of our lives. Always going for a walk, we cross a relatively busy street heading towards the park. Cars have been present in my pet’s life since he was a puppy. That is why he has treated them as something obvious, a permanent infrastructure element. You could say he didn’t pay much attention to them. Hence, he did not need to bark at them before. Therefore, when my dog ​​barked at the car for the first time, I was amazed by his behaviour and wondered what it was about. What caused such a change in the conduct of my four-legged friend? So, I want to tell you what makes your dog bark at cars and what it means for your pet to react that way.

Why does a dog bark at cars

As it turns out, dogs bark at cars for various reasons. A lot depends on the dog’s age, where he grew up, and his previous experiences. Your dog may bark at cars only in certain situations, as with my pup. Therefore, if your dog has not barked at vehicles so far, it, unfortunately, does not mean that this situation will never happen.

The dog barks in fear

The reason your dog may bark at cars is because of fear. He hopes that, in this way, he will be able to chase away the intruder successfully. The vehicle in the dog’s eyes is big, loud, and fast. It can make the dog feel threatened. The dog wants to show his superiority and readiness by barking, even if he internally feels fear of the car. Most often, such a reaction to the sight of a vehicle can be observed in dogs that live in a small city daily. For such a dog, the picture of a moving car is not a permanent part of his everyday life. If the dog grows up in the centre of a large city, the presence of many cars is evident to him. Every time he leaves the house, he must cross a busy street at least a few times. Cars cease to be of any importance to him. He does not see them as a potential source of danger.

The dog’s hunting instinct

Innate instinct is a powerful part of a dog’s personality. A lot of your four-legged friend’s everyday behaviour is due to his genetics. A dog’s hunting instinct may be one of the reasons why dogs bark at cars. The dog may perceive the car as his potential victim that it wants to hunt. Very often in dogs, this thinking is activated when the car starts moving. Then, in such a situation, the dog’s mind perceives it as an escape, so it instinctively starts chasing the car and barking at it. I think you’ve probably seen a similar reaction when it comes to a bicycle. Dogs very often run behind a moving bike, barking fiercely after it. The same was true of my pup. Although he does not pay attention to cars daily, his reaction to cars is different when he is out of town. There was a very wild climate, a forest around it, and lots of animals in the place where we stayed.

As you can see, it stimulated my typically urban quadruped hunting instinct. A car passing near our house probably picked up one of the animals. So, he decided to ostentatiously bark at him and try to catch up with him. It was surprising to watch my dog ​​behave this way towards the car.

Searching for physical activity

Dogs love to move. Sport with a dog gives them a lot of joy and fun. If you don’t ensure that your dog has the exercise he needs, he will try to use the excess energy in him somehow. That can result in barking and running after cars. In this way, the dog releases his energy. So, if you notice this behaviour in your pet, consider whether you are giving him enough attention that he needs from you. For dogs, getting them enough exercise is essential. That has a direct impact on both their physical and mental health. A dog who does not have the opportunity to use his energy will be miserable.

The loneliness of the dog

As a dog lover, I cannot ignore an unhappy dog. Dogs are social animals, and the presence of other people is significant to them. Otherwise, they may feel very lonely and unwanted. It can be challenging for a dog to define what a car is, primarily if he does not deal with many cars daily and has not had the opportunity to move anywhere using them. The dog sees that it is something that can move and make sounds. So, it can perceive the car as a living organism. Consequently, he may want to try to establish some contact with him, especially when the canine feels very lonely. The dog can try to make contact and encourage play by barking at the car.

How to stop your dog from barking at cars

How you can stop your canine from barking at cars depends on what is causing his behaviour. A different solution will work in each case. If your four-legged friend barks at cars out of fear, you must try getting him used to cars. That is necessary because cars are a regular part of everyone’s life. You will not be able to protect your dog from cars because they are all around us. When the dog starts barking at the car, show him there is nothing to be afraid of because you are right next to him. You can try to distract him from the car so that he stops focusing on it and, thus, involuntarily stays next to it without reacting.

Let the presence of the car become something normal for him. If you don’t have a car yourself, ask someone to let your dog get inside. That will help him get used to the car and understand that there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of. Very often, dogs’ fear is because something is new and unfamiliar to them. However, they realize their dog was completely unnecessary once they knew it. We hope you know how to stop your dog from barking at cars.

Dog barking at cars

Dogs bark to express their emotions and communicate with the outside world. We cannot treat such behaviour of a dog as something terrible. I gave you reasons why your dog barks at cars. Think about which may be the reason for your pet’s behaviour. With this knowledge, try to help him. Your support and understanding in this situation are essential. Your dog needs to feel that you care for him.

Does your dog bark at cars? If so, in what situations does it usually occur, and how do you try to deal with it? If you have any questions or want me to discuss a topic in the next post, share it in the comments section.