If your Labrador is very vocal you might be wondering why and what you can do about it. This post will show you a number of possible causes and what you can do to get it to be less noisy.
So, why is my Labrador so vocal? Possible causes are that it wants food or water, it wants to go outside, illness, injury, anxiety, boredom or you might have inadvertently rewarded the behavior.
Your Labrador could actually be doing it for a number of reasons and it could be due to a combination of them. However, there are a number of things you can do about it depending on the most likely reason.
Why your Labrador is so vocal
Below, I will show you a number of common reasons why your Labrador is vocal and what would make them more likely to be the main reason.
It wants food or water
The reason why it does it could be that it is thirsty or hungry and it is trying to get you to feed it or to give it water. This would be more likely if it becomes more vocal when you have not fed it or when it does not have access to water.
If it does it while you are eating it could also be the case that it does it because it wants your food. This would be especially likely if you have given it some of your food while you were eating in the past.
In this case, it would help to check that you have been feeding it the right amount and that it has access to water whenever it needs it. It would also help to avoid giving it your own food when you are eating otherwise it will likely continue being vocal when you are eating.
It wants to go outside
The cause could also be that it wants to go outside which would be more likely if it tends to do it more when it has not been able to go outside for a while. It would also be more likely if it stands by the door and waits for you to let it out.
You have inadvertently reinforced the behavior
It could also be the case that you have inadvertently reinforced the behavior by giving it things it wants when it starts being vocal. This would be more likely if you tend to give it things that it wants when it is vocal.
Instead, it would help to reward it when it is being well behaved and to avoid rewarding it when it is vocal unless it is doing it for reasons such as wanting to go outside.
Illness or injury
The cause could also be that it is ill or injured. This would be more likely if it has become vocal 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.
Anxiety
If your Labrador becomes more vocal at certain times it might be the case that it is because it is anxious. This would be more likely if it does it in situations such as when you are about to leave home, when someone is around it doesn’t like or when there are construction works outside.
Nature
It could be the case that your Labrador is naturally vocal which would be more likely if it has always been vocal and it has not started doing it suddenly. Even if it is naturally vocal, it would still help to give it positive reinforcement training to get it to stop.
Boredom
Labradors are a breed that is meant to get a lot of daily exercise in order to be fully stimulated. When they do not get enough exercise they can behave abnormally and it can cause them to do things such as to become vocal.
Generally, it is recommended for adult Labradors to get at least an hour of exercise per day.
Things to consider
When it started being vocal
It would help to consider if anything else happened when it started being vocal since it could be the case that there was an event that caused it to start.
Things that might have happened could include:
- Exercising it at different times
- Working different hours
- Moving homes
- Letting it outside at different times
When it becomes more vocal
It would also help to consider if there is a certain time that it tends to be more vocal since it could be the case that the timing has something to do with it.
For example, if it becomes more vocal when you would normally walk it then it would be more likely that it is trying to remind you to walk it.
What to do about your Labrador being vocal
Below are some things you can do to get your Labrador to be less vocal.
Ensure that it is eating right
It could be the case that there is an issue with its diet that has been causing it to be vocal. This would be more likely if it has started doing it since a change in its diet.
It would help to make sure that you have been feeding it correctly and to make sure that no one else has been feeding it without telling you.
Make sure to give it exercise
It would also help to give it exercise on a daily basis if it is a healthy adult. If it is already getting exercise, you could also try wearing it out more by getting it to do things such as play fetch.
Let it go outside when it needs to
It would also help to let it go outside to pee whenever it needs to and to make sure that it is given the chance to go outside to pee regularly.
Deal with its separation anxiety
If it tends to become vocal when you are leaving home it would also help to take measures to deal with its separation anxiety.
You can watch the video below for some tips on how to get it to be less anxious when you are leaving.
Avoid negative reinforcement
It would also help to avoid giving it things that it wants when it becomes vocal unless it seems to be because it is for a reason such as wanting to go outside.
Instead, it would help to give it what it wants when it is being well behaved and to give it positive reinforcement training.
Take it to a vet
If it has started doing it suddenly or it has been showing signs of being ill or injured, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so, you will be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular Labrador and to rule out illness or injury as a possible cause.