This mixed breed of both Pomeranian and Toy Poodles are known to be very affectionate and form extremely tight bonds with their owners. They are also known to exhibit various characteristics of both parents, one of which is barking a lot.
Do Pomapoos bark a lot?
Pomapoos that possess more Pomeranian attributes than Toy Poodles’ are known to be more vocal which could result in incessant barking if not properly trained.
Aside from inheriting their Pomeranian parent’s vocal attribute of being loud and incessant barkers if untrained, there could be other reasons responsible for your Pomapoo’s incessant barking.
In this blog post, I will be going into the various reasons why a Pomapoo could be barking a lot, understanding what their barking could mean and what to do about it amongst other things.
Reasons why your Pomapoos might be barking?
Dogs are known to use barking as a means of communication and could be communicating a variety of things with their barking.
Unfortunately, humans don’t speak “woof”, instead we can take note of visual cue and investigate the root causes behind the bark to better align ourselves to understand why our dogs might be barking.
The reasons for your Pomapoo’s incessant barking can be generally categorized into the following:
- Anxiety
- Unknown health issues
- Aggression
- As a form of warning
Anxiety
Dogs, just like humans, are capable of experiencing and suffering from anxiety.
When untreated or unresolved, this anxiety can result in behavioral issues and a byproduct of it could be incessant barking.
There are various causes of anxiety in dogs according to the Merck Veterinary Manual.
The most common in dogs could either be due to fear, aging or separation.
Fear-based anxiety could be associated with certain triggers such as loud noise, new environments, unfamiliar people, and a negative association with certain objects.
Aging could be another cause for your Pomapoo’s anxiety as senior dogs can develop cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) which is equivalent to the early phases of Alzheimer’s disease in humans.
Separation anxiety is known to affect an estimated 14 percent of dogs in the world. Pomapoos with separation anxiety have difficulty staying by themselves and away from their owners or caregivers.
It is important to point out that Pomapoos do not do well with being left alone for a long period of time and could eventually develop separation anxiety.
Unknown health issues
Your Pomapoo can be barking due to the physical pain he/she might be experiencing.
In this case, the tone and frequency of your Pomapoo’s barking are exceptionally important in figuring out something is wrong. This bark is usually accompanied by whimpers.
Watch your Pomapoo for signs of any physical discomfort such as limping, excessive licking of a body part or a visible injury.
If you do not see any visible injury or signs of discomfort, it could be internal, in such cases, a trip to the vet should be your next course of action.
Aggression
Barking can also be a product of aggression, which can also be linked to anxiety in most cases.
Aggression can be identified as your dog’s intention to harm or threaten harm towards another dog or human.
Aggression can be borne out of your Pomapoo’s territorial nature towards you or an object. It can also be a result of fear and frustration.
Aggressive Pomapoos are known to bark as a way of warning off whatever it is threatening or threatened by, signifying his/her discomfort.
Sounding an alert
As stated earlier, dogs use their barks as a form of communication and in most cases, your Pomapoo’s incessant barking could be as a form of sounding off an alarm to inform you of an immediate threat.
The Pomeranian is an alert toy dog breed that makes good watchdogs, this is a trait your Pomapoo is likely to inherit from its Pomeranian parent.
Barking to alert you of imminent danger is an attribute we appreciate from our dogs and one we can train to control.
Pomapoos are very intelligent mixed breed, a trait they tend to inherit from their Toy Poodle parent.
With this intelligence, a Pomapoo can easily be trained to bark less erratically in the face of a threat.
Understanding what your Pomapoo’s barking could mean
It will be wrong to assume all barks are trying to communicate the same thing.
Listening to the pitch, tone, and frequency of each bark can be the key to understanding what to look out for or dictating what your next course of action is.
Below is a table showing examples of barking sounds and their meanings:
| S/N | Reason for Barking | Barking Sound | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Raising an alarm | A rapid mid-range bark with occasional pauses and breaks in between. | Your dog would bark when it notice something suspicious, to alert you. This could be someone peeking over the fence or trying to sneak in through the window. |
| 2. | Saying “i don’t like it” | Low growl that progresses into low pitched short barks | When your dog isn’t so keen on whatever you are doing to him/her, like, putting them in a crate or putting a leash on them, they would warn you to communicate their displeasure. |
| 3. | I need your attention | Prolong high pitch barking with short intervals in-between | Lonely or bored dogs could bark at you seeking attention. It is important to avoid encouraging this behavior as it might escalate into separation anxiety |
| 4. | Saying hello | One or two sharp, fairly mid-range barks. | When you or someone they know come home, your dog could greet you with a bark, saying ‘hello, I am happy to see you again’. |
| 5 | I am nervous/anxious/ scared | High pitched with short intervals of growling. | When a dog is nervous or anxious, they tend to bark loudly, wagging their tail while moving backwards or away from whatever or whoever is making them nervous. |
Can constant barking hurt your Pomapoo?
You might be worried that your Pomapoo’s constant barking could somehow be harmful to him/her. Your worry isn’t unfounded or reactionary.
Fortunately, for a healthy Pomapoo, constantly barking will not hurt your Pomapoo, it would only tire him/her out at some point.
A prevalent health issue you should be concerned about is the Collapsing Trachea, which Pomeranians are prone to experiencing. In this case, the constant barking becomes an issue to worry about.
Pomapoos suffering from Collapsing Trachea would exhibit a symptom such as sounding like they are making a honking noise or like he/she is trying to cough up a hairball when they bark.
An X-ray is required to diagnose this issue, therefore a trip to the vet is necessary.
Fortunately, medication can be prescribed to help reduce the coughing.
Collapsing Trachea is a life-threatening issue with Pomeranians and should not be overlooked nor ignored.
How to stop your Pomapoos from constantly barking
Now we have understood the various reasons and meanings for a Pomapoo’s constant barking, we can now proceed to the various solutions that can be implemented to help stop our Pomapoos from barking constantly.
To do this we have to understand that most attributes our Pomapoos exhibits are instinctual.
Barking is a symptom of the problem.
Ceasar Milan
Instincts gotten majorly from his/her Pomeranian parent can be a pivotal reason for barking.
It is important to control this attribute when your Pomapoo is still a puppy (below 3 months), to prevent the development of future behavioral issues.
The goal of the following activities is to get your Pomapoo’s barking under control and not to render him/her mute.
Here are some techniques you can apply to help control your Pomapoos incessant barking:
- Distract and Interrupt
- Trigger Elimination
- The Invisible Wall
- Physical and Mental Exercise
Distract and Interrupt
The distract and interrupt technique is used to return your dog’s focus and attention back to you.
Distracting your Pomapoo from whatever it is barking at can be a great way to get the situation under control.
There are various ways to distract your Pomapoo, the most effective in my opinion is by using his/her favorite treat or toy (preferably a one they have limited access to).
You can get them to nibble on a treat while you access the situation, returning them to a calmer state.
Interrupting your Pomapoo can be done by making a loud squealing sound, clapping hard, or blowing a whistle.
This high pitched sound is quite uncomfortable for dogs and has been known to get them startled and subsequently, stops them from barking.
It is important to regain control of the situation and using the distract and interrupt method is a great first step to achieving that.
Once your dog stops barking, you can proceed to issue a command such as the sit or stay command to regain your leadership role.
Do this exercise firmly as your Pomapoo is capable of reading your body language, remember, you are in control and not controlled.
Trigger Elimination
Triggers can be sounds, objects, or individuals that are responsible for making your Pomapoo react a certain way such as barking.
The doorbell, car horn, or the mailman are some examples of possible triggers responsible for your dog’s incessant barking.
It is important to know what triggers your Pomapoo, this is the first step to eliminating it.
After discovering the reason for your dog’s incessant barking, you can proceed to remove your dog from that scenario or take away whatever it is that is responsible for triggering your pouch.
If the trigger responsible for your Pomapoo’s incessant barking is unavoidably present and a constant feature in your life, then constantly eliminating the trigger isn’t a sustainable long term practice.
In cases where removing the trigger isn’t a suitable model, then resolving the negative association your dog has with the trigger in question is your best bet.
The Invisible Wall Method
In most cases, our dogs have been unconsciously trained by us to understand that their constant barking would be rewarded in some form, either by getting our attention or reaction.
The invisible wall method refers to retraining your Pomapoo by ignoring him/her and not rewarding the barking with your attention or reaction.
Below are steps you can utilize in controlling your dog’s incessant barking.
- When your dog starts barking, ignore him/her by looking away and pretending he/she isn’t there.
- If you are sitting, slouch into the sit with your hands folded and turn your head away from your Pomapoo.
- This is to show him who is in control, so hold your ground and have patience.
- When your Pom stops barking, wait for 3 seconds and nothing less and then praise and reward him/her with a treat.
- Continue this every time he continuously barks for your attention, increasing the wait time from 3 seconds to 6 seconds, and so on before you reward him/her for staying calm and silent.
Physical and Mental Exercise
Exercise has been established as a great tool for training and resolving a dog’s behavioral issue.
Boredom, lack of mental and physical stimulation are some known reasons for bad behaviors. It is therefore important to keep your dog exercised daily.
Taking your Pomapoo for walks can be a great way to get him/her exercised.
The Toy Poodle is known to be eager when it comes to engaging in physical activities with its owner, this is a trait your Pomapoo is likely to inherit, so engaging in some activities like playing fetch, amongst other things, can help your pup stay exercised.
Check out a previous article I wrote on 10 great exercises you can do with your small dog to keep them fit and healthy HERE
On mental stimulation, you can employ the use of a Kong toy, a Snuffle mat or hide treats all over the apartment for him/her to find.
The Kong toy is a great tool/toy to keep your dog preoccupied and distracted.
Just fill it up with chicken broth and freeze or chuck it full of treats that aren’t easy to retrieve, you can smear peanut butter on the tip to perk your pup’s interest.
It is important to stay patient as you make progress in retraining your dog to bark less frequently. These things take time and require consistency and perseverance, so stay positive and do not relent.
Conclusion
Pomapoos being a mix of both the Pomeranian and Toy Poodle is most likely to inherit the Pomeranian’s vocal nature and with a lack of proper training, develop a habit of barking a lot, all the time.
The information shared on this blog post is important in resolving any barking related issue your Pomapoo might have, all you need is the will to help your Pomapoo resolve his/her behavioral problem.
Is there something we missed or do you have a specific question, you can reach us by sending us a mail and we will be sure to respond in no time.
