If your dog is often quiet, this post will show you likely reasons why and what you can do about them.
So, why is my dog quiet? Likely reasons why your dog is quiet are that it is naturally quiet, previous training, or illness.
There are actually a number of possible reasons why your dog is quiet and it might be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are some things you can consider to help figure out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.
Why is my dog quiet?
Below are likely reasons why your dog is quiet and what you can do about them.
Nature
If your dog has always been quiet, it could be the case that it is naturally quiet which is not uncommon in dogs.
This isn’t such a bad thing since it means that it won’t cause you too much stress by constantly misbehaving.
It also means that when it is loud you will know that it is something important and you will be more likely to help your dog when it really needs it.
If it does have a quiet personality then there are a number of training tips that you can use to change its behavior that I will mention in the section below.
Previous experiences
It could also be the case that your dog has had previous experiences that have taught it to be quiet. If your dog is a rescue dog then this would be more likely.
The reason for this is that if, in the past, it was made to be quiet when it was loud or it was punished then it will associate being loud with bad consequences.
If this is something that you suspect then you should take measures to allow your dog to become more comfortable with your presence, to train it to become more vocal and you might even want to get help from a certified dog behaviorist.
Illness or injury
The reason why it has been being quiet might be that it has gotten an illness or injury. This would be more likely if it has started being quiet suddenly and if it has been showing other signs of being ill or injured. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.
Fearfulness
It might also be the case that something in its environment has been causing your dog to be fearful. This would be more likely if your dog is not always quiet or if it has become quiet since something might have caused it to become fearful such as moving homes or getting a new pet.
Depression
In some cases, dogs will become quiet because they are depressed.
It can be difficult to diagnose when dogs are depressed but other symptoms would include changes in appetite, spending more time sleeping, a loss of interest in doing things, excessive paw licking and avoidance or hiding.
If you think that this is what is causing your dog to be quiet then you should get help from a vet.
Training
The reason why it has been being quiet could be that it has been trained to be quiet in the past.
If it has been taught, in the past, that being quiet will get it what it wants then it will likely behave in a more quiet manner.
If you think that this might have happened then you could take measures to teach it to be a bit more vocal as mentioned below.
Encouraging the behavior
It could also be the case that your dog has learned that being quiet is rewarded. If you tend to give your dog things such as toys, treats or extra attention, when it is quiet, it will likely be quiet more often for more rewards.
It is not comfortable yet
If you have recently gotten your dog it could be the case that it is not yet comfortable in its new environment.
In this case, it would be more likely that it will begin to be less quiet as it becomes more comfortable. However, it would help to give it positive attention, training and to exercise it.
Tiredness
Things might also have been causing it to feel fatigued while awake. This could be due to diet problems, illness or something causing it to struggle sleeping.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.
If your dog has always been quiet
If your dog was not always quiet, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started being quiet. If it started being quiet suddenly, it could be due to things such as learning that being quiet is rewarded, a change in its environment, a change in its diet or getting an illness.
What is different when your dog is not quiet
It would also help to consider what is different when your dog is not quiet. For example, if it is not quiet when someone is at the door, it might be the case that your dog is naturally quiet for the rest of the day.
What to do about your dog being quiet
Below are some options you have if you want your dog to be less quiet.
Avoid encouraging the behavior
As mentioned above, it might be the case that it has learned that being quiet is rewarded. If you do not want it to be quiet, it would help to reward it when it shows signs of barking.
Get help
If your dog has become quiet suddenly and it has been behaving unusually, it would help to take it to a vet for a checkup. By doing so, you should be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular dog.
Train it to bark
You could also try training it to bark with the use of positive reinforcement training. This is where you encourage the behaviors you want to see by rewarding your dog when it shows signs of displaying them.
To use it to get it to bark more, you could reward it when it shows signs of barking as shown in the video below.
Allow it to adjust
If you have recently introduced your dog to a new environment, giving it some more time to adjust to its new environment should help. This is because it should become more comfortable in its new environment after a few weeks.
If it doesn’t start to get louder after a few weeks then you should consider using one of the other methods below.
Allow it to become comfortable
If you do think that your dog isn’t comfortable with its new environment then you should take measures to allow it to become more comfortable.
This can include showing it around the area, giving it more attention, giving it toys to chew on and allowing it to get lots of exercise in the new area.
Give it other ways to communicate
If your dog is more naturally inclined to be quiet then you might want to give it other ways to communicate such. This could include things such as putting bells on the patio door attached to a string that your dog can tap when it wants to come in.