Why Doesn't Your American Bully Bark? 7 Reasons + Training Guide

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Dogs, in general, do have an affinity for barking. You see a dog barking; you’ll be like, okay, and move on with your life. It’s nothing! However, if you have an American Bully and rarely hear it bark, you might start wondering, “hmmm… that’s really sus”.

Why doesn’t your American Bully bark? Your American Bully may not be barking for many reasons, including intelligence, personality, old age, health problems, and more. It’s worrying for you as an owner if you don’t hear your dog bark often; however, most of the time, it’s nothing serious. Also, if you don’t like a quiet dog, you can always train it to bark on command.

If you have a dog giving you the silent treatment, you don’t have to worry; just keep reading to learn more about it and know what to do.

Why Doesn’t Your American Bully Bark?

American Bullies are a highly energetic and intelligent breed. If you have one, then you probably know that they use all they have to communicate with you.

What’s weird though is having your American Bully not bark often. You don’t need to be alarmed; sometimes, it’s natural for dogs to be on the quiet side.

So, here are some reasons why your Bully may not be barking:

A Smart Boy

American Bullies are a very intelligent breed, and since they tend to be quite observant of their surrounding, they don’t feel the need to bark as frequently. In actuality, your Bully will hardly ever bark without reason.

When properly socialized and trained, intelligent dogs like American Bullies can recognize real threats. Your American Bully won’t typically bark unless they’re engaged in play, defending you or itself, or experiencing anxiety.

Like many other dogs, American Bullies frequently bark in response to thunder and other frightening noises.

Every American Bully Is Different

A dog breed doesn’t particularly specify the traits of each dog in it. You surely took a quiz once in your life to see if you’re an introvert or an extrovert. Well, dogs can also be more on the shy side than others in the same breed.

So if your neighbor’s American Bully barks day and night, while yours doesn’t, your dog might just be an introvert! Your dog’s tendency to be slightly more reserved may be because they’re built differently.

It’s crucial to know the difference between your dog’s laid-back attitude and a behavioral shift. You should be concerned if your dog suddenly changes from a noisy extrovert to a quiet animal that doesn’t make noise.

Old Age

Just like people are more prone to lose their hearing as they age, dogs do too. When your American Bully is a little pup, it most likely barks at everything it encounters because its senses are heightened.

Your four-legged buddy’s senses could deteriorate as it grows older, so it hears fewer noises, smells fewer scents, and bark less. Also, don’t expose your dog to loud noises as they can affect its hearing while it’s still young.

Health Problems

Unluckily, a quiet dog can be experiencing health issues. Get your dog to the vet as soon as you can if they stop barking all of a sudden and start acting weirdly.

It’s possible that sick dogs won’t have the energy to bark. Get your American Bully to the vet if you notice that they are acting more tired than usual or not acting like their regular, loud, cheerful selves.

Dogs can also experience throat or laryngitis issues. This can occur due to excessive barking occasionally and from an illness or health issue.

Barking when your dog isn’t feeling well can actually injure their throat. Fortunately, you may alleviate these complications by ensuring they receive the medical attention they need.

They’re Not Comfy

If your dog is just a pup, then it might not be yet comfortable with you.

Before they start barking nonstop, they need some time to get to know you and investigate their environment. If so, you should notice a change in your dog’s barking within the first few weeks of getting them.

If you have a shelter dog, make sure they feel safe and loved in your home. Shelter dogs can be quite hesitant. Giving your dog lots of praise and encouragement, as well as giving them the time they need to get used to your house, is one of the best methods to achieve this.

They’re Well-trained

On the other hand, trained and socialized dogs bark less than untrained or unsocialized canines. Barking at the appropriate moments is more common among dogs that are not trained properly

American Bullies like training because they want to please their owners, and they are much more likely than other breeds to recognize your cues. You can learn more about training your American Bully here.

This may be advantageous if your dog doesn’t bark at every person or pet that he or she encounters. It implies that your dog can recognize other people and animals as being positive in addition to trusting you to help identify dangers.

Trauma

Unfortunately, these adorable and devoted dogs have an unjustified negative reputation and are frequently taken advantage of and mistreated.

We, as American Bully lovers, might not be actively aware of the regrettable reality that many of these animals must deal with. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to comprehend how it impacts their temperament.

Some dogs don’t bark because they’ve had unpleasant interactions with people. It may be due to abuse that your dog is silent or displays other fear-based behaviors like hiding or shivering.

This might be specifically true with shelter dogs, as they may have previously encountered cruel people.

Unfortunately, dogs are unable to tell us about their past. We can only show them they are loved, and they are loved, and that they will never experience harm again by loving them.

Some dog trainers have a specialty in deciphering fear-based behavior in traumatized dogs, and they may be able to help you and give your dog a voice.

How to Train Your American Bully to Bark?

While most people want to teach their American Bullies to stop barking, it’s perfectly OK to teach them to do it on command or to alert you about important things. However, it may be difficult to train your dog to bark because most American Bullies are rather quiet by nature.

Training your dog to bark mainly consists of you making something that comes naturally to them, in this case, barking, more controlled.

The same tricks can be used to get your dog to stop barking at random times. It will then only bark when you want it to or when an emergency, like an intruder, arises.

Here is one trick you could do to train your dog to bark:

Get your dog excited – You can’t make your dog bark on command if they don’t want to, so the trick is to make them want to bark.
- First, you let your dog know you have the treat and just wait for it to bark. Dogs bark when they don’t know or understand what we want them to do; they’re looking for guidance.
Tease it with a treat – Use good treats, and you can also use a clicker.
- You keep teasing your Bully with the treat without giving it until they make even the tiniest bits of sound, then you actively cheer for them, click the clicker, and give them a bit of the treat.
Repeat – Then, you wait again until they bark and repeat.
Add the command – Now, your dog doesn’t still know the name of this sound they’re making, so now you start to tell them to speak or bark whenever they make this sound.
- You’re gonna have to repeat this process many times until your dog learns the trick, but your work will be rewarded big time in the future.

When to Seek Professional Help About Your Dog’s Barking?

There are more severe medical conditions that can cause your dog not to bark. Here are some of them:

Diseases of the Respiratory System and the Larynx

If you see your dog trying to bark, but physically can’t, or you notice a change in its tone, then you may want to take it to the vet, as the causes of these issues might range from the simple to the complex, such as excessive use of the voice or untreated tumors.

Surgical Complications

If your pub just went through surgery, and now it doesn’t bark, then a follow-up with your vet may be necessary.

You can easily assist your dog by being diligent and caring for him. Try not to worry; your vet will be there to help you as well. Despite how unsettling it may appear, a shift in your dog’s barking patterns can be resolved quickly.

Why Doesn’t Your American Bully Bark? 7 Reasons + Training Guide